Ralphie May's bio: cause of death, family and net worth when he died
Ralphie May was a famous stand-up comedian and actor who passed away on 6 October 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at only 45. 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. Read Ralphie May's bio for more details about his life and career.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Profile summary
- Ralphie May's bio
- How old was Ralphie?
- What did Ralphie May pass away from?
- Where was Ralphie May from?
- Who are Ralphie May's parents?
- Educational background
- Career
- What was Ralphie May's net worth when he died?
- Who was Ralphie May's wife?
- Ralphie May's kids
- How did Ralphie May die?
- Where is Ralphie May's grave?
- How much did Ralphie weigh?
- Trivia
Key takeaways
- Ralphie May was born on 17 February 1972, and he died on 6 October 2017. He died from hypertensive cardiovascular disease.
- He is survived by his wife, Lahna Turner, and their two kids, April June May and August May.
- The late comedian started doing stand-up comedy in various clubs in Houston. He effortlessly made crowds happy with his jokes.
- Hip-hop slang and Southern comedy were key characteristics of his comedy.
Profile summary
| Full name | Ralph Duren May |
| Other names | Ralphie May |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 17 February 1972 |
| Date of death | 6 October 2017 |
| Age at death | 45 years |
| Place of birth | Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States |
| Place of burial | Clarksville, Arkansas, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Weight | 350 lb (160 kg) |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
| Eye colour | Light brown |
| Hair colour | Dark brown |
| Marital status | Married until death |
| Widow | Lahna Turner (2005-2017) |
| Children | 2 |
| Mother | Sue Ann Sykes May |
| Father | Charles Winston May |
| Siblings | 3 |
| Alma mater | Clarksville High School and San Jacinto Community College |
| Profession | Stand-up comedian, producer, writer, and actor |
| @therealralphiemay | |
| X | @Ralphie_May |
| @Ralphie May |
Ralphie May's bio
Ralph Duren May, alias Ralphie May, was a famous American 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?
Ralphie May's age at death was 45 years. He was born on 17 February 1972, and his Zodiac sign was Aquarius. The stand-up comedian took his last breath on 6 October 2017.
Source: Original
What did Ralphie May pass away from?
Ralphie May'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 was Ralphie May from?
Ralphie May was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States of America, and raised in Clarksville, Arkansas, United States. His nationality was American, and he was based in Los Angeles, California, until his demise.
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 from high school, he moved to the Sagemont area of Houston, Texas, where he attended San Jacinto Community College South Campus.
Source: Getty Images
Career
Ralphie started his stand-up comedy career in Houston, Texas. He started at The Comedy Showcase on Fuqua in Houston, where he stayed 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. Ralphie came in second place in the competition, beating other popular comedians.
Following the competition, Ralphie 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. Talking about his career history, Ralphie said:
Ya, I was a chef before making it in stand-up comedy. I cooked in the Four Seasons in Houston and then NOLA's, Emeril Lagasse's restaurant [in New Orleans]. I made different types of sauces that blew people away and got accredited.
When he was asked about his favourite eateries in Miami in the same interview, he admitted that he particularly enjoyed Cuban food and respected Cuban men.
Oh man, you know I love Cuban food, I really do. I love the audacity that the Cuban men have. They will flirt with your wife in front of you. It's pretty hilarious, so I respect the game. It's like, dude, you are flirting with my wife right in front of me. I want to punch you in the face, but honestly I got too much respect for you.
In 2005, the late Ralphie released his first comedy album titled Just Correct. He then recorded Comedy Central and Netflix specials, as listed below.
- Girth of a Nation (2006)
- Prime Cut (2007),
- Austin-tatious (2008)
- Too Big To Ignore (2012)
- Imperfectly Yours (2013)
- Unruly (2015)
The late comedian 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.
Acting credits
Some of 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)
What was Ralphie May's net worth when he died?
The comedian had an estimated net worth of $2 million at the time of his death. His wealth was accumulated from his comedy and acting career.
Ralphie left all of his personal effects and other tangible property to his widow, Lahna Turner. Lahna inherited his furniture, silver, paintings, vehicles, and even clothing.
Source: Getty Images
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. Ralphie and Lahna first met in Houston at an open mic event.
The lovebirds started dating not long after meeting, and their relationship blossomed. On 3 June 2005, the two exchanged vows at a wedding ceremony attended by close family and friends. Ralphie and Lahna were married until the comedian died.
Ralphie May's kids
Ralphie and Lahna were blessed with two children, a daughter in 2007 and a son in 2009. Their names are April June May and August James.
Ralphie May's daughter April June May was born on 5 September 2007 and is 17 years old as of August 2025. On the other hand, the comedian's son, August James May, was born on 24 June 2009 and is 16 years old as of August 2025.
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, 6 October 2017, a friend found Ralphie dead at a private residence in Las Vegas, Nevada. He had performed at Harrah's Las Vegas Hotel the previous 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.
Source: Getty Images
Where is Ralphie May's grave?
The comedian was buried at Oakland Memorial Cemetery, Clarksville, Arkansas, United States. A memorial graveside service was held on Saturday, 4 November 2017. Sam Hannon officiated the ceremony.
How much did Ralphie weigh?
Ralphie May's weight was about 350 lb or 160 kg at his demise. He was 5 ft 9 in or 175 cm tall and had dark brown hair and light brown eyes.
Ralphie May struggled with obesity for many years. At his heaviest, he weighed about 800 lb or 360 kg. He gained weight because of an accident when he was 16.
In 2004, Ralphie underwent gastric bypass surgery and joined VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club to promote weight loss. The surgery made him lose about 450 pounds.
In 2011, the late comedian contracted viral pneumonia during a cruise expedition. The illness was so severe that he lost about 40 lb. Eventually, Ralphie recovered and went about his normal business.
Source: Getty Images
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.
- In 2013, Ralphie and Lahna started a podcast called Perfect 10.
- The late comedian was an animal lover who kept pet dogs.
Ralphie May's bio explores life story of a celebrated comedian and actor whose acts made many people happy. The comedy industry lost an incredible and talented person in 2017.
Tuko.co.ke recently published Brian Quinn's biography. Quinn began his career as an actor and eventually found his true calling in comedy, earning global recognition for his distinctive style and humour.
Quinn rose to fame as a member of the comedy troupe The Tenderloins and star of Impractical Jokers. The comedian was born in Brooklyn, but his family relocated to Staten Island when he was around two years old.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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