Ralphie May facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ralphie May
May on August 2, 2009
Born	Ralph Duren May (1972-02-17)February 17, 1972 Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	October 6, 2017(2017-10-06) (aged 45) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Burial place	Oakland Memorial Cemetery Clarksville, Arkansas
Spouse(s)	Lahna Turner ​ (m. 2005)​
Children	2
Comedy career
Medium	Stand-up, television, radio
Years active	1989–2017
Genres	Observational comedy
Subject(s)	Wit, word play, satire, ..., race, religion, family life, obesity, politics, medicine

Ralph Duren May (born February 17, 1972 – died October 6, 2017) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He was well-known for his many comedy tours and specials that appeared on TV and other platforms.

Early Life and First Steps in Comedy

Ralphie May was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He grew up in Clarksville, Arkansas, and was the youngest of four children.

When he was 17, Ralphie won a contest to perform before his hero, comedian Sam Kinison. Kinison liked one of Ralphie's jokes about the drummer from Def Leppard. Kinison then suggested that Ralphie move to Houston to get better at comedy. Ralphie May later graduated from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Comedy Career

In 2003, Ralphie May was chosen to be on the first season of Last Comic Standing. He finished in second place in the competition. After the show, Ralphie appeared on other comedy programs like The Wayne Brady Show and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In 2005, he was the only white comedian on The Big Black Comedy Show.

Ralphie May released his first comedy album, Just Correct, in 2005. He also recorded four comedy specials for Comedy Central. These were Girth of a Nation (2006), Prime Cut (2007), Austin-tatious (2008), and Too Big To Ignore (2012). He also had two specials on Netflix called Imperfectly Yours (2013) and Unruly (2015). Ralphie also performed at the "Gathering of the Juggalos" in 2012.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

On July 3, 2005, Ralphie May married fellow comedian Lahna Turner. They had two children together: a daughter born in September 2007 and a son born in June 2009. The couple started the process of divorce in October 2015, but it was never completed.

Health Journey

Ralphie May faced health challenges related to his weight throughout his life. He was on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club. In 2004, he had a type of surgery to help with weight management. This surgery helped him reduce his weight. In October 2011, he had a serious lung infection. The next month, he had another serious health issue involving a blood clot.

Childhood and Influences

In many interviews, Ralphie May talked about his grandmother. He said she helped take care of him and his siblings when they were young. He told the Arkansas Times in 2012 that his grandmother was a "hell of a woman." She made sure they were well cared for.

Ralphie also shared that his grandmother taught him how to crochet and quilt. He said this influenced how he created his comedy acts. He would tell long stories that made people laugh often. He also talked about growing up in Clarksville, Arkansas. He mentioned that his parents had a difficult relationship, which affected the family.

In 2013, Ralphie and his wife Lahna Turner started a podcast together called Perfect 10. After he passed away, his memoir, This Might Get a Little Heavy, was published in December 2017.

Later Years and Passing

On October 6, 2017, Ralphie May passed away at the age of 45. He had been dealing with a serious lung infection for several weeks. He had even canceled some shows because of it. Hours before he died, he was supposed to meet fans after his last show in Las Vegas.

What He Created

Movies and TV Shows

Comedy Albums

See also

In Spanish: Ralphie May para niños