Reggie McFadden, 1968 – 2026

Comic and actor Reggie McFadden, 57, died in Tanzania (where he had been living for nearly 20 years), it was announced on Oct. 4. His family added that they do not know yet exactly how or when he died. McFadden costarred in the 1990s sketch-comedy show In Living Color, also appearing in such TV shows and movies as Martin, Hangin’ with Mr, Cooper, Coach, Moesha, Getting Personal, Little Nicky, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He was also a stand-up comic, performing in Vegas and in comedy specials. He owned Olduvai Records, a Tanzanian “gold-mining and entertainment production company” (I assume they made gold records?). “Out here in L.A., everybody is always smiling,” McFadden told the L.A. Times. “You talk to people, and they crack a joke, and the joke isn’t really funny. Some people laugh anyway just to make the person feel good. I don’t do that. If it’s not funny, I’m not laughing.” He also reminisced about his youth: “Before I started doing comedy, I would go on what I would call adventures. I would hang out with somebody I didn’t know or I would go into an abandoned building. I would get on the train and get off at the last stop and walk around the neighborhood and meet people. When you do that, you learn things.”