Kevin Bleyer, an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning television writer whose credits include The Daily Show and Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, and who wrote speeches for President Barack Obama, including all of his appearances at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, passed away on October 25 in a car accident on a rural road in Millrift, Pennsylvania, where he had a country home. He was 54.
His death was announced by his family.
In a statement, Bleyer's wife, Nella Vera, said: "Kevin spent his life searching for the perfect words to make people laugh, make them think, and help them see the world a little differently. I was lucky enough to know the humor, curiosity, mischief, and tenderness behind those words, and to be loved by a man who made my own world more joyful, more adventurous, and infinitely more beautiful."
Tributes from friends and colleagues
Actor and writer Danny Strong, a friend of Bleyer, remembered him with these words: "Kevin Bleyer was a writer's writer. From his many years at The Daily Show to writing Obama's speeches for the Correspondents' Dinner, to his books and his work on numerous scripted dramas, Kevin could literally do it all. His immense talent was only surpassed by his kind soul. I am in complete shock that he is no longer with us and my sadness is overwhelming. I already miss him so much."
MS NOW host Lawrence O'Donnell also shared his condolences: "I don't remember meeting Kevin because I instantly felt like I had known him my whole life. Kevin was a generous friend who always brought the gift of laughter with him."
Producer Llewellyn Wells, who worked with Bleyer, added: "I had the privilege of counting Kevin Bleyer as a friend and a work partner. Whether developing a series pitch or just sharing stories, Kevin brought wit, humor, and satire. But beneath that exceptional talent lived a man with depth, love, and a sincere desire to leave the world better than he found it. He did leave the world better than he found it. The heavens shine brighter today, the earth lost an angel."
From child actor to Stanford writer
Born in Bethesda, Maryland, and raised in Seattle, Bleyer was a child actor and appeared in a well-known Aim toothpaste commercial, as well as the 1985 Oscar-nominated film Twice in a Lifetime, where he played the grandson of Gene Hackman and the son of Amy Madigan.
A lover of theater, he played Jack in Sondheim's Into the Woods during his college years and sang a cappella with the Fleet Street Singers, a group with which he was named Best Collegiate Male Soloist by the Contemporary A Cappella Society.
A graduate of Stanford University, Bleyer began his career as a dramaturg and assistant to actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith at the New York Public Theater and at the Cort Theater on Broadway.
A career defined by The Daily Show
A New York resident for the last 20 years, Bleyer began his television career in 2000 as a writer for Bill Maher's ABC late-night talk show Politically Incorrect, where he remained for 30 episodes until its cancellation in 2002.
In 2004, he moved to Dennis Miller, the late-night talk show that aired for two seasons on CNBC between 2004 and 2005. Bleyer wrote 66 episodes of the Miller show and also worked as a producer.
In 2005, he wrote for the Comedy Central series Sports Central, and the following year he joined the writing staff of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where he remained until Stewart's departure in 2012. In total, he is credited with contributing to 1,041 episodes of the show.
His other television credits include his work as a writer and producer for NBC News' Today, and as a supervising producer for MSNBC's Ronan Farrow Daily.
Books and speechwriting work
Off-screen, Bleyer was the author of Me the People: One Man's Selfless Quest to Rewrite the Constitution of the United States of America and co-author of the bestseller Earth: The Book. More recently, he co-authored, with former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Bill Richardson, the book How to Sweet-Talk a Shark, which recounts, among other adventures, their humanitarian mission to North Korea to negotiate the release of hostage Kenneth Bae.
As a speechwriter, Bleyer contributed to numerous addresses by Obama, including all of his appearances at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and also wrote speeches for NASA astronauts, sitting senators, foreign diplomats, U.S. ambassadors, and even the singer Shakira.
Likewise, he served for a time as deputy director of speechwriting for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. In 2014, he was a resident fellow at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics, at the invitation of former Obama senior advisor and institute director David Axelrod. In 2018, he was an adjunct professor in the Department of Dramatic Writing at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.
Scripted dramas and international projects
In the realm of scripted television, Bleyer wrote for Disney+'s The Right Stuff, an adaptation of the Tom Wolfe book, as well as Fox's Sleepy Hollow and Bravo's Significant Others.
In 2013, he lived for a time in Kyrgyzstan, where he executive produced Studio 7, the first political satire show in all of Central Asia. Upon his return, he co-founded Pilot Media Initiatives, an initiative that promotes civic-focused media programs in countries with democratic challenges, both near and far. Over the last decade, he produced and helped launch scripted, non-fiction, and political satire television programs in Macedonia, Nigeria, Moldova, Kenya, Jordan, and Estonia.
He also spent a year in London, where he worked for journalist David Brancaccio on the business program Marketplace, at the London bureau of Public Radio International.
Bleyer was a recurring voice for Onion Radio News, maintained a weekly column at The Daily Beast, and wrote columns for Foreign Policy during and about the FIFA World Cup.
Before his death, he was developing a pilot about New York politics for Appian Way Productions and HBO.
Family and legacy
Bleyer is survived by his wife Nella Vera; his father, Dr. Archie Bleyer; his brother Keith Bleyer and sister-in-law Kelly Schulz-Bleyer; and his nephew Evan Bleyer and niece Lauren Bleyer.
Frequently asked questions about the death of Kevin Bleyer
How did Kevin Bleyer die?
Kevin Bleyer passed away on October 25, 2026, in a car accident that occurred on a rural road in Millrift, Pennsylvania, where he had a country home. He was 54.
What is Kevin Bleyer known for?
Bleyer was an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning writer, best known for his work on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where he is credited on 1,041 episodes, and for his previous work on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher.
What was Kevin Bleyer’s relationship with Barack Obama?
Bleyer worked as a speechwriter for President Barack Obama, contributing to numerous addresses, including all of his appearances at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
What books did Kevin Bleyer write?
His books include Me the People: One Man's Selfless Quest to Rewrite the Constitution of the United States of America, the bestseller Earth: The Book (as co-author), and How to Sweet-Talk a Shark, written with former Ambassador Bill Richardson.
Who survives Kevin Bleyer?
He is survived by his wife Nella Vera; his father, Dr. Archie Bleyer; his brother Keith Bleyer and sister-in-law Kelly Schulz-Bleyer; and his nephew Evan Bleyer and niece Lauren Bleyer.
