Comedian David Arnold performs during his appearance at The Ice House Comedy Club on December 9, 2017, in Pasadena, California. | Source: Michael S. Schwartz / Getty
The untimely death of David A. Arnold has sparked a steady stream of social media tributes to and condolences for the comedian who also made a name for himself not only by performing standup but also by screenwriting, producing and creating popular TV series and comedy shows.
Arnold died on Wednesday at the age of 54. His death was attributed to “natural causes,” Arnold’s family said in a statement shared by Deadline.
“It is with great sadness that we confirm the untimely passing of our husband, father, brother and friend, David A. Arnold. David passed away peacefully today in his home and doctors have ruled the cause of death due to natural causes,” Arnold’s family said. “Please keep our family in prayer and respect our privacy at this time, as we are all shocked and devastated by this loss.”
Arnold’s death coincided with the start of his new four-month national comedy tour, which had only begun days earlier.
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Standup comedy served as Arnold’s starting point for a career that went far beyond telling jokes to an audience. He was able to flip his comedic ability into a career that included writing material for comedy shows like “The Rickey Smiley Show” which aired on TVOne.
Just last week, Arnold credited comedian D.L. Hughley with providing reassuring words of advice that he said ultimately convinced him to stay working in the field.
After he claimed to have bombed during several shows, Arnold said he was unsure about sticking with comedy. But a pep talk from Hughley convinced him otherwise.
“And the next thing you know, I was a comedian,” Arnold told Jalen Rose in the former NBA star’s weekly column for the New York Post.
Upon learning of Arnold’s death, Hughley tweeted that it “hits different” and said it was “very very sad.”
Stand-up comedy eventually evolved into Arnold taking his talents to television, where he created and executive produced Nickelodeon’s hit show, “That Girl Lay Lay,” which starred and was about Black teenage girls.
“We are shocked and incredibly saddened by the sudden passing of our dear friend and creative partner, David A. Arnold,” Nickelodeon said in a statement. “David was an immense talent and a gifted storyteller with a wide range of fans, from adults through his stand-up, to kids and families through the Nickelodeon show he created and executive produced for us, That Girl Lay Lay. On behalf of everyone at Nickelodeon, we send our thoughts and condolences to his family, his friends and his fans.”
Arnold is survived by his wife and their two children.
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David Arnold Tributes Pour In After Comedian’s Untimely Death At 54 was originally published on newsone.com
