MSUM grad, comic dies after falling from Mexican ruins

WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. – Gus Lynch was known as a larger-than-life presence in the local comedy scene. Described as a guy who would berate you on stage one minute and make you buy him a beer the next, those who knew Lynch said he was like a big brother in the comedy community: a sarcastic guy who made everyone feel welcome. Lynch, a 42-year-old comedian and actor from White Bear Lake, died Sunday after a fall at the Coba Mayan ruins in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, where he was vacationing with his family in Akumal. His injuries included a punctured lung, a broken pelvis and broken ribs. Although he initially survived the fall, he later went into cardiac arrest. His death resonated in Fargo-Moorhead, where Lynch, born Jason Gustine, was a fixture in the theater department before graduating from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 1996. His comedy career was on the rise. He recently won the Joke Joint Comedy Club’s Best Comedian Ever contest and headlined the House of Comedy at the Mall of America in November. During his stand-up career, he opened for big names including David Allen Grier and Doug Stanhope. Lynch also was the director of live events for Stand Up! Records and started a comedy festival in Akumal, Mexico, that raises money for the Mexican Red Cross. Fargo comic Adam Quesnell, who spent two weeks performing with Lynch in Mexico, said he was “stunned” when he learned of Lynch’s death. “The world is absolutely less great without him, and I can feel his presence,” Quesnell said. The two met in 2010 when Lynch had a show in Fargo. Quesnell said he, “was blown away by how funny (Lynch was) and how effortless (he) made comedy look.” Before he got into comedy, Lynch acted in local theater productions including shows at the Guthrie, Jungle and Ordway theaters. He also had parts in TV show pilots and Hollywood films including “Hellraiser: Hellseeker,” “Saving Silverman” and “North Country,” in which he played the role of Pete the union rep. “His sense of humor was robust,” said friend and fellow comedian Chris Knutson. “It was full, yet void of any nonsense. I’ll remember him as a fan of comedy as much as a comedian. His appreciation for the art form showed in his performances. When a comedian loves comedy as much as he did, they usually make for the best and hardest-working comedians themselves.” In a short clip from a performance earlier this year, Lynch talked about keeping his kids entertained on a snow day by throwing a daylong Cap’n Crunch cereal festival. Lynch is survived by his wife, Amanda Thompson, and their two young children. Friend and fellow comedian Gabe Noah described Lynch’s act as “Family Guy” humor, but with more of an edge. “He made jokes about his wife and kids,” Noah said. “He would talk about liking to smoke pot. He was very much the Hunter S. Thompson meets Charles Bukowski meets Bill Cosby. He was so much in one guy, and his comedy reflected that. Where he really was great – he was very much like an old-school entertainer. He was very much a show-must-go-on kind of guy.” Dan Schlissel, the head of Stand Up! Records, said there’s a “Gus-shaped hole” in the local comedy community. ‘The comedy scene lost its most supportive fan and its big brother,” said Schlissel, who put on live events with Lynch. “He was friends with nearly everybody. Even the youngest comic he would give advice to if asked. He was an incredibly talented actor, and he brought that with him to the stage as a stand-up.” Quesnell benefitted from Lynch’s professionalism and warmth. “Gus was one of my biggest supporters. My comedy ‘career’ would be pretty dull without Gus,” the Fargo comic said. “He didn’t give me a ton of tips, but when he did I listened.” While some comics lack enthusiasm about hosting a show, Lynch was a pro about the job. “He is hands down the best MC I have ever seen. The competition isn’t even close,” Quesnell said. “He warmed up the audience and introduced me on my album recording, and I’m glad I’ll always be able to hear him on it.” The Vikings season ticket-holder and former high school defensive lineman was a physically large presence. Friends say Lynch could be intimidating. “I loved having him on the road with me because I could say whatever I wanted on stage, and no one would mess with me,” friend and fellow comedian Chris Maddock said about doing shows with Lynch. “I would say, ‘Gus.’ And he wasn’t mad; he wasn’t going to fight anybody. But there are some big guys you look at – he was just a gigantic pit bull. He’d just give them a look that would make anyone rethink what they were doing.” Maddock described Lynch as a smart guy who loved his family and friends and enjoyed local music and art, a dynamic person who had a lot of different sides. “He chose to do things based on how funny they would be. He didn’t do things because they made sense,” Maddock said. “He would do them if they were the funny thing to do – that’s how he made most of his choices. As he liked to say, he didn’t like to leave anything on the table.” Knutson said he will miss who Lynch was off-stage the most. “He was fantastic with kids,” Knutson said. “If I owned a day care I would have hired him to come do guest appearances. Really, he was fantastic with all people. Gus made everyone feel welcome.” The St Paul Pioneer Press is a media partner of Forum News Service  John Lamb of The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead contributed to this report
