Television
In late 2000, O'Neal took a position as a writer for WWE after an associate of the company saw him perform. A big fan of professional wrestling, he pitched his idea for building a feud over three weeks that culminated in a pay-per-view event, which won him the job. He visited Vince McMahon's house, traveled with the organization for one week of live shows on their private jet, and directed some vignettes. He was then offered a 13-week contract but turned it down as he already had plans. He later said that "it wouldn't have been a dream" if he had kept doing it and that it was enjoyable because "it was short and sweet". Later in his career, he also walked away from potential opportunities such as acting roles on Web Junk 20, The Office, and Arrested Development, though he would eventually guest star on the latter two. He jokingly described himself as a "professional bridge-burner".
By 2002, O'Neal had returned to the U.S. after he received an offer to record a half-hour comedy special on Showtime. He landed his first of a series of television appearances, beginning with the sketch program The Colin Quinn Show, followed by Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn which he appeared from 2002 until its cancellation in 2004. In 2003, he recorded a special for Comedy Central Presents. His first television appearance was on The Apollo Comedy Hour. From there, he moved on to appearances on Showtime at the Apollo and FNight Videos. He appeared in guest-starring roles on MTV's Apartment 2F, Assy McGee, Yes Dear, Arrested Development, Chappelle's Show, and The Office.
O'Neal was a regular on the Fox series The Jury and starred in the Comedy Central animated program Shorties Watchin' Shorties with Nick Di Paolo. He supplied the voice of Harold Jenkins on Noggin's animated program O'Grady and was featured as Jesus in Denis Leary's Searchlight. In 2005, he filmed a half-hour One Night Stand special for HBO. He then became the host of the seasons one and two of Web Junk 20 on VH1, in 2006. After two seasons, O'Neal declined to host the third despite an offer that quadrupled his salary. He was replaced by Jim Breuer.
In 2007, O'Neal revealed he turned down an opportunity to appear on Celebrity Fit Club and said that his "career is more important than [his] health". O'Neal made five appearances at the annual Just for Laughs festival in Montreal, including a one-man, one-week show at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine in 2008.
In 2007, O'Neal wrote and starred in a web series called The Patrice O'Neal Show – Coming Soon! It featured his girlfriend Von Decarlo Brown, Dante Nero, Bryan Kennedy, Harris Stanton, and Wil Sylvince. The series did not last long as it was unable to attain a sponsor due to its offensive content. He guest starred in another For Your Imagination-produced show, called Break a Leg, playing "Adult-Sized Gary Coleman".
He played the role of a warehouse worker named Lonny Collins on the American TV series, The Office from 2005-2007.
In 2011, O'Neal performed as one of the comedians for The Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen as he expressed his respect for the actor and wished to tell him in person. The show aired on September 19, 2011, with O'Neal the last comic to perform. It acquired 6.4 million viewers, still the highest-rated edition of the Comedy Central roasts. O'Neal's appearance on the roast was to be his final television appearance prior to his untimely death two months later. After the taping, O'Neal met William Shatner and his wife, who were also in attendance, in the garage and the couple offered their support to O'Neal regarding his diabetes, after which the three cried. Shatner recalled, "He knew that he was dying, that he was a dying man, and in a way, he wanted to die ... That's what I saw. That's why we cried."
