Greg Giraldo courtesy Ardail Smith (CC 3.0)

We wrote a few days ago that comedy star Greg Giraldo had taken an accidental overdose of prescription drugs, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, said to be recovering, and the next news would certainly be his return.  But the next news was a terse release saying that Giraldo, 44 had died.

Of the many tributes and obits that followed Giraldo’s passing, Joan Rivers (on the wicked receiving end of one of his roasts) said in a phrase what fans, entertainment writers and co-workers tried to express with “I’m very angry…What a waste of comedic talent.”