Skip Stephenson; Comedian Was a Host of ‘Real People’

Comedian Skip Stephenson, one of the hosts of the old television series “Real People,” has died after suffering an apparent heart attack. He was 54.

Ray Bishop, owner of the L.A. Cabaret Club in Encino, where Stephenson performed regularly, said family members had told him that Stephenson suffered a heart attack at his Studio City home Monday afternoon. He was pronounced dead shortly afterward at the Medical Center of North Hollywood.

Stephenson had performed for about eight years at Bishop’s comedy club after the “Real People” series went off the air in 1984 after five seasons. He was a regular on the comedy club circuit both before and after the TV series, which was broadcast on NBC.

“Real People,” which had several hosts over the years, featured guests with unusual professions or hobbies. Stephenson appeared both in the studio and on location doing interviews. It was one of the first network shows that offered reality-based programming, and it spawned a series of imitators, including “That’s Incredible!”

Stephenson’s survivors include his three children. Bishop said his club will hold a memorial service at 11:30 p.m. today.