Ken Flores dies aged 28 while in middle of tour
Ken Flores, a 28-year-old stand-up comedian, has sadly passed away in the middle of a tour in the US.
The Chicago-based performer, known for his viral comedy content and growing influence in the stand-up scene, was set to perform in Phoenix, Arizona, later today (January 30), per PEOPLE.
Flores’ final performance took place on January 25 in Norcross, Georgia, with his Butterfly Effect tour scheduled to run until April 19.
Ken Flores has tragically passed away. Credit: Michael S. Schwartz/Getty
His family confirmed the heartbreaking news in a statement: “It is with great sadness that we confirm the untimely passing of our friend, brother, and son, Kenyi Flores. Please respect our privacy at this time as we are all shocked and devastated by this loss.”
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, Flores passed away at home on Tuesday due to cardiac arrest, as reported by TMZ.
His family has not yet released an official cause of death.
In one of his last social media posts, Flores reflected on his journey and his decision to cut back on drinking during the tour.
“So I started my tour a couple weeks ago and I’m proud to say I’ve done every single show. 5 in Portland 1 in Albuquerque and 4 in Atlanta without a single drop of alcohol. Nervous for Phoenix next weekend but I think I got it I’m not sober just wanna chill a bit,” he shared.
Flores first gained recognition through his YouTube videos, which quickly went viral, helping him amass a dedicated following on Instagram, TikTok, and X.
Before his rise in comedy, he worked at PNC Bank and performed at open mic nights at the Comedy Shrine.
“If you get that one big pop, you get bit by the standup bug and you’re addicted. Ever since I went up the first time, I couldn’t stop,” Flores once told Comedy Gazelle.
Beyond stand-up, Flores was a regular on podcasts and had been featured on Netflix is a Daily Joke. In December, he filmed his first comedy special, which has yet to be released.
He also played a key role in creating the LatinXL comedy show alongside comedian René Humberto Valdiviezo, an initiative aimed at increasing Latino representation in the comedy scene. The show paid tribute to Flores in a heartfelt statement:
“LATINXL came from an idea over late night pre-pandemic convos and backyard covid shows to do something together — to break Latinos into opportunities that would usually be hard to land… while also getting our own stage to refine our comedy and enjoy our friendship while chasing our dreams. We were so proud of Ken when he made it in his dream as a kid from Aurora.”
The statement continued: “We were always rooting for him and continued to share stages to present day. LATINXL WOULD NOT exist without Ken. The XL was a nod to Ken for having an ‘XTRA large personality’ and being such a force… which crowds all over the country would inevitably love.”
