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After a protracted fight with cancer, comedian Erica Ash, who appeared on MADtv and Survivor's Remorse, passed away on July 28. Her spokesperson confirmed this to The Hollywood Reporter. Her age was 46.
In a statement, Erica's family said, "Erica was an amazing woman and talented entertainer who touched countless lives with her sharp wit, humor, and genuine zest for life." "Our hearts will always remember her."
In a statement to TMZ, Erica's mother, Diann Ash, said that the actress "transitioned peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones."
Erica originally intended to attend Emory University to study medicine in order to become a doctor, but she decided to pursue her passion for performing instead.
"I think I knew all along, subconsciously," she had previously admitted to Emory Wire, the alumni association's publication. "Like most parents, my parents had different hopes for me; their main goal was for me to succeed and be happy. To them, it meant attending Emory University to become a lawyer or doctor."
"But even though I was intelligent and could complete the work quickly when I set my mind to it, the challenge was maintaining my concentration on it," she went on. I've always believed that there is a better way to live."
That journey ultimately brought her to New York, where she appeared in off-Broadway productions of Love, Loss, and What I Wore by Nora and Delia Ephron and Broadway productions of The Lion King and Baby It's You!, respectively.
After that, she established herself in the comedy industry by appearing on The Big Gay Sketch Show and MADTV. She later got roles in Survivor's Remorse and Real