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Ken Jeong

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Ken Jeong
Jeong at the 2013 San Diego Comic Con
Born
Kendrick Kang-Joh Jeong

(1969-07-13) July 13, 1969 (age 54)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Alma materDuke University,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian, physician
Years active1997–present
Notable workCommunity
The Hangover trilogy
Knocked Up
Role Models
SpouseTran Ho
Children2
Websitewww.kenjeong.com

Kendrick Kang-Joh "Ken" Jeong (Korean: 정강조, born July 13, 1969) is an American actor, comedian and physician.[1][2][3] He is best known for his roles as Ben Chang on the critically acclaimed NBC comedy series Community and Asian gangster Leslie Chow in The Hangover trilogy.

Early life

Jeong was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of South Korean immigrants Young and Dong-Kuen Jeong, who was a professor at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina.[4][5][6] Jeong was raised in Greensboro and attended Walter Hines Page High School, where he took part in the High IQ team,[7] played violin in the orchestra, and was elected to student council. He graduated at 16 and his achievements earned him Greensboro's Youth of the Year award.[4] Jeong completed his undergraduate studies at Duke University in 1990 and obtained his M.D. degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995.[3]

Career

Medical career

Jeong completed his internal medicine residency at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans while developing his stand-up comedy.[8] Jeong is licensed as a physician in the state of California.[9]

Show business

Jeong won the Big Easy Laff-Off, of which NBC president Brandon Tartikoff and The Improv founder Budd Friedman were judges, and they both urged Jeong to move to Los Angeles.[10] Jeong began performing regularly at the Improv and Laugh Factory comedy clubs. After moving to Los Angeles, he initially practiced medicine for several years as a general practitioner at a Kaiser Permanente hospital in Woodland Hills.

Jeong's background in theater and improv has led to several television appearances, including NBC's The Office, HBO's Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He made his film debut in Judd Apatow's Knocked Up as Dr. Kuni, which proved to be his breakout performance. From that point forward he was able to transition from medicine into a full-time career in the entertainment industry. Subsequently, he has appeared in Pineapple Express; Role Models as King Argotron, All About Steve; The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard; Couples Retreat; and as Mr. Chow in The Hangover, The Hangover Part II, and The Hangover Part III. He co-starred in Zookeeper and Transformers: Dark of the Moon, released in summer 2011.

In 2007, he co-starred as Dr. Ken in Mike O'Connell's video "What's it gonna be" for the popular website, Funny or Die.com.[11]

He attacked (kayfabe) pro wrestler John Cena with a cane in the WWE Raw episode, on August 3, 2009.

Jeong played Señor Ben Chang on NBC's sitcom, Community and was nominated for the show's "Male Breakout Star" at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards.

He was nominated for two 2010 MTV Movie Awards, winning the award for Best WTF Moment and for MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for The Hangover.

In fall 2010, Adidas basketball began a wide-ranging marketing campaign in which Jeong stars as the character "Slim Chin" alongside NBA stars Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose.

On May 22, 2011, Jeong hosted the 2011 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on ABC[12] and was featured in a Hands Only CPR PSA campaign from the American Heart Association on June 15, 2011.[13]

He won a Streamy Award for "Best Guest Appearance" for Burning Love.[14]

In 2013, he appeared in Michael Bay's Pain & Gain (2013), as Johnny Wu, a motivational speaker,[15] and returned, in a significantly expanded role, as Mr. Chow in The Hangover Part III.[16]

Jeong will star in and produce the film The Chung Factor, which was purchased by Lionsgate on October 25, 2011.[17]

In an unusual, if informal, partnership, Jamie Foxx and Jeong have each agreed to star in movies written and produced by the other. Foxx has agreed to take a lead role in a new movie Jeong will produce called After Prom. Jeong will star in All-Star Weekend, a comedy Foxx is developing at his production company about two friends who find themselves fans of opposing NBA stars.[18]

Personal life

Jeong's wife, Tran Ho, is Vietnamese American, a family physician and a breast cancer survivor.[19] They have twin daughters, Alexa and Zooey, and live in Southern California.[20][21] Jeong became engaged to Ho around 2003 or 2004.[22]

Jeong was encouraged to quit his job as an internist and pursue acting full-time; Jeong states that "I had just finished filming Knocked Up, and it was life-changing. But I didn't have the courage to go for it until she persuaded me. Medicine is a hard-won skill, and acting can be a fickle profession, so I tried to be realistic. Now, I'm a spoiled actor. I get weekends off and hiatus weeks — time I never got as a doctor".[23]

He is 5' 5½" (1.66 m).[24]

