For the better part of a decade, it’s felt like any mention of actor and comedian Ken Jeong has included a reference to his previous life as a fully-qualified medical practitioner. That past career has been extensively referenced in his work, but at a stand-up gig over the weekend, Jeong legitimately put his training back into practice.
When an audience member at Jeong’s Saturday night performance at a Phoenix comedy club began convulsing in the third row, Jeong left the stage to put his medical expertise to work.
Despite initially believing he was being heckled, eyewitnesses said the bloke quickly came to the woman’s side. Jeong cleared an area around her as she returned to consciousness, and joined an EMT present in the audience to assist the woman until she was taken away by paramedics.
Jeong then returned to the stage and polished off his set.
“He realized there was an issue, and he came over,” audience member Heather Holmberg told USA Today. “It was a moment where time stands still. Someone was having a crisis.”
Holmberg added “he was brilliant,” and that “he’s a very funny man but you were able to see a side of him that’s very compassionate.”
A publicist confirmed Jeong provided assistance. The woman’s condition is not known.
FWIW, Jeong still has a license to practice in California, meaning there’s every chance he could make that temporary step back into medicine more permanent.
