GENERAL PRESS 24
Bill Bellamy is an American actor and comic beloved for his roles in the ’90s. Getting his start on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, he has cultural reverence for being the person to coin the term “booty call.” The New Jersey native stands at a staggering 6’4 and comes from a tall family; he is cousins with Shaquille O’Neal.
Bellamy spent many years as a VJ on MTV and hosted programs like MTV Jamz and MTV Beach House. He also starred in several films, with his most famous being Any Given Sunday and How to Be a Player. ’90s kids may remember him as the voice of Cousin Skeeter on Nickelodeon. Bill Bellamy may have a famous cousin, but he owes his talent and tenacity to the two people who raised him. William and Edna Bellamy were his parents, raising him and his siblings Karen and Julius in Newark, NY.
Life for Bill Bellamy wasn’t always easy growing up, but the comedian constantly praises the job of his parents for making him who he is today as a human being, but also a father to his two children. Unfortunately, Bill Bellamy would have to say goodbye to his mother in 2017, a loss that was devastating for the comic since they were incredibly close. In 2019 he posted a Mother’s Day tribute to her, recalling how she always asked him to “give her her roses” while she could smell them.
Edna Bellamy passed away on June 24, 2017. According to her obitraury Bill took to social media to announce her passing to fans, saying, “Yesterday I lost my Mom. A woman who has taught me so much in this lifetime.” He went on to thank her for showing him all the amazing things he could do in life without excuses. He thanked her for his strength and for teaching him how to cope with loss. He recalled some of his fondest moments with his mother, one in particular when his brother Julius was still alive. “She loved going to a fancy place. We laughed and enjoyed and said how much we loved each other. My brother @julezgtf was alive on this day as well.” Julius passed away on November 22, 2014.
Because of his history with loss, Bill has always been vocal on social media about appreciating people while you have them. While it is not revealed why his mother passed, she was frequently pictured in a wheelchair. In a post from May 2017, Bill said, “spending quality time with Mom is everything. Making her laugh is the best feeling. To all the peeps that still have your parents make time for them.” He frequently posts her for Mother’s Day and continues to thank her for all she instilled in him.
Bill Bellamy’s Father Recently Passed Away
Following the passing of his mother, Bill Bellamy’s father underwent hip surgery. The comedian praised his father for overcoming the complications and walking again after spending alot of time with a walker. In a Facebook post, Bill revealed his father told him, “I’m getting back on my feet’ and I’m getting out of the this rehabilitation facility!” According to the post, William Bellamy did just that and attended Bill’s stand up show at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center back in 2020.
Unfortunately, five years later after losing his mother, tragedy would strike again, when Bill Bellamy’s father passed away on June 8, 2022. What makes the loss even tougher, Bill Bellamy and his wife were already grieving the passing of her father only one month ago. The back-to-back losses definitely sent their family into a tailspin. Although Bill’s father passed away at the beginning of the month, the comedian did not publicly announce his loss until yesterday, June 24th when he revealed his sister, Karen decided to make funeral arrangements without his consent and planned their father’s service the same day as his wife’s father, according to TMZ . Bill and his wife are now forced to make the tough decision about who’s funeral to attend.
Bill said in a statement that he is devastated at the back-to-back losses and the fact that he has to pick which service to attend. He calls his father’s service “unauthorized” and says it was planned without his knowledge. This week is especially hard for Bellamy because it marks five years since his mother’s passing. Bill and his family are in our prayers.
