Jak Knight, Comedian and Writer for ‘black-ish,’ ‘Big Mouth,’ Passes Away at 28
On-the-rise stand-up comedian, Jak Knight, has shockingly passed away at the age of 28.
Best known for his work on the Peacock series Bust Down, alongside fellow creators Sam Jay, Chris Redd, and Langston Kerman, Knight’s cause of death is not being released at this time, yet it is being felt across the entertainment community.
“Knight’s loved ones ask that their privacy please be respected during this extremely difficult time,” the rep said.
His career was one to watch as he had wrapped a successful first season for Bust Down after completing a string of hit shows as a writer. From Netflix’s Big Mouth to ABC’s Black-ish, Knight’s name was bubbling as a creative who could wear multiple hats and look great in them all.
In Bust Down, Knight and his co-creators play a group of friends working low-wage jobs at a casino in Gary, Indiana. In addition to the Peacock comedy show, Knight worked on Pause With Sam Jay as a recurring presence, co-executive producer, and writer.
Knight had just wrapped filming Chelsea Peretti’s feature directorial debut, First Time Female Director, and shared that his stand-up was inspired by Dave Chappelle and Aaron McGruder’s The Boondock. According to Respect, his first job in the industry was as a writer on the animated Lucas Bros. Moving Co., when he was nearly 20 years old.
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“One hundred percent [Chappelle and Boondocks are] the reason why I do what I do,” he said in the 2018 interview. He would eventually open u0p for Chappelle on tour and be embraced by the stand-up comedian, counting the likes of Aziz Ansari, Eric Andre, and more as friends.
Jak Knight’s passing has reverberated throughout the comedy community, all shocked and expressing grief and disbelief.
“We are devastated by the passing of Jak Knight,” reads a joint statement from Knight’s Bust Down family Peacock and Universal Television. “He was a brilliant comedian, visionary, and artist, and we were all lucky to experience his greatness. During this heartbreaking time, Jak’s family, friends, and community are in our hearts.”
This is a still-developing story.