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. – Gus Lynch was known as a larger-than-life presence in the local comedy scene. Described as a guy who would berate you on stage one minute and make you buy him a beer the next, those who knew Lynch said he was like a big brother in the comedy community: a sarcastic guy who made everyone feel welcome.Lynch, a 42-year-old comedian and actor from White Bear Lake, died Sunday after a fall at the Coba Mayan ruins in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, where he was vacationing with his family in Akumal. His injuries included a punctured lung, a broken pelvis and broken ribs. Although he initially survived the fall, he later went into cardiac arrest.His death resonated in Fargo-Moorhead, where Lynch, born Jason Gustine, was a fixture in the theater department before graduating from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 1996.His comedy career was on the rise. He recently won the Joke Joint Comedy Club’s Best Comedian Ever contest and headlined the House of Comedy at the Mall of America in November. During his stand-up career, he opened for big names including David Allen Grier and Doug Stanhope. Lynch also was the director of live events for Stand Up! Records and started a comedy festival in Akumal, Mexico, that raises money for the Mexican Red Cross.Fargo comic Adam Quesnell, who spent two weeks performing with Lynch in Mexico, said he was “stunned” when he learned of Lynch’s death.“The world is absolutely less great without him, and I can feel his presence,” Quesnell said.The two met in 2010 when Lynch had a show in Fargo. Quesnell said he, “was blown away by how funny (Lynch was) and how effortless (he) made comedy look.”Before he got into comedy, Lynch acted in local theater productions including shows at the Guthrie, Jungle and Ordway theaters. He also had parts in TV show pilots and Hollywood films including “Hellraiser: Hellseeker,” “Saving Silverman” and “North Country,” in which he played the role of Pete the union rep.“His sense of humor was robust,” said friend and fellow comedian Chris Knutson. “It was full, yet void of any nonsense. I’ll remember him as a fan of comedy as much as a comedian. His appreciation for the art form showed in his performances. When a comedian loves comedy as much as he did, they usually make for the best and hardest-working comedians themselves.”In a short clip from a performance earlier this year, Lynch talked about keeping his kids entertained on a snow day by throwing a daylong Cap’n Crunch cereal festival.Lynch is survived by his wife, Amanda Thompson, and their two young children.Friend and fellow comedian Gabe Noah described Lynch’s act as “Family Guy” humor, but with more of an edge.“He made jokes about his wife and kids,” Noah said. “He would talk about liking to smoke pot. He was very much the Hunter S. Thompson meets Charles Bukowski meets Bill Cosby. He was so much in one guy, and his comedy reflected that. Where he really was great – he was very much like an old-school entertainer. He was very much a show-must-go-on kind of guy.”Dan Schlissel, the head of Stand Up! Records, said there’s a “Gus-shaped hole” in the local comedy community.‘The comedy scene lost its most supportive fan and its big brother,” said Schlissel, who put on live events with Lynch. “He was friends with nearly everybody. Even the youngest comic he would give advice to if asked. He was an incredibly talented actor, and he brought that with him to the stage as a stand-up.”Quesnell benefitted from Lynch’s professionalism and warmth.“Gus was one of my biggest supporters. My comedy ‘career’ would be pretty dull without Gus,” the Fargo comic said. “He didn’t give me a ton of tips, but when he did I listened.”While some comics lack enthusiasm about hosting a show, Lynch was a pro about the job.“He is hands down the best MC I have ever seen. The competition isn’t even close,” Quesnell said. “He warmed up the audience and introduced me on my album recording, and I’m glad I’ll always be able to hear him on it.”The Vikings season ticket-holder and former high school defensive lineman was a physically large presence. Friends say Lynch could be intimidating.“I loved having him on the road with me because I could say whatever I wanted on stage, and no one would mess with me,” friend and fellow comedian Chris Maddock said about doing shows with Lynch. “I would say, ‘Gus.’ And he wasn’t mad; he wasn’t going to fight anybody. But there are some big guys you look at – he was just a gigantic pit bull. He’d just give them a look that would make anyone rethink what they were doing.”Maddock described Lynch as a smart guy who loved his family and friends and enjoyed local music and art, a dynamic person who had a lot of different sides.“He chose to do things based on how funny they would be. He didn’t do things because they made sense,” Maddock said. “He would do them if they were the funny thing to do – that’s how he made most of his choices. As he liked to say, he didn’t like to leave anything on the table.”Knutson said he will miss who Lynch was off-stage the most.“He was fantastic with kids,” Knutson said. “If I owned a day care I would have hired him to come do guest appearances. Really, he was fantastic with all people. Gus made everyone feel welcome.”The St Paul Pioneer Press is a media partner of Forum News Service  John Lamb of The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead contributed to this report