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Suzanne Whang

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Suzanne Whang
Born(1962-09-28)September 28, 1962
Arlington, Virginia,U.S.
DiedSeptember 17, 2019(2019-09-17)(aged 56)
Los Angeles, California,U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, television host, comedian, radio host, author, minister, writer, producer, political activist
Years active1990–2019
Spouse(s)Michael Freed (divorced)
Jay Nickerson
​
​
(m.2013;div.2015)​

Suzanne Whang(Korean:황보희, September 28, 1962 – September 17, 2019) was an American television host, comedian, radio host, author, minister, writer, producer, and political activist. She is best known for having been the host of theHGTVseriesHouse Huntersfor nine years, and for her recurring role as manicurist Polly Chae onLas Vegasfor four seasons. Suzanne also starred as Divina the maid/wannabe actress in theHere TVsitcomFrom Here on OUT.

Personal life

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Whang was Korean-American. Her parents were born inSeoul,South Korea. Her maternal grandfather isKim Won-Kyu.She was born inArlington, Virginia.She held aB.A.inpsychologyfromYale Universityand anM.Sc.degree incognitive psychologyfromBrown University.As a graduate student, she conducted research withWilliam H. Warrenon visually guided action.[1]

Whang, in temporary remission from stage 4 breast cancer, wrote and performed a solo show about her experience, and was writing a book about it at the time she died.[2]

On October 19, 2013, Whang married long-time boyfriend Jay Nickerson at TheChurch of St. Paul and St. Andrewin Manhattan. The two had met decades prior, working together in theater.[3]

Whang died on September 17, 2019, in her Los Angeles home, after a 13-year battle with cancer, eleven days shy of her 57th birthday. Her remains were later cremated.[4]

Career

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Whang hostedHouse Huntersfrom 1999 to 2007 onHGTVand had a recurring role as Polly the spa manager on NBC's dramaLas Vegas.She made her television debut as a "Road Warrior" (remote correspondent) on theFX network's two-hour morning showBreakfast Timein the 1990s, and later co-hosted the network'sPet Department.

In 2002, Whang won the Best Up & Coming Comedian Award at theLas Vegas Comedy Festival,for her controversial alter ego character, Sung Hee Park.

Whang won the first annualAndy KaufmanAward at the 2004New York Comedy Festival.

She made a guest appearance onCriminal Mindsin the episode "Poison" in a brief cameo as a local TV reporter.

Since January 2011, Whang had portrayed Carol Cheng,Brenda Barrett's wedding planner and rumored to have been involved withFranco,on the TV seriesGeneral Hospital.

In November 2011 Whang joined the cast ofDon't Tell My Mother,a monthly storytelling event in which celebrities share true stories they'd never want their mothers to know.[5]

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^Warren, William H.; Whang, Suzanne (1987). "Visual guidance of walking through apertures: Body-scaled information for affordances".Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance.13(3): 371–383.doi:10.1037/0096-1523.13.3.371.ISSN1939-1277.PMID2958586.
  2. ^"Suzanne Whang (1962-2019)".www.suzannewhang.com.RetrievedSep 20,2019.
  3. ^Julien, J. Gordon (Oct 25, 2013)."For Better and for Worse, Long Before the Wedding".The New York Times.RetrievedSep 20,2019.
  4. ^"Television Host, Comedian Suzanne Whang Dies From Cancer At Age 56".September 20, 2019.RetrievedSeptember 20,2019.
  5. ^"So We Went to a Storytelling Event".[permanent dead link]
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