Alex Duong — a comedian, writer and actor who built his career between stand-up stages and television writers’ rooms — has died at the age of 42, following a battle with a rare and aggressive cancer.
Duong was diagnosed last year with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of cancer that affects soft tissue. In the months that followed, he underwent surgery to remove a malignant growth that had blocked blood flow to his optic nerve, causing vision loss.
As medical bills mounted and work opportunities disappeared, friends Hilarie and Gregg Steele launched a GoFundMe to support Duong and his family.
His condition worsened in recent days. According to Hilarie Steele, Duong was hospitalized with septic shock on Friday night and died the following day at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica.
“With the heaviest hearts, we share that our dear Alex passed away peacefully this morning, surrounded by love and dear friends,” the statement read.
“He was comfortable and thankfully out of pain. [His wife] Christina and [daughter] Everest were able to see him last night, and he was alert enough to say goodbye to his little girl, whom he has treasured every moment since the day she was born. We are devastated, but so grateful for the support, prayers, and generosity you have all shown during this unimaginable time. Your continued support now means everything as Christina and Everest navigate the days ahead and to arrange a beautiful celebration of his life.”
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Before his diagnosis, Duong had been on the brink of a major touring year. In January, he was slated to perform across 41 states, with select dates alongside The Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng, according to a Los Angeles Times profile. Around the same time, actor Donnie Wahlberg — who worked with Duong on Blue Bloods — had encouraged him to prepare for a potential spinoff.
Duong’s career stretched across both television and comedy. A SAG-AFTRA member since 2009, his acting credits included Dexter, Everybody Hates Chris, 90210, The Young and the Restless and Pretty Little Liars. He also wrote for Netflix’s Historical Roasts, bridging stand-up sensibilities with scripted comedy.
More recently, he became a familiar presence at The Comedy Store, working as a door guy from 2021 — a role often seen as a rite of passage in the LA comedy ecosystem.
Even as he underwent chemotherapy and radiation, Duong remained closely tied to the community around him.
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“Comedians always have each other’s backs when times are s—. We know how hard it is to pine and struggle and scrape by in this lifestyle, just so we can do these jokes and keep improving. It’s a beautiful thing to see in this world; it really is,” he told the Los Angeles Times.
That sense of solidarity was on full display last August, when comedians including Ronny Chieng, Atsuko Okatsuka and Andrea Jin came together for “The Alex Duong Has Cancer In His Eye Comedy Benefit Show” at Largo in Los Angeles.
Duong is survived by his wife and daughter.
