Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.
Rudy Moreno, a prominent Latino comedian often referred to by fans and colleagues as The Godfather of Latino comedy, passed away at the age of 66. Moreno died Friday evening following a recent hospitalization, his agent Mark Scroggs and son Nathan Rueda confirmed to USA TODAY in an email Sunday.
“He was a great mentor to many comics, was a great comedy show host—which is the toughest job in comedy because you have to support and let others shine—and was very involved with local charities,” Mark Scroggs further added. Moreno’s death resulted from complications due to a stroke and sepsis, according to his manager, José ‘Rueda’ García. He was hospitalized since April 24 and also experienced pneumonia and kidney failure in the days before his passing. He has left behind his wife, Arlene, his children, and two grandchildren.
A brief look at Rudy Moreno’s life and career
According to IMDb, Moreno lent his comedy chops to the world of television, appearing on numerous TV shows, including Pacific Blue, Everybody Loves Raymond, ER, George Lopez, and Criminal Minds.
Born on July 24, 1957, and raised in Lincoln Heights, Moreno was a frequent performer at the Ice House comedy club in Pasadena. He hosted shows titled Rudy Moreno and Friends, featuring other comics, and worked at top comedy clubs around the country. Moreno also opened for Smokey Robinson, the Black Eyed Peas, and other acts.
In addition to his expertise in comedy, Moreno was an accomplished guitar player. He and his family created Komics for Kids, an event aimed at assisting inner-city children.
Actor-comedian Ken Jeong mourns his death via a touching tribute
Actor-comedian Ken Jeong also paid tribute to Moreno in a touching post on X (formerly Twitter) this Saturday, writing that “there are countless comedians who owe their start to this man.”
“My heart is truly broken. Rudy Moreno, the Godfather of Latino Comedy, was the first person to book me at the Ice House,” Jeong wrote on X alongside a photo of the two comedians.
He continued, “In fact, the first time my wife ever saw me do standup was at the Ice House on Rudy’s show. All this ultimately led to me doing my Netflix special at the Ice House, thanks to Rudy Moreno constantly supporting me and letting me get stage time on all of his shows.”
“And he was hilarious, the consummate comedian. I am laughing thinking of his East LA Santa bit right now,” Jeong continued. “He was an incredible actor, guitarist, and singer as well. Just a brilliant artist. … Love you so much, Rudy. I know you’re making heaven laugh.”
In addition to his great career as a comedian, he was a good mentor to many comedians. He was also a very entertaining comedy show host, which is arguably the toughest job in comedy because the host must support and allow others to shine. That’s not all, he was also very involved with local charities.
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