Portland’s comedy community was devastated to learn Friday that Nariko Ott has died. He was 46.
Ott’s colleagues and contemporaries began offering testimonials on Friday afternoon, many calling him a mentor and supportive presence in the city’s comedy scene. Kickstand Comedy postponed Saturday night’s Comedy in the Park wrap party until September 26, writing: “We are shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of a beloved member of the Portland stand-up community. At this time it feels appropriate to give ourselves and each other space to process and grieve.”
Ott was a co-host of the “comedians vs. the news” monthly show Topic Thunder at the Siren Theater, where he and Adam Pasi delivered consistently fresh material onstage and invited guest comedians to weigh in on an ever-changing tide of current affairs.
“He was a comedian who could do political humor really well, and that’s rare,” said the Mercury’s Editor-in-Chief Steven Humphrey. The Mercury is a sponsor of the show.
Ott moved to Portland, from Tempe, Arizona, in 2011 and soon became a comic audiences looked for on bills. His name immediately stood out, even as he downplayed it. His name was culturally Japanese, but his family wasn’t. He joked: “Mom was a hippie and wanted me to have an unusual name. Nothing against hippies, but try not to be high before you have something important you have to do.”
Ott’s work stood out for its wide ranging subject matter and surprising turns. Drawing from experience won in pre-Portland forays—such as a band that humorously fused metal and country songs—Ott quickly proved himself a professional performer. His then-look of a laid back stoner with long hair and a healthy ‘stache made his incisive and quick material that much more surprising.
After winning the title of Portland’s Funniest Person in 2016, Ott followed the trajectory of many successful local talents and moved to New York, but within a few years he’d realized the city’s market was oversaturated. “Basically all I had done was take away most of my opportunities,” he told the Oregonian, in 2019, when he took over as host of Cool Kids Patio Show. “I saw the timeline of the comedy arc I was on extend by five years.” The experience noticeably sharpened Ott’s jokes and look. While he returned to Portland with a hot haircut and harder punchlines, Ott had become the sort of comedy host that could make a crowd feel both energized and welcome at local showcases like Cool Kids and Savages. He will be missed.
Here are a few more testimonials from Portland’s comedy community to mark this sad passing:
A decade ago when I first started comedy in Portland, I remember telling Nariko Ott that I looked up to him and he got super uncomfortable, but it was true. – Mohanad Elshieky
Nariko was the whole package: funny, friendly, sweet, handsome, sharp, witty, great laugh, kind, human and honest. It’s a tough day of so much love and sadness. – Julia Corral
I wish Nariko Ott you could have really, really felt how IMPORTANT and truly genuinely LOVED you were and are…. I’ve spent hundreds of hours laughing with you. That’s how I’m going to remember you. How are Adam Pasi and I gonna do Savages now? You were the funny one, and had a car. – Amanda Arnold
Nariko was the shit. I loved watching him tell jokes. I loved telling jokes with him. I loved him. I still do. I always will. – Adam Pasi
Nariko believed that comedy is about telling the truth… He wasn’t just funny, his heart was defiant against the tide of selfishness, bigotry and stupidity. He openly hated the disease of fascism in all its forms, especially when most look the other way. He’s a hero and I will miss him for the rest of my life. – Ben Harkins
When I moved to Portland in 2022, Nariko was one of the only friends I had in the comedy scene here… He had a waterfall of very straight black hair, confident and totally unique delivery, and a wry self-deprecating style that I connected with immediately. He was a perfectionist about his jokes and worked hard on his writing. It showed. – David Tveite
Nariko Sweetwater Ott. The riff king. The boy with big feelings and a razor sharp wit. The comics came inside when you took the stage. Joann Schinderle
[Nariko] was one of my favorite people in the city. It was an honor to work with him, be entertained by him and have him as a supporter. He was always consistent and kind to me. Courtenay Collins
The Portland comedy scene and the world has lost a true comedic talent, a kind human being and an all around good person. I have had many great moments and experiences with [Nariko] all the way back to the Red Room days. Tyrone Collins
I loved Nariko so much. I loved his denim jacket. I loved his kindness. I loved that when he looked at me I felt like I was important in that moment. I loved his laugh. I loved his fire. I loved Nariko so much that I gave him my beloved Doug Fir show before I left PDX in 2019 because he was the coolest person I knew. – Andie Main
When I started doing comedy in Portland over 10 years ago, Nariko was already someone everybody looked up to. He motivated all of us because he was so damn good at what we do…. – Bryan Bixby
He didn’t know how good he was. More than that, he was kind. He encouraged others. He congratulated me to the entire Portland comedy Facebook group like a stage mom when I got into my first comedy festival. – Becky Braunstein
In the mid 2010s I was kind of obsessed with doing well in Portland and I didn’t know how to handle myself. [Nariko] calmed me down and he made me feel like I was a part of that scene. He made me feel like I was a part of Comedy. I think he did that for a lot of people especially in Portland. This sucks and it hurts, and it’s going to suck and it’s going to hurt for a while. – Sam Miller
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, you can reach Oregon’s suicide hotline by dialing 988. Lines for Life—the organization who runs the state’s hotline—also has a number of specific hotlines for community members with unique needs. Find more info at linesforlife.org.
