Reggie McFadden, ‘In Living Color’ & ‘Def Comedy Jam’ Star, Dies at 57

Martin Holmes October 5, 2026, 10:09 am

Reggie McFadden, the comedian and actor best known for his appearances on Def Comedy Jam and the 1990s sketch series In Living Color, has died. He was 57.

His passing was confirmed by his sister, author Bernice McFadden, who told The Hollywood Reporter that the U.S. State Department notified the family that he died in Tanzania, where he had been living for the past 18 years. Bernice said she does not know when or how her brother died.

Born on November 30, 1968, Reggie decided to pursue a comedy career to avoid ending up in the projects of his Brooklyn neighborhood, per his bio on The Comedy Store. After performing gigs across New York City, he got his big break when HBO producers invited him to appear on Def Comedy Jam.

He later moved to Los Angeles, where he landed a small role in the Fox comedy series Martin. From there, Reggie went on to make guest appearances on several other hit shows of the 90s, including Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, Coach, Viva Cabaret, Moesha, Getting Personal, and more.

His most memorable role came as a recurring cast member on the Fox sketch comedy series In Living Color. Between 1993 and 1994, Reggie appeared in 23 episodes of the fifth and final season, starring in sketches such as “All Up in the Family” and “Dirty Dozens Tournament of Champions.”

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In addition to this TV work, Reggie also appeared in the films Jacob’s Ladder (1990), Minor Adjustments (1995), Little Nicky (2000), and Road Dogs (2003). He also played Officer Burt, Larry David’s neighbor, in a 2001 episode of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.

He also had his own comedy special as part of the Comedy Central Presents series and regularly performed at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

In recent years, Reggie set up the gold-mining and entertainment production company Olduvai Records, based in Tanzania, per his Facebook page. He also released his own album, ENJOY, Vol. 1, on the label in May 2025.

He is survived by his sisters Bernice and Misty; his sons, Jaron and Myles; his mother, Vivian; and his brother, Kris.