Ken Jeong is adding another crown to his already stacked career. The Korean American actor, comedian and former doctor will be honoured with the King of Comedy Award at the 15th annual Catalina Film Festival this September, held on the idyllic Catalina Island off Southern California.
Presented by the Catalina Film Institute, the award recognises performers who don’t just master comedy, but use it to connect people. Past recipients include Hollywood heavyweights like Nicolas Cage, Kevin Hart and Sharon Stone. This year, Jeong makes history as the first Asian American entertainer to take home the crown.
For Jeong, it’s another milestone in a career built on breaking stereotypes and rewriting what comedy can look like for Asian voices. Whether it was his chaotic turn as Mr. Chow in The Hangover films or his equally unhinged Señor Chang in Community, Jeong carved out space in Hollywood where few Asian Americans were seen.
Since then, he’s gone on to star in Crazy Rich Asians, lead his own sitcom Dr. Ken, and pop up in classics like The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage.
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These days, Jeong’s just as much a fixture on TV as he is on the big screen. He’s a longtime judge on The Masked Singer, hosts and executive produces I Can See Your Voice, and is gearing up to lead upcoming game show 99 to Beat with Erin Andrews. Earlier this year, he quite literally cemented his place in entertainment history with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Dubbed the “Cannes of the West,” the Catalina Film Festival runs from 25–28 September, with Jeong set to receive his crown on the 27th at the iconic Avalon Theatre inside the Catalina Casino – a spot with its own Hollywood lore (and a Step Brothers reference for the real ones).
