The premature passing of 44 year old comedian Greg Giraldo caught everyone by surprise yesterday. Today we honor him and 9 other comedians who left us before their time on Earth was up. Unlike these comedians who had their time, we hoped the joke tailors on this list could’ve given us more comedic gold in their golden years.

It takes a true talent to manufacture a laugh out of a buzz kill. Like death: if you go too far, it’s seen as insensitive; don’t go far enough and you’re too sensitive (i.e. “too soon” jokes). Many a comic has been booed off a stage before his set is up (in this metaphor, “booing” is dying and “the end of the set” is death…try and keep up). Too many comics have bit the big one before we, and they, were ready for them to die.