Comedian and actor Jak Knight died on Thursday night at the age of 28, with devastated friends and fans leaving tributes on social media.
Knight’s family confirmed his death to Deadline, but gave no information on the circumstances surrounding his passing.
Knight most recently co-created and starred alongside Chris Redd, Sam Jay, and Langston Kerman in the Peacock original series Bust Down. He also played DeVon on the hit animated Netflix series Big Mouth, and was previously a writer on the show for five seasons.
A co-executive producer on Pause with Sam Jay for HBO, Knight had recently wrapped filming Chelsea Peretti’s feature directorial debut, First Time Female Director.
Knight had also toured around the world as a stand-up comedian, and his half-hour Netflix special aired in 2018 as part of The Comedy Lineup series.
Peacock released a statement on social media, sharing their shock at the news: “We are devastated by the passing of Jak Knight. He was a brilliant comedian, visionary and artist and we were all lucky to experience his greatness. Our hearts are with Jak‘s family, friends and community during this heartbreaking time.”
Fans also took to socials to express their disbelief.
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“RIP to Jak Knight, honestly was my fav comedian these days,” wrote one fan. “Unapologetically bold and hilarious.”
“R.I.P. Jak Knight man, what in the fuck,” posted another.
Fellow comedians shared their favourite memories of Knight.
“I can’t imagine the hurt Jak Knight’s family is feeling,” shared Adam Ray. “Nobody had a bigger smile when they walked into a comedy club. It’s what I remember first & what I loved so much. His raw enthusiasm. One of the most original voices in comedy & one of the kindest humans. Rest easy bud.”
“Last time I did a show with Jak Knight he went up after me and opened with “Wow. I guess white boy comedy is just done, huh.” What a solid gut punch,” wrote Adam Peters.
Big Mouth‘s Adam Goldberg wrote: “This is how I’ll always remember my friend Jak Knight: laughing and making us laugh. He was brilliant, hilarious, loving, and one of a kind. My heart goes out to his family, by blood and by comedy, and everyone who loved Jak. There were a lot of us, and we miss him already.”
Many simply shared their favourite “bits” from the comedian’s career:
“I bet NBA Youngboy got more hoes than Jesus” is wild🤣😂😭
RIP Jak Knight https://t.co/CGNLUaFtaA— 🧱Ziggy B1🧱 (@therealziggyb23) July 16, 2022
One of the funniest and most creative entertainers in the comedian business. RIP Jak Knight
pic.twitter.com/NygpebQKoO— Tęrräñøvå (Overly Positive Pal) (@TerranovaNoah) July 16, 2022
Jak Knight has so many outrageously funny bits, but personally this one was always one of my favorites. One that I often quoted the most. Rest In Peace Jak pic.twitter.com/5nNSDW01x9
— Chris Mejia aka Beyoncé Gifted Us a Special Album (@tophermejia) July 16, 2022
I didn’t know Jak Knight personally but I loved his genius writing. I think about how brilliant this song is often. RIP to Jak Knight and condolences to his friends and family. 💔 @bigmouth #jakknight pic.twitter.com/lVWsQpVHAp
— Sydney Duncan (@Syd_Duncan) July 16, 2022