Filmography

Jeong in 2010
Feature films
Year Title Role Notes
2007 Knocked Up Dr. Kuni
2008 Step Brothers Employment Agent
2008 Pineapple Express Ken
2008 Role Models King Argotron
2009 The Hangover Leslie Chow MTV Movie Awards for Best WTF Moment
Nominated—MTV Movie Awards for Best Villain
Nominated—Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Villain
2009 The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard Teddy Dang
2009 All About Steve Angus
2009 Couples Retreat Therapist No.2
2010 How to Make Love to a Woman Curtis Lee
2010 Furry Vengeance Neal Lyman
2010 Despicable Me Talk Show Host (voice)
2010 Vampires Suck Daro
2011 Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son Mailman Cameo
Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor
2011 Zookeeper Venom Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor
2011 The Hangover Part II Leslie Chow Nominated—Teen Choice Award Choice Movie: Male Scene Stealer
Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor
2011 Transformers: Dark of the Moon Jerry Wang Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor
2011 The Muppets Punch Teacher host Cameo
2013 Pain & Gain Jonny Wu
2013 The Hangover Part III Leslie Chow
2013 Rapture-Palooza God
2013 Despicable Me 2 Floyd Eagle-san (voice)
2013 Turbo Kim-Ly (voice)
2014 Penguins of Madagascar Short Fuse (voice) Post-production
2015 Norm of the North TBA (voice) Post-production
2016 Ride Along 2 TBA Filming
Television shows
Year Title Role Notes
1997 The Big Easy Dr. Tang Episode: "Night Music"
2001 The Downer Channel Store Owner Episode: "1.2"
2002 Girls Behaving Badly Series Regular Main cast
2003 Cedric the Entertainer Presents Asian Thunder 1 episode
2003–2005 MADtv Various characters 4 episodes
2004 Significant Others Gynecologist Episode: "An Ache, a Fake & Forgot to Brake"
2004 Crossing Jordan Steve Choi Episode: "Slam Dunk"
2004 Grounded for Life Owner Episode: "I'm Looking Through You"
2005 Two and a Half Men Male Nurse Episode: "Woo-Hoo, a Hernia-Exam!"
2005 The Office Bill Episode: "E-mail Surveillance"
2005 Mind of Mencia Ken 1 episode
2006 Three Strikes Roido's Interpreter Episode: "Pilot"
2006 Entourage Coffee Shop Manager Episode: "The Release"
2007 The Shield Skip Osaka Episode: "Back to One"
2007 Curb Your Enthusiasm Man in Jersey #1 Episode: "The Anonymous Donor"
2007 Boston Legal Coroner Myron Okubo Episode: "The Innocent Man"
2008 'Til Death Dr. Park 2 episodes
2008 Worst Week Phil 2 episodes
2009–2011 American Dad! Dr. Perlmutter / Butch Johnson (voices) 3 episodes
2009 Party Down Alan Duk 2 episodes
2009 Men of a Certain Age Kuo Episode: "Pilot"
2009–present Community Señor Ben Chang 79 episodes
TV Guide Award for Favorite Ensemble (2012)
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Male Breakout Star (2010)
2010 Players Rufus Ramsey Episode: "Induction Day"
2012 Mary Shelley's Frankenhole Hyralius (voice) Episode: "Maly Sherrey's Hyralius, Mutant Monster!"
2012 Burning Love Ballerina 2 episodes
Streamy Award for Best Guest Appearance
2012–2014 Bob's Burgers Dr. Yap (voice) 3 episodes
2013 Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness Woo (voice) 2 episodes
2013 Sullivan & Son Jason 2 episodes
2013 Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale Kelly's Manager Television special
2013 Maron Himself Unaired pilot
2013 Turbo FAST Kim-Ly (voice) Episode: "Crazy Fast"
2013–2014 Sullivan & Son Jason 2 episodes
2014 Hot in Cleveland Doctor Episode: "Stayin' Alive"
2014 BoJack Horseman Dr. Allen Hu (voice) Episode: "Downer Ending"

References

  1. ^ Ancestry.com. U.S. Public Records Index, Volume 1 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, US: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
  2. ^ Barshad, Amos (May 23, 2011). "The Surprisingly Earnest Ken Jeong on the Secret Messages of The Hangover". Vulture.com. Nymag. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Medical Board of California – Physician/Surgeon License".
  4. ^ a b Lopez, Robert (June 19, 2009). "Greensboro native finds funny bone in movie". News & Record. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  5. ^ Lee, Chris (June 10, 2009). "Doctor provides best medicine". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  6. ^ "Univ. of Illinois awards law degree to Jesse Jackson, Jr.", Jet, p. 25, June 7, 1993
  7. ^ http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=1525
  8. ^ "Dr. Ken Jeong". Justforlaughs. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  9. ^ "Ken Jeong Physician License #65869". Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  10. ^ Walker, Dave (March 3, 2010). "Former New Orleanian Ken Jeong is getting laughs on 'Community'". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans, La. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  11. ^ What's It Gonna Be? from Mike O'Connell and Dr. Ken
  12. ^ "Far*East Movement will perform at Ken Jeong-hosted Billboard Music Awards". Asia Pacific Arts. May 12, 2011.
  13. ^ "Ken Jeong AHA Hands-Only CPR video". June 15, 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  14. ^ "Nominations Are Announced For 3rd Annual Streamy Awards". The Streamy Awards. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  15. ^ Kit, Borys (5 April 2012). "'Community' Star Ken Jeong Joins Michael Bay's 'Pain and Gain' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  16. ^ Siegel, Tatiana; Belloni, Matthew (July 12, 2012). "Ken Jeong Signs on for Expanded Role in 'Hangover: Part III' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  17. ^ "Ken Jeong to star in and co-produce The Chung Factor". Asia Pacific Arts. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  18. ^ "Jamie Foxx and Ken Jeong agree to trade movies". Los Angeles Times. 2012-10-10. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  19. ^ Jeong, Ken (May 7, 2011). "For My Wife, in Celebration of Mother's Day". Huffington Post.
  20. ^ Deerwester, Jayme (September 3, 2009). "Ken Jeong transitions from doctor to in-demand jokester". USA Today. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  21. ^ Margarita (June 7, 2010). "Dr. Ken Jeong Thanks Wife Dr. Tran Ho During MTV Movie Awards". Vitals. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  22. ^ Standup Dr. Ken Old BET Comic on YouTube
  23. ^ Yorio, Nicole. "A Side of Community's Ken Jeong You Haven't Seen". Redbook.
  24. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0421822/

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ken Jeong.

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