When Kevin Fredericks’s brother, Jason, suffered a seizure in September 2022, the comedian rushed to Houston from Los Angeles to be at his side at the hospital.
Thirty minutes before the plane landed, he learned that he had died of a heart attack. His cellphone rang because he’d somehow managed to get coverage midair.
Now, three-and-a-half years on, Fredericks, who has the stage name KevOnStage, has found humor in the situation.
Fredericks was trapped in the middle seat
That morning, instead of flying in business or first class as he normally did — he has always been vocal about his insistence on luxury travel — he was stuck in a middle seat in coach.
“It was the only ticket available at such short notice,” he told Business Insider. He joked that, if his sibling were going to pass, he could at least have waited until he wasn’t packed like a sardine.
It would have been more thoughtful of him, Fredericks said, if he hadn’t learned of the tragedy while sandwiched “in 37B” between two strangers.
He was forced to clamber over one passenger to take the call at the back of the aircraft near the toilets.
The committed Christian jokes about the awkward moment in his latest one-man workshop, “Grief Sucks.” It covers his deep feelings about the loss of his brother, with moments of levity, sadness, and tenderness.
He pokes fun at awkward moments
“Jason would find the workshop amazing and funny,” Fredericks said, adding that he was honoring him with the “thing that I am best at — comedy.”
He said that being unable to poke fun would compromise his choice of profession.
“My best comedy comes from true authenticity, and everything authentic isn’t necessarily beautiful or something you are proud of,” he said.
“As a comedian, my lens is very different from most people’s lens.”
The 42-year-old compared his creativity to that of an artist painting a portrait of a late relative.
Fredericks said his brother was his ‘best friend’
“If I were a sculptor, nobody would be saying, ‘How can you sculpt at a time like this?'” he said. “They’d understand and say, ‘What a beautiful way to honor your brother,’ whether it was a painting, sculpture, or photograph.”
Fredericks described his relationship with Jason, who was his manager, as incredibly close. The pair grew up in Texas and then in Washington state, in a military family, along with their younger sister, Michelle Evans, 38.
Fredericks’s act includes his confusion because he was raised as the middle child before Jason’s death.
“I used to be the diplomat, but am I supposed to be the one in authority now?” he said.
Grief can strike at any time
He said there are moments when he sheds tears during the show. He doesn’t want to hold back and “power through” because, as the show’s title says, “grief sucks.”
It can affect you at unexpected times. “You’ll be having a good day, and maybe lining up a Chick-fil-A for a biscuit, and grief will suddenly strike,” Fredericks said.
“You’re thinking, ‘Oh my brother used to love the chicken minis, I’m going to get those in his honor,” he said. “Then, an invasive thought will ruin your appetite.”
The show can take its toll
His honest approach to bereavement has touched fans who have experienced similar loss, demonstrating his ability to reach people.
“I would be lying if I said it’s not a tremendous lift to talk about something so personal and emotional,” the father of three said. “But it’s worth it for Jason.”
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