About
Ralphie May, born Ralph Duren May on February 17, 1972, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and died October 6, 2017, in Las Vegas, was an American stand-up comedian. Raised in Clarksville, Arkansas, he gained early recognition at age 17 by winning a contest to open for Sam Kinison, who became his mentor. He rose to national prominence in 2003 as a finalist on the first season of Last Comic Standing. He released several specials on Comedy Central and Netflix, as well as a platinum album. Married to Lahna Turner, he had two children. He struggled with obesity and underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2004. He died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease, two days after being named Casino Comedian of the Year.
* 1972-02-17 — † 2017-10-06
Major works
- Just Correct (2004)album
- Girth of a Nation (2006)TV special
- Prime Cut (2007)TV special
- Austin-tatious (2008)TV special
- Too Big to Ignore (2012)TV special
Key milestones
- 2003Runner-up on the first season of Last Comic Standing.
- 2004His debut album Just Correct went platinum.
- 2017Named Casino Comedian of the Year at the Global Gaming Expo, two days before his death.
Themes
obesityeveryday liferelationshipspoliticsself-deprecation
Sources: id.loc.gov · nytimes.com · televisionacademy.com