Ralphie May: cause of death, family and net worth when he died
Ralphie May was a famous stand-up comedian and actor. He is remembered for leaving audiences in stitches. His appearance on Last Comic Standing made him famous, and his fans still watch his shows on various media platforms.
Source: Getty Images
Ralphie May started doing stand-up comedy in various clubs in Houston. He effortlessly made crowds happy with his jokes.
Profile summary
| Full name | Ralph Duren May |
| Nickname | Ralphie May |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 17th February 1972 |
| Ralphie May's death | 6th October 2017 |
| Age at death | 45 years |
| Place of birth | Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States of America |
| Residence at death | Los Angeles, California, United States of America |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height in feet | 5’ 9” |
| Height in centimetres | 175 |
| Weight in pounds | 350 |
| Weight in kilograms | 160 |
| Hair colour | Dark brown |
| Eye colour | Light brown |
| Marital status | Married until death |
| Widow | Lahna Turner |
| Children | 2 |
| Father | Charles Winston May |
| Mother | Sue Ann Sykes May |
| Siblings | 3 |
| Alma mater | Clarksville High School and San Jacinto Community College |
| Profession | Stand-up comedian, producer, writer, and actor |
| @therealralphiemay | |
| @Ralphie_May | |
| @Ralphie May |
Who was Ralphie May?
Ralph Duren May was a stand-up comedian, producer, writer, and actor who made the world happier with his jokes. He is fondly remembered for easily connecting with diverse audiences and making them laugh.
How old was Ralphie?
The late comedian was 45 years old at the time of his demise. He was born on 17th February 1972, and his Zodiac sign was Aquarius.
When did Ralphie May die? He took his last breath on 6th October 2017.
Where was Ralphie May from?
The late actor was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States of America and raised in Clarksville, Arkansas, United States of America. His nationality was American, and he was based in Los Angeles, California, until his demise.
Source: Getty Images
Who are Ralphie May's parents?
The comedian's father was the late Charles Winston May, and his mother was Sue Ann Sykes May. He was the last child in a family of four children, and his mother was a florist. Growing up, he witnessed hostility between his parents, which made life challenging.
Educational background
Ralphie went to Clarksville High School. After graduating high school, he moved to the Sagemont area of Houston, Texas, where he attended San Jacinto Community College South Campus.
Career
Ralphie started his stand-up comedy career in Houston, Texas. He started at The Comedy Showcase on Fuqua in Houston. He was there for a while before moving to Los Angeles to advance his career.
In 2003, he was selected to participate in the first season of Last Comic Standing. He came in second place in the competition.
After the competition, he appeared in The Wayne Brady Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The Big Black Comedy Show. Before becoming a successful comedian, he worked as a chef at Four Seasons in Houston, NOLA’s, and Emeril Lagasse’s restaurant in New Orleans.
In 2005, he released his first comedy album titled Just Correct. He then recorded Comedy Central and Netflix specials, as listed below. He also did extensive comedy tours before his demise, and often appeared as a guest on the Opie and Anthony show on XM Satellite Radio and Rover’s Morning Glory.
- Girth of a Nation (2006)
- Prime Cut (2007),
- Austin-tatious (2008)
- Too Big To Ignore (2012)
- Imperfectly Yours (2013)
- Unruly (2015)
Acting credits
Ralphie's acting credits are shown in the table below.
| Title | Year | Role |
| For da Love of Money | 2002 | Otis |
| Spy TV | 2002 | Various |
| Whoopi | 2003 | Sammy |
| Cubed | 2010 | Pizzi's friend |
| The Best and the Brightest | 2010 | Security guard |
| Squidbillies | 2013 | Pnut |
| Inside Amy Schumer | 2016 | Himself |
Producer credits
Below are Ralphie's producer credits.
| Title | Year | Role |
| Mohr Sports | 2002 | Associate producer |
| Ralphie May: Just Correct | 2004 | Co-executive producer |
| Ralphie May: Austin-Tatious | 2008 | Executive producer |
| A Video Diary from Iraq | 2009 | Executive producer |
| Ralphie May: Too Big to Ignore | 2012 | Executive producer |
| Ralphie May: Imperfectly Yours | 2013 | Executive producer |
| What's Eating Ralphie May? | 2019 | Executive producer |
Besides producing shows and acting, the comedian was also a writer. Some of his acting credits are listed below.
- The Big Black Comedy Show, Vol. 2 (2005)
- A Video Diary from Iraq (2009)
- This Is Not Happening (2015)
- Ralphie May: Unruly (2015)
- Love You, Ralphie (2022)
Source: Getty Images
What was Ralphie May's net worth when he died?
The comedian had a net worth of $2 million at the time of his death. His wealth was accumulated from his comedy and acting career.
Who was Ralphie May's wife?
Lahna Turner was the late comedian's wife until his demise. Turner is a stand-up comedian and actress.
How did Ralphie May get his wife? Ralphie and Turner first met in Houston at an open mic event. They started dating, and their relationship blossomed.
On 3rd June 2005, the two exchanged vows at a wedding ceremony attended by close family and friends. The couple was blessed with two children, a daughter in 2007 and a son in 2009. Their names are April June May and August James.
In October 2015, the couple filed for divorce and sought joint custody of their children. However, their separation was not finalised before Ralphie's demise.
How did Ralphie May die?
On Friday, 6th October 2017, a friend found Ralphie dead at a private residence in Las Vegas, Nevada. He had performed at Harrah's Las Vegas Hotel Thursday night.
Following his death, his publicist said the comedian had been battling pneumonia. He added that Ralphie had cancelled several dates over the last month to allow himself time to recover.
What was Ralphie May's cause of death?
What did Ralphie May die from? The comedian's cause of death was hypertensive cardiovascular disease. No illegal or hard substances were found in his system at the time of demise, so it was ruled a natural death.
Where is Ralphie May's grave?
The comedian was buried at Oakland Memorial Cemetery, Clarksville, Arkansas, United States of America. A memorial graveside service was held on Saturday, 4th November 2017, and Bro. Sam Hannon officiated the ceremony.
How much did Ralphie May weigh?
The comedian weighed about 350 pounds or 160 kilograms at his demise. He was 5’ 9” or 175 centimetres tall and had dark brown hair and light brown eyes.
He struggled with obesity for many years. At his heaviest, he weighed about 800 pounds or 360 kilograms. He gained weight because of an accident when he was 16.
What happened to Ralphie May? In 2004, Ralphie underwent gastric bypass surgery and joined VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club. The surgery made him lose about 450 pounds.
Trivia
- At 17, Ralphie won a contest to open for Sam Kinison, his comedy idol.
- Two days before his death, Ralphie won the Global Gaming Expo award.
- In December 2017, his memoir, This Might Get a Little Heavy, was published posthumously.
Ralphie May was a celebrated comedian and actor whose acts made many people happy. The comedy industry lost an incredible and talented person.
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