SANTA MONICA, CA. (THECOUNT) — Alex Duong, a comedian and actor known to Los Angeles audiences as a fixture of the Sunset Strip comedy scene and to television viewers from his appearances on Blue Bloods and Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle, has died at 42 while at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California, following a year-long battle with a rare and aggressive cancer. He was surrounded by family and friends.
Hilarie Steele, a close family friend who was present at the time of his death, confirmed the news to TMZ. Steele said Duong went into septic shock Friday night and passed away at 11:00 a.m. Saturday at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, Los Angeles County. In 2025, Duong had been diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma — a rare soft-tissue cancer that affects the muscles of the arms, legs, head, neck, and abdomen. The diagnosis came after he began experiencing headaches behind his eye. A subsequent biopsy confirmed the tumor as extremely aggressive. Treatment was intensive, ultimately costing Duong vision in his left eye and generating medical debt exceeding $400,000. Throughout the ordeal, he continued to perform when his health allowed.
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Born the youngest of six children to Vietnamese and Chinese parents and raised in Dallas, Texas, Duong relocated to Los Angeles to build a career in comedy and acting. He became a well-known presence on the Sunset Strip, working both as a performer and as a door attendant at the Comedy Store — one of the most storied comedy clubs in the country. A SAG-AFTRA member since 2009, his screen credits included CBS’s Blue Bloods, Netflix’s Historical Roast, The OnlyFans Roast of Whitney Cummings, and Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle.
In August 2025, the comedy community rallied around Duong with a benefit event at the Largo in Los Angeles — officially titled “The Alex Duong Has Cancer In His Eye Comedy Benefit Show” — featuring comedians Ronny Chieng, Atsuko Okatsuka, and others. A GoFundMe campaign was launched by Steele to help fund Duong’s medical care and his effort to regain his sight. Following his death, the campaign has been redirected to support his wife, Christina, and their five-year-old daughter, Everest.
GoFundMe donations can be made at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/aid-alexs-journey-to-regain-sight
Steele updated the GoFundMe page following his death: “We are overwhelmed with gratitude — because of you, we have already reached the original goal. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. At the same time, with Alex passing, Christina’s situation has become more serious and the financial needs ahead are much greater than we could have anticipated. Alex’s memorial service, Everest’s education needs, ongoing care, daily support, and what lies ahead for his family mean we must continue raising funds beyond this initial goal.”
Tributes poured in from across the entertainment community. Comedian Taylor Williamson wrote: “I’m devastated to hear about the loss of my sweet and hilarious friend Alex Duong. Such a beautiful soul who would tell me how much he loved his daughter Everest and how special she was to him every time we talked. A good man who always had positive energy even in the hardest times.” Comedian Mike Lawrence added: “He was a funny comic, great roast battler, and rarest of all, a gentle, sweet person that truly loved making people laugh just for the pure sake of it. Well Alex, I very much appreciated you. Rest in peace.”
St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica is a Dignity Health facility and one of the most prominent medical centers on the west side of Los Angeles County. Santa Monica is a coastal city of approximately 93,000 residents situated along Santa Monica Bay on the Pacific Coast roughly 15 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. Duong is survived by his wife, Christina, and daughter, Everest.
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