Neel Nanda, a talented stand-up comedian recognized for his appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Comedy Central’s Adam Devine’s House Party, has passed away at the age of 32, as confirmed by his manager Greg Weiss to Deadline. The cause of his death is not immediately known.
Expressing deep shock and sorrow, Weiss shared, “I [am] deeply shocked and saddened by this. He was a wonderful comic, but a better person.” Weiss also highlighted Nanda’s promising future, mentioning that he was fully booked for appearances throughout January and February.
Originally from Atlanta, GA, and born to Indian immigrant parents, Nanda’s comedic journey began in childhood, as he disclosed in a 2018 interview with VC Reporter. Noting his early passion for comedy, he revealed how he would avidly watch Comedy Central during middle school, keeping a notebook handy to jot down his favorite jokes, which he would later share with his schoolmates.
In a candid admission, Nanda revealed, “I didn’t realize I was stealing jokes until I was in high school.” Transitioning from that realization, he began crafting his own jokes in high school, using the structures of ones he had absorbed earlier. It wasn’t until college that a friend enlightened him about the possibility of performing his material at open mics, propelling him to the Laughing Skull open mic after a quick Google search.
Nanda’s impact reached beyond the stage as he hosted the popular weekly show “Unnecessary Evil” at the Westside Comedy Theater in Los Angeles, earning recognition as one of the Top 10 stand-up comedy shows in the city by LA Weekly at the time.
His television appearances on Comedy Central’s Adam Devine’s House Party, Hulu’s Coming to the Stage, and Viceland’s Flophouse showcased his comedic prowess to a broader audience.
Fellow comedians, including Matt Rife, took to social media to remember Nanda. Rife shared a heartfelt tribute, stating, “You were one of the nicest, hardest working comedians I’ve ever called a friend, and I hope you can be at peace, brother,” on X (formerly known as Twitter).
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