Actor, comedian and campus favorite Ken Jeong, Trinity ‘90, was awarded the 2,794th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Wednesday, where he was recognized for his work as a comedian, actor, producer and writer.
Steven Nissen, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, presented Jeong with the award in the television category, and dedicated the day as “Ken Jeong Day in Hollywood.”
Per Jeong’s request, his star will be placed next to that of Chinese American actress Lucy Liu and Anna May Wong, the first Asian American actress awarded a star on the Walk of Fame, to honor the Asian American and Pacific Islander community’s contributions to Hollywood.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame has been a global tourist attraction for over 60 years, drawing in millions of visitors annually. Each year, roughly 30 entertainers are honored with a star for achievements in one of six entertainment categories: motion pictures, television, recording, radio, live performance and sports entertainment.
“This is dedicated to that one Asian American person that moves out to Hollywood and is just nervous that maybe this won’t happen,” Jeong said in his Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony speech. “… Go to 1708 Vine St., look at my star situated right next to … Lucy Liu’s and Anna May Wong’s star … keep going down the Walk of Fame and you’re going to see Bruce Lee, you’re going to see Jackie Chan, you’re going to see Mako, you’ll see James Hong, Ming-na Wen and soon to be Michelle Yeoh.”
During the ceremony, actor and comedian Joel McHale praised Jeong’s accomplishments and rapid rise to fame as something that is “nearly impossible to do.”
“Ken literally burst onto the screen naked and screaming and commanding one of the biggest comedic performances in one of the biggest comedies of all time — The Hangover,” he said.
Jeong has gained widespread fame for his roles in The Hangover, Community and Crazy Rich Asians. He also wrote, executive produced and starred in Dr. Ken. Jeong is currently featured in two comedy-infused singing shows. He is the executive producer and host of I Can See Your Voice and is a panelist on The Masked Singer, where he entertains viewers with bold celebrity guesses.
Jeong — who originally intended to pursue a career in medicine — attended Duke as an undergraduate and eventually earned his medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
During his sophomore year, Jeong’s love for the arts blossomed as took his first acting class and participated in musical theater. His passion for acting persisted throughout his time at UNC, leading him to start doing stand-up comedy while he was in residency at Ochsner Medical Foundation.
In his speech, Jeong thanked his fans and family for supporting his acting career.
“I was a doctor at Kaiser Permanente … I didn’t even think I could be an actor,” he said, crediting his fans for “never having to go back” to his medical career.
Actor Randall Park also lauded Jeong’s work beyond the entertainment industry, highlighting his efforts to combat hate against the AAPI community and volunteer work for various healthcare organizations such as Stand Up to Cancer.
“He has the biggest heart,” Park said.
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Ana Despa is a Pratt sophomore and an associate news editor for the news department.