'Def Comedy Jam,' 'In Living Color' Comic Was 57

Key Points:

• Reggie McFadden, the actor and stand-up comic known for his work on Def Comedy Jam and the 1990s Fox sketch series In Living Color, has died at age 57; the family was informed by the U.S. State Department that he passed away in Tanzania, where he had lived for about 18 years.
• McFadden gained recognition on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam in 1991 and appeared on various TV shows including Martin, Moesha, and Coach, with a notable role on In Living Color during its final season in 1993-94.
• He also starred in the 1998 Fox comedy Getting Personal, acted in films such as Jacob’s Ladder and Little Nicky, and appeared on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm; he had a Comedy Central special and performed regularly in Las Vegas.
• McFadden owned Olduvai Records, a gold-mining and entertainment production company based in Tanzania, which is signed with Sony Music’s The Orchard for global music distribution; he released an album titled ENJOY, Vol. 1 in May 2025.
• He is survived by his sister Bernice McFadden, a best-selling author, another sister Misty, his sons Jaron and Myles, his mother Vivian, and brother Kris.