Ralph Duren May[1] (February 17, 1972 – October 6, 2017) was an American stand-up comedian and actor, known for his extensive touring and comedy specials on multiple media platforms.

[citation needed] At age 17 he won a contest to open for Sam Kinison, whom he considered his idol.

In 2005, he was the only white comedian on The Big Black Comedy Show, which also featured Mo'Nique, Rodman, and Vince Morris.

[15][14] The couple filed for divorce in October 2015 and sought joint custody of their children, but their separation could never be finalized.

He participated on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club and had gastric bypass surgery in 2004, which lowered his weight to 350 pounds (160 kg).

[17] The following month, he suffered a nearly-fatal pulmonary embolism, where a blood clot from his leg became lodged in an artery.

"[19] In an interview with the Arkansas Times in 2012, he discussed growing up in Clarksville, shedding light on some of the hardships he faced.

May had been battling pneumonia for several weeks and as a result, had canceled shows over the previous month.

[24] It was later published that, hours before his death, May was scheduled to do a meet-and-greet after his final performance at Harrah's in Las Vegas around midnight, but he had already shown signs of his deteriorating condition.