Leslie Nielsen’s dry wit often stole scenes, both on and off the screen, but it apparently followed him into the afterlife. His niece Kyoko, known on TikTok as @kyokoandrudy, shared a family story that highlighted his sense of humor.
A funeral that leaned into laughter
She explained in her TikTok video, “This is one of my favorite Leslie Nielsen facts that I love to tell people that I know. But for whatever reason, I hesitated to share it with the internet. Because it’s associated with his funeral, I guess, which felt more personal. But because […] so many people were already aware of his love for fart machines, I think I’m comfortable sharing.”
Kyoko said, “Yes, there was a fart machine in Leslie Nielsen’s coffin.” She described the gathering as closer to a “gigantic party” than a somber farewell. The wake occurred at a hotel venue more typical for a wedding. Guests stayed nearby, met up for meals, wandered the beach, and caught up with loved ones.
Then came the funeral itself, hosted across several rooms with catering and an open bar. The open casket sat in one of those rooms, and inside it sat a live fart machine.
“Obviously, there was a serious component where people lined up single file to pay respects at his casket,” Kyoko explained. “Something I did, but found very distressing because I was younger and I hadn’t seen him in a little while.”
Nielsen’s prank from beyond the grave
The prank hinged on one simple detail. Kyoko said the remote that controlled the speaker in Nielsen’s casket sat next to the open bar. Because of that placement, anyone grabbing a drink could press the button and trigger a fart sound from across the venue.
“To anyone that was standing there mourning him in that moment, if they weren’t fully in the know, one might think that it had come from his body. Like, is that not so ridiculously morbid, but also hysterical?” she asked.
@kyokoandrudy A day and a dinner I’ll never forget #leslienielsen #actor #comedy #hollywood #storytime ♬ original sound – Kyoko
She wasn’t sure if the plan came from him or from her aunt, but she felt the humor fit his legacy. Kyoko said, “Anyway, despite it not occurring when he was alive, it’s one of my favorite stories about him, because it really demonstrates both his sense of humor and kind of the legacy that he left here.”
Commenters on her video responded with affection. One fan wrote, “This is the most Leslie Nielsen thing I’ve ever heard. He was so iconic, and Im a huge fan of him 💙”
Another person shared, “My [late] dad did lighting for some movies he was in and shared many fart machine stories,” adding that the story made them smile. Kyoko replied warmly, wishing them and their late father well.
A third TikToker added, “God, that man was such a gem. We could use more of his humor and joy these days.”
@kyokoandrudy did not respond immediately to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via Instagram DM.
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