Comedian Neel Nanda, Known for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and Comedy Central Appearances, Reportedly Passes Away at 32.
Numerous performers and fans mourned Nanda on social media as the details surrounding his death remained unclear.
The Port Comedy Club Mourns Comedy Great Neel Nanda
The Port Comedy Club in Baltimore expressed deep sadness on Instagram, saying, “It is with a very heavy heart we say goodbye to comedy great, Neel Nanda.” They were shocked by the news and described Nanda as a positive force for comedy, a significant loss to the community. The venue thanked him for his performances on their stage, remembering him as a great headliner gone too soon.
Remembering Neel Nanda: Tributes Pour In as Circumstances of His Death Remain Unclear
Neel Nanda, who began his stand-up comedy journey by watching Comedy Central, has sadly passed away. Born in Atlanta to Indian immigrant parents, he shared jokes with friends in middle school. In a 2018 interview, he admitted to unintentionally stealing jokes until high school when he started writing his own. Tributes from performers and fans are pouring in as the details of his death remain unclear.
“I filled up a notebook with jokes and didn’t realize until college that I could go to an open mic and tell them,” he shared. “I actually had a friend read the notebook and tell me, ‘You know you can just go perform these, right?’ I didn’t know, but after a quick Google search, I was off to the Laughing Skull open mic.”
Neel Nanda, known for hosting the weekly show “Unnecessary Evil” in Los Angeles, achieved a milestone with a 5-minute set on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in 2017. Reflecting on this, he expressed his long-time desire to perform on late-night TV, and appearing on “Jimmy Kimmel” was a dream come true. Nanda, who performed on various networks like Comedy Central and Hulu, humorously mentioned that Jimmy Kimmel was the first place where his parents were fans of the host.
Neel Nanda, the host of the weekly show “Unnecessary Evil” in Los Angeles, considered performing a 5-minute set on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in 2017 as his greatest achievement. He had always dreamt of appearing on late-night TV, and being on “Jimmy Kimmel” made that dream a reality. Despite performing on other networks like Comedy Central and Hulu, Nanda humorously noted that Jimmy Kimmel was the first place where his parents were fans of the host.
“I always wanted to do a set on late night, and ‘Jimmy Kimmel’ was my first choice. So the fact that it came together kind of blew my mind,” shared Nanda with VCReporter.
Stand-up comedian Adam Newman paid tribute to Nanda on Instagram, praising his hard work and willingness to help other comedians with stage time or advice. Newman highlighted Nanda’s role in teaching promotion strategies and his quickness to offer compliments or words of encouragement.
Nanda, who was scheduled to perform shows in Toronto on Dec. 15 and 16, left a significant impact on the comedy community, and his passing is mourned by many.
Neel Nanda Personal Biography
Neel Nanda, a comedian, writer, and actor, began his stand-up journey in Atlanta, Georgia, before relocating to Los Angeles in 2013 to further pursue comedy. He showcased his comedic talents on notable networks such as Comedy Central, MTV, Viceland, IFC, and Hulu. Beyond stand-up, Neel actively produced live shows in LA, including the well-regarded “Unnecessary Evil” at the Westside Comedy Theater, recognized as one of LA Weekly’s top 10 stand-up shows. Neel frequently shared the stage with prominent comedians like Hannibal Buress, Demetri Martin, Laura Kightlinger, and Yakov Smirnoff. His impact on the comedy scene is remembered for his hard work, openness to helping others, and notable achievements in the industry.