Teddy Ray, Stand-Up Comic Who Appeared In HBO Max's Pause With Sam Jay, Has Died At 32

Stand-up comedian and viral video star Teddy Ray has died. The news was confirmed this weekend by Comedy Central and Deadline, with the latter reporting that memorial details or cause of death have been announced. The performer was 32 years old.

A hilarious and good-natured improviser and a talented stand-up comic, Ray appeared on series like HBO Max's "Pause With Sam Jay," Biniam Bizuneh's comedy show "How To Be Broke," and the web series "BSU," made by Issa Rae's HOORAE Media. The comedian was also featured on Comedy Central, in a set where he professed his preference for "chill outs" on stage as opposed to "act outs," and talked about singing Keysha Cole songs around gangsters as a child.

Many of Ray's most memorable viral moments came from seemingly off-the-cuff comments, as when he coined the popular phrase "double cheeked up on a Thursday afternoon" in an All Def Digital video in 2015. Ray's too-brief career included a seemingly endless supply of these quotable moments, like his declaration "You 36!" in reference to his frequent All Def Comedy collaborator DoBoy's constant stream of wild video ideas. That moment and several others were captured a video the company posted to YouTube in memory of the comedian, set to the song "I'll Be Missing You" by Sean Combs and Faith Evans.

A talented improv comedian gone too soon

Teddy Ray's most prolific work may well have been with All Def Digital, where he and DoBoy found humor in the competition of one-on-one basketball games, IQ tests, and smoking weed, among other challenges. The performer also appeared on the improv web series "Cancel Court" last year, where he faced off against comedian Patrick Cloud in a debate about Lil Wayne that went off the rails in a very funny way.

Ray's friends and collaborators expressed their condolences in an outpouring online after news of his passing came yesterday. Along with a photo of the comedian, Comedy Central tweeted the caption "Teddy Ray was a hilarious and beloved performer. He'll be deeply missed by the entire comedy community." Quinta Brunson, creator and star of "Abbott Elementary," tweeted a photo including herself and the comedian with the caption, "Rest well, Teddy. The kindest and funniest. We're all going to miss you far too much."

Rae, Comedian Katt Williams, "Black Ink Crew" star Puma, actor-comedian Tanjareen Martin, and others in the comedy community expressed their love for Ray on his final Instagram post, in which he celebrated his 32nd birthday just two weeks ago. He will be missed.