Ricarlo Flanagan, the actor, rapper and stand-up comedian best known for “Shameless” and being a semifinalist on Season 9 of “Last Comic Standing,” has died at age 40.
Flanagan’s agent, Stu Golfman of KMR Talent confirmed the news of his death to Deadline with a statement that read: “Ricarlo was one of the nicest people I have ever met in my life and a joy to work for. He will be missed dearly.”
An official cause of death was not given. However, Flanagan had posted to Twitter on Oct. 1 revealing to his followers that he had contracted the coronavirus.
WHAM! BASSIST DEON ESTUS DEAD AT 65
“This covid is no joke. I don’t wish this on anybody,” he wrote at the time.
A GoFundMe page was set up to raise funds to bring Flanagan’s remains home to his family in Cleveland, Ohio so that they can lay him to rest. It described him as a “loving son, grandson, cousin, nephew, and friend with many amazing talents.”
“He brought laughter to every room he walked in,” the page adds.
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Comedian Ricarlo Flanagan has died at age 40.
(Ben Cohen/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
People reports that Flanagan got his start in comedy in 2007 when he found a flyer posted on a telephone pole in Ann Arbor, Mich. advertising comedy classes. By 2015, he was a semi-finalist on the ninth season of the comedy competition show. He also dipped into acting, with appearances on comedies like “The Mick,” “The Carmichael Show,” “Insecure,” “The Neighborhood” and “Kidding.” However, his most memorable performance was his recurring role on Showtime’s “Shameless.”
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In addition to stand-up and acting, Flanagan had a passion for music. He was an accomplished rapper who performed under the name Father Flanagan. His debut album, “Death of Davinchi,” dropped in 2010. He followed that up in 2019 with “An Opus Inspired By Andre Martin” and, most recently, “Hope Your Proud” in 2020. He announced days prior to his COVID-19 announcement that a fourth album was on the way. However, it’s unclear if he was able to finish it prior to his death.
