Ken Jeong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ken Jeong |
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Jeong in 2012
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| Birth name | Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong |
| Born | July 13, 1969 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Spouse |
Tran Ho
(m. 2004) |
| Children | 2 |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul |
정강조
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| RR | Jeong Gangjo |
| MR | Chŏng Kangjo |
Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong (born July 13, 1969) is an American comedian and actor. He is famous for playing Leslie Chow in The ... movies (2009–2013). He also played Ben Chang in the TV show Community (2009–2015).
Ken Jeong created, wrote, and produced the TV show Dr. Ken (2015–2017). In this show, he played the main character. He has also been in many movies like Knocked Up (2007), Crazy Rich Asians (2018), and Scoob! (2020).
Before becoming a full-time actor, Ken Jeong was a licensed doctor in California. He now appears as a judge on the American TV show The Masked Singer. He also hosts I Can See Your Voice.
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Early Life and School
Ken Jeong was born in Detroit, Michigan. His parents, D.K. and Young Jeong, came from South Korea. His father was an economics professor. Ken grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina.
He went to Walter Hines Page High School. There, he was very active. He played violin in the school orchestra. He also joined the regional quiz bowl team. He was even elected to the student council. Ken graduated from high school early, at age 16, in 1986. He later won the Youth of the Year award for his achievements in Greensboro.
Ken started acting when he was in college at Duke University. He thought about studying drama, but he also continued his medical studies. He graduated from Duke in 1990. Then, he earned his medical degree (M.D.) from the UNC School of Medicine in 1995. Before medical school, he took acting classes at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Ken Jeong's Career
Starting in Comedy and Medicine (1995–2006)
Ken Jeong's journey in theater and improv began while he was still a medical student in North Carolina. He often performed at open mic nights in the Raleigh-Durham area. He also hosted comedy shows at Duke University in the early 1990s.
After medical school, Jeong completed his residency at the Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. In 1995, while still in residency, he won a comedy competition called the Big Easy Laff-Off. The judges, including NBC president Brandon Tartikoff, encouraged him to move to Los Angeles to pursue comedy.
Jeong moved to Los Angeles in 1998. For several years, he worked as an internal medicine doctor at a hospital in Woodland Hills. At the same time, he performed regularly at famous comedy clubs like The Improv and Laugh Factory. His stand-up comedy led to appearances on TV shows such as The Office and Entourage.
In 2002, Jeong was featured on Comedy Central's Comic Groove. He also appeared on a show called Kims of Comedy.
His big break in movies came in 2007 with Judd Apatow's film Knocked Up. He played Dr. Kuni in the movie. After this role, he was able to switch from being a doctor to a full-time entertainer. He stopped practicing medicine in 2006 to focus on acting. However, he still keeps his medical license and has even helped with medical emergencies on set or during performances.
Becoming a Full-Time Entertainer (2006–Present)
Early in his acting career, Ken Jeong trained with director Natalia Lazarus. She helped him prepare for his first movie role in Knocked Up. Lazarus continued to coach him for many of his film and TV roles until 2012.
After Knocked Up, he appeared in movies like Step Brothers and Pineapple Express. He also played King Argotron in Role Models. ..... He also co-starred in Zookeeper and Crazy Rich Asians.
Jeong played Señor Chang on the NBC sitcom Community. For this role, he was nominated for "Male Breakout Star" at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards. ..... In 2010, he starred in an Adidas basketball ad campaign as "Slim Chin" with NBA stars Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose. On May 22, 2011, he hosted the 2011 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. He also appeared in a public service announcement for the American Heart Association about Hands Only CPR.
In 2012, Ken Jeong and Jamie Foxx agreed to star in movies written and produced by each other. Jeong also started voicing Dr. Yap in the animated comedy series Bob's Burgers. He won a Streamy Award for "Best Guest Appearance" for the web series Burning Love.
In 2013, he appeared in Michael Bay's movie Pain & Gain as Johnny Wu. ..... He also voiced Kim Ly in the animated film Turbo. In 2015, Jeong starred in, wrote, and produced the pilot for his new ABC medical comedy, Dr. Ken. The show was about a frustrated doctor trying to balance his career, marriage, and parenting. The series premiered on October 2, 2015.
In August 2018, Fox cast Jeong as a celebrity judge on The Masked Singer. This show is based on a South Korean series. Jeong also appeared as a judge on the first season of the British version of the show. In January 2019, Jeong made a guest appearance on the original King of Mask Singer in South Korea.
Jeong's first comedy special, You Complete Me, Ho, was released on Netflix in 2019. He received the Visionary Award from East West Players. This is the oldest Asian Pacific American theater company in the United States. The award recognized his efforts to increase the visibility of the Asian Pacific American community through his acting.
In February 2020, Fox announced that Jeong would host and co-produce I Can See Your Voice. This show is also based on a South Korean format.
In March 2020, Jeong started a podcast with his Community co-star Joel McHale. It was called The Darkest Timeline with Ken Jeong & Joel McHale. They started it because of the social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also became the new hosts of Fox's New Year's Eve special. He also voiced Dynomutt in the Scooby-Doo animated film Scoob!.
In July 2021, Jeong appeared as a guest judge on Crime Scene Kitchen with Joel McHale. Also in 2021, Jeong voiced Sprout Cloverleaf in the Netflix animated film My Little Pony: A New Generation.
In April 2022, Jeong walked off the show The Masked Singer when a controversial guest was revealed. In October 2023, it was announced that Jeong would host a new talk show. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.
Personal Life
Ken Jeong's wife, Tran Ho, is a family physician. They have twin daughters, born in 2007. Jeong and his family live in Calabasas, California.
Jeong is a big fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. He often attends games at Dodger Stadium. He is also a huge fan of Duke University basketball and football.
Jeong and his good friend and Community co-star Joel McHale host a podcast together called The Darkest Timeline.
Film and TV Roles
See also
In Spanish: Ken Jeong para niños
