Bobby Lee

Robert Young Lee Jr. was born on September 17, 1971, in San Diego, California, to Korean immigrant parents. He and his younger brother, Steve, were raised in Poway, California. His parents operated clothing stores in Escondido and Encinitas. Lee attended Painted Rock Elementary School, Twin Peaks Middle School, and Poway High School, where he participated in a breakdancing team. After high school, he briefly attended Palomar College before leaving to pursue other endeavors. Prior to his comedy career, Lee held various jobs in cafes and restaurants.

Lee began his career in comedy in 1994 after the coffee shop where he worked closed down. He secured a job at The Comedy Store in San Diego and, after several months, tried stand-up during an amateur night. His early performances quickly led to opportunities to open for established comedians such as Pauly Shore and Carlos Mencia. He then became a regular performer at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. Initially, his parents were not supportive of his choice to pursue comedy, having hoped he would continue in the family business. This changed following his appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” which marked a significant turning point in his career.

In 2001, Lee joined the cast of MADtv, becoming the show’s first and only Asian cast member, a role he held until the series’ cancellation in 2009. He returned briefly for the show’s revival in 2016. From 2018 to 2019, he co-starred in the ABC sitcom “Splitting Up Together.” Lee is also widely recognized for co-hosting the podcasts “TigerBelly,” which he started in 2015 with Khalyla Kuhn, and “Bad Friends,” launched in 2020 with Andrew Santino. His film credits include “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” (2004), “Pineapple Express” (2008), and “The Dictator” (2012). From 2019 to 2023, he had a recurring role as Jin Jeong in the “Magnum P.I.” television series and a guest role as Dr. Kang on “Reservation Dogs” (2021-2022).