‘Treme’ Actor Found Dead in River

In the first season of “Treme,” John Goodman’s character was found dead in the Mississippi River after he jumped off a ferry and drowned himself. In a disturbing turn, Michael Showers, who played police Capt. John Guidry on the HBO drama, was found dead in the Mississippi, not far from the French Quarter in New Orleans. He was 45. No cause of death has been determined; his girlfriend stated that he left for a drink on Tuesday and never returned.

“Treme” creator/showrunner David Simon released this statement:

“Michael Showers was a fine actor who contributed his talents to our drama in the warmest and most professional way. We enjoyed his work—and working with him. Going forward, we’re going to miss having him as part of our production. All of which seems of little import in light of the loss of a man’s whole life, and what that loss truly means to him, his family, his friends. Our respect and condolences go to them, especially.” [via the AV Club]

Showers also had a small role on “Breaking Bad,” and his other credits included “The Vampire Diaries,” I Love You Phillip Morris, Traffic, The Tree Of Life, and Colombiana. Out of respect for the dead, I will relegate my tasteless punchline to the comments section.