Ken Jeong Quit Being A Doctor, But Still Amassed A $14 Million Net Worth
If you think about it, there are only a handful of really good comedy actors in Hollywood. That’s probably because making people laugh is not as easy as it seems. This might also explain why not all comedies are successful. For instance, there are just way too many underrated comedies from the ’80sand the ’90s. However, there are some comedies that are just not funny anymore.
A comedian must learn to stay relevant and keep humor fresh - this will keep the audiences laughing. Fortunately, actor and comedian, Ken Jeong, seems to know how to do just that. Over the years, Jeong has starred in several popular films and TV shows. He's racked up major cash in the process. In fact, he has reportedly amassed a net worth of $14 million.
Curious about how he made that happen? Well, here’s an overview of this former doctor’s career:
15 For Ken, His Path Towards Hollywood Started When He Did Comedy At Night, After Working At The Hospital
“Internal medicine was my specialty - basically general practice with an emphasis on adult medicine. During the day, I was a doctor. At night, you know, I was a comic,” Jeong told NPR. “And it was really just to let off some steam. It just became my golf, you know, in many ways. Most doctors have golf as a hobby. Mine was doing comedy.”
14 He Left Medicine Around The Same Time That He Landed A Role In “Knocked Up”
“My first big break was getting the part of Dr. Kuni in "Knocked Up," which was written and directed by Judd Apatow. He was looking for an Asian actor with medical experience,” Jeong told NPR. “That coincided with me leaving medicine. It was kind of time to - time to go. It was really my wife, who's also a physician. And to her everlasting credit, she said, you know, it's time to pursue this full-time.”
13 He Has A Partnership With Heineken, Which He Used To Celebrate First Responders
“I am celebrating First Responders Day, I used to be a physician, and as a medical professional I know first-hand the importance of first responders,” Jeong told Business Insider. “And for me that that's why this cause is near and dear to my heart, because they deserve the most recognition of all of us, and I can't think of a better way to partner up with Heineken 0.0 and just honestly for National First Responders Day, alcohol-free beer, so right call when you're on call.”
12 His Second Big Break In Hollywood Came In The Form Of The First ‘Hangover’ Film
Jeong told NPR, “You know, I always say "Knocked Up" opened the doors, and "Hangover" just burst it wide open. To this day, it's still surreal. And my wife's a doctor. All our friends are doctors - our close friends. And it's just that I have an odd job now. I think I'm like a doctor who had a detour, and I just have an odd job.”
11 He Appeared In An Ad For Pepto-Bismol
In December 2010, Procter & Gamble announced that Pepto-Bismol and Jeong were working together to “encourage people to indulge normally and have a little more fun this season.” In a press statement, Jeong also said, “Under-indulgent tummies are as dead as a condemned disco club. Enjoying your holiday parties includes enjoying various meats and treats. Normal indulging is fine and if you occasionally overdo it, Pepto has you covered.”
10 It Didn’t Take Long Before He Reprised His Role Again In “The Hangover Part II”
While discussing the film, Jeong told The Aquarian, “The script was so good that you didn’t need to improvise that much. Since the script for the second was funnier than the first, I found it easier to do, because I really couldn’t top any of the lines already written on the page for Mr. Chow. It was one of my easiest jobs, creatively.”
9 He Starred In The Comedy “Pineapple Express,” Which Earned Big At The Box Office
Produced by Judd Apatow, the film’s cast also includes Seth Rogen, Gary Cole, James Franco, Rosie Perez, Amber Heard, Bill Hader, Nora Dunn, James Remar, Danny McBride, and Kevin Corrigan.
According to estimates, the film was produced with a budget of $27 million. It earned $102.4 million at the box office. It is unclear how much Jeong was paid for the film.
8 The ‘Transformers’ Character, Jerry “Deep” Wang, Was Written With Ken Jeong In Mind
“From what I understand that was a character that he was thinking of with me in mind. I remember first meeting him and it was great. After the meeting I was just so excited,” Jeong told I Am Rogue.
“When Michael told me all about it, it was one of those things that I was just so grateful for. Ultimately I found out later that Michael is a good friend of Todd Philips, and a Hangover fan as well, so he had thought of that character with me in mind.”
7 He Struck Up A Partnership With Coke Zero
"Ken Jeong is a refreshing, rising star, much like the role Coke Zero plays in our expansive portfolio of low and no-calorie beverages,” Katie Bayne, Coca-Cola North America’s President and General Manager for Sparkling Beverages, said in a statement.
“Coke Zero exists to fulfill people’s thirst for great tasting refreshment while keeping calories in-check. Staying true to that promise has made it one of our most popular brands.”
6 He Reportedly Collected $5 Million For His Work On “The Hangover Part III”
Noticeably, Jeong’s character also had more presence in this installment, compared to the original film. The actor also told Collider, “As an actor, I’m just very grateful to work at all, much less have a bigger part. So, for me it’s an embarrassment of riches at this point because– Yeah, in the first Hangover, I think I was only on set for maybe, like, four days. To say that it changed my life is an understatement.”
5 He Was Cast In The TV Show “Community” As Ben Chang
The show was canceled before being picked up again by Yahoo. Around that time, Jeong told Variety, “I’ll never leave “Community,” no matter what. You’re either a lifer or you’re not. I’ve just learned so much. If we come back, I’ve got so much to learn. This show has been a huge influence on me and what I’ve done in my other projects.”
4 He Produced And Starred In His Own Sitcom, “Dr. Ken”
While discussing the show, he told Variety, “It’s loosely based on my life working as a physician in L.A., and loosely based on my family life. I’m married with two children, although in real life I have two beautiful twin daughters, and there’s no conflict — (but) no show is necessary if you don’t show any conflict.”
3 He Appeared In The TV Show “Fresh Off The Boat”
Jeong said there wouldn’t be a “Dr. Ken” show if it weren’t for “Fresh Off The Boat.” The doctor-turned-actor told Variety, “Fresh Off the Boat is groundbreaking, and quite frankly if it wasn’t for Fresh Off the Boat, Dr. Ken wouldn’t be on the air. That show’s success really enabled Dr. Ken to have a shot. I love those guys.”
2 He Joined The Cast Of The Widely Successful Film “Crazy Rich Asians”
Jeong told Esquire, “My wife and I are huge fans of the books. We read them years ago. When it was made into a movie, I connected with Jon Chu, the director, and I didn’t even know if I could do the movie. I just said, ‘Whatever I can do to support it, I’ll be there for you.’ I knew this could be something special.”
1 He's Got A Stand-Up Comedy Netflix Special Called “You Complete Me, Ho”
While talking about performing on the show, Jeong told Gold Derby, “It was very cathartic.” He added, “I went in with expectations that it’s not going to get belly laughs. I just wanted to see if the audience was listening. There are some jokes in that serve as undercuts to relieve the tension but keep the stories going.”
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