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California internist plays an OB in his first film role

Ken Jeong, MD, jokes about eating a lot of spaghetti as a struggling actor, but he gets a shining moment in "Knocked Up."

By Damon Adams, amednews staff. July 23/30, 2007.

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The same magazine that praised the Beatles gave kudos to Ken Jeong, MD.

Not for the California internist's skills in the exam room, but for his talent on the big screen.

Rolling Stone, in its review of the movie "Knocked Up," said Dr. Jeong made an indelible impression portraying an irritable and insensitive ob-gyn. "That was so cool," the doctor said like an ecstatic teenager.

Pardon Dr. Jeong for sounding so excited, but he's part of a romantic comedy that grossed more than $120 million in its first month of release. People recognize him from the film, giving him a taste of Hollywood fame.

On top of that, he's working in two professions that he loves: medicine and acting.

"Since the movie, it's been really surreal. It's been my big break," said Dr. Jeong, 37, who lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, family physician Tran Ho, MD, and their twin daughters.

Dr. Jeong acted in college theater productions as an undergraduate and he did stand-up comedy during his residency in New Orleans. "I ended up doing it for fun. It was my golf."

He won a comedy competition in New Orleans, then moved to Los Angeles. He performed in comedy clubs as Dr. Ken and landed small TV roles. He also started doing gigs with fellow Asian comics, billing themselves "The Kims of Comedy."

Best of both worlds

He appeared in the hit TV show "The Office," doing a scene with Steve Carrell in an improv class. Such brushes with greatness leave him starstruck.

"I was so in awe of him," Dr. Jeong said. "That's the kind of guy I want to emulate. On camera, he's a genius. Off camera, he's well-grounded."

His agent got him an audition for the part of Dr. Kuni in "Knocked Up." Naturally, playing a doctor came easily. One of his scenes ended up on the editing room floor, but found a home with other clips on his Web page (www.myspace.com/dr_ken). He said he learned a lot from working with director Judd Apatow and the rest of the cast.

"I really feel like it was my comedy residency with these guys."

Dr. Jeong worked full-time as an internist for several years but this year scaled back. "I work a few times a month just to keep my skills up."

"Right now the acting is going pretty well. But I'll never have to choose [between medicine and acting] because I do both."

Some patients recognize him, but he doesn't burst into a comic routine.

"It's not like I go around showing my headshots in my office. If they have an asthma attack, they're not going to care if I was in 'Knocked Up.' "

Dr. Jeong has completed filming his next role in the film "The Pineapple Express."

"I play the leader of an Asian drug cartel," he said, with a laugh.

That movie won't come out until next year. No hurry. He's still riding high from "Knocked Up."

"It's one of those perfect moments you live for in life. No matter what happens, good or bad in life, I'll always have that."

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