Greg Giraldo Essentials

New York-born Greg Giraldo was in the midst of a law career before he entered the world of stand-up in 1992. His quick wit and raunchy edge helped him become an instant sensation, nabbing him appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Howard Stern Show as well as a gig as a judge on Last Comic Standing. Even as his career was on the ascendant, Giraldo struggled, often publicly, with addictions to drugs and alcohol, both of which contributed to his death in 2010 at the age of 44.