Standup comic Kenny DeForest, who gained national recognition with appearances on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” has died at age 37.
“Kenny DeForest was a universally beloved comedian who died tragically, and much too young,” Meyers’ show wrote on X Thursday. “His relaxed, confident delivery always stood out.”
The post linked to DeForest’s debut “Late Night” monologue, noting that “he wasn’t afraid to tackle controversial topics, but never just to be edgy.”
DeForest died Wednesday in a Brooklyn, New York, hospital after an e-bike accident on Dec. 8, according to a GoFundMe set up by a friend.
He had undergone surgery “to remove a piece of his skull and relieve pressure from a brain bleed,” fellow comic Ryan Beck wrote in the entry.
On Dec. 8, officers found DeForest “conscious and alert” at the accident scene with “swelling to the head,” the NYPD told HuffPost on Friday. They determined that while riding an electric rental bike he struck an unoccupied parked car.
He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. “No criminality is suspected and the investigation is ongoing,” a department spokesperson said.
Beck said DeForest was surrounded by family and friends at the time of his death.
“Kenny’s final moments included some of his favorite songs, stories of his childhood, and memories of his extensive positivity and joy for life,” he wrote.
DeForest, from Springfield, Missouri, eventually became a staple on New York City’s comedy circuit. One of his breakthrough performances was the 2017 monologue on “Late Night” and a routine on a 2019 episode of “The Late Late Show.”
He’s also known for appearances on Comedy Central, HBO’s “Crashing” and TruTV’s “Friends of the People.”
DeForest’s first standup album hit No. 1 on iTunes in 2015, according to a bio, and he recently released a special on YouTube called “Don’t You Know Who I Am.”
“Kenny DeForest was one of the funniest and most beloved comics any of us knew,” Adam Conover of “Adam Ruins Everything” wrote. “A tragedy.”