Fox News Channel’s Alan Colmes, 66, who was the liberal half of Fox’s Hannity and Colmes, died on Thursday after a battle with lymphoma.
After graduating in 1971 from Hofstra University, Colmes began his career as a stand-up comedian. He soon gravitated to radio, appearing on numerous stations until WABC hired him for the morning drive time slot. By 1987 he had moved to WNBC in 1987, but NBC announced in 1988 it would close its radio division. His show was syndicated nationally on radio, then joined Hannity in 1996.
In 2003 he published Red, White & Liberal: How Left is Right and Right is Wrong, which included emails from Hannity & Colmes viewers. In 2009, Fox decided Hannity would host the show alone.
But Colmes continued as a commentator on Fox News, often on The O’Reilly Factor with his sister-in-law, Monica Crowley. He occasionally joined Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld.
His wife of 14 years, Jocelyn Crowley, issued a statement:
Alan Colmes passed away this morning after a brief illness. He was 66-years-old. He leaves his adoring and devoted wife, Jocelyn Elise Crowley. He was a great guy, brilliant, hysterical, and moral. He was fiercely loyal, and the only thing he loved more than his work was his life with Jocelyn. He will be missed. The family has asked for privacy during this very difficult time.
Hannity stated that Colmes was “one of life’s most decent, kind and wonderful people you’d ever want to meet.”