The Tragic Death Of Comedian Fuquan Johnson
The comedy world is mourning the death of Fuquan Johnson, a writer for "Comedy Parlour Live," who died at age 42 on September 3. TMZ reported that Johnson allegedly overdosed on fentanyl-laced cocaine at a home in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. Law enforcement sources told the outlet that the TV personality — along with two others — were pronounced dead at the scene. Kate Quigley, comedian and recent ex-girlfriend of former Hootie & the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker, was also found by cops, but she was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
Johnson was a beloved member of the comedy community, having started out in the entertainment industry as a crew member on the TV miniseries "That's a Friend" in 2013, per IMDb. He then appeared in "Worldstar Headquarters" in 2015, and three years later, he worked as a composer on "Unveiling our Scars" in 2018. Johnson's latest work was on "Comedy Parlour Live: Quarantine Edition," a TV series which "brings an all-star cast of comics to your living room" as IMDb describes.
As soon as the news of Johnson's death made headlines, fellow comedy stars took to social media to pay tribute to the late comedian's memory. "Very sad to hear about the passing of my buddy Fuquan Johnson. Smiliest, happiest dude, and a local icon in the North Hollywood community, RIP," tweeted Luke Barnett. For more on Johnson's death, keep scrolling.
Fuquan Johnson is among two others who died following a party in Venice, California
A supposed celebration ended in tragedy when comedian Fuquan Johnson died of an alleged overdose at a party in Venice, California, on Friday evening. Law enforcement sources told TMZ that the cops were called shortly after midnight and, upon their arrival, they found Johnson and three others "who appeared to be either deceased or close to it," as the report reads. The "Comedy Parlour Live" writer and two others were pronounced dead at the scene, while Kate Quigley is in the hospital in critical condition.
According to the law enforcement sources, cocaine laced with fentanyl was supposedly "ingested" by all four victims. The L.A. Coroner's Office is set to perform autopsies on the three bodies, and the identities of the two unnamed individuals have yet to be revealed. Though the LAPD's homicide unit has been notified of the overdoses, TMZ reported it's unclear if they will get involved. However, the LAPD is investigating who the drugs were purchased from.
Amid the sea of tributes following Johnson's death, several comedians took the opportunity to remind others about the importance of staying away from drugs. "Hey everybody, please stop doing cocaine. Please. All it takes is the wrong batch or the wrong night or any combination of either," wrote Johnny Taylor, Jr. on Twitter. Kiki Anderson echoed, "This is so heartbreaking and horrific. Please, if you do drugs, test them. Or don't do them. Fentanyl is a monster."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).