John Edward Szeles, popularly known as the Amazing Johnathan, was an American stand-up comedian and magician.
His act was mainly comprised of hijinks, interaction with one specific audience member, and a few legitimate magic tricks. From 2001 to 2014, he was a year-round headliner in Las Vegas.
Szeles was born on September 9, 1958, in Detroit, Michigan, United States.
Szeles, who began his career performing in the streets of San Francisco, first appeared on television in The 8th Annual Young Comedians Show in 1983 and later went on to become the host of the short-lived 1991 syndicated variety/game show Ruckus.
Self-described as the “Freddy Krueger of Comedy”, Szeles performed wearing his ever-present headband, and periodically pretending to suck on his hanging eyeball, cutting his wrists, and skewering his tongue.
The Amazing Johnathan Cause Of Death: What Happened To John Edward Szeles?
According to reports, John Szeles died in his sleep.
In March 2007, it was reported that Szeles was diagnosed with “a serious heart condition”.
The comedian later announced on his website that he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and went on to affirm that, due to a combination of weight loss and blood thinners, he was doing well.
On November 5, 2014, in front of a live audience on ENT Speaks, Szeles remarked that he had a year to live, but he defied the odds and began to recover from the disease, surviving seven years longer than doctors predicted.
Szeles died in his sleep at his home in Las Vegas, on February 22, 2022, at the age of 63.
He is survived by his wife, Anastasia Synn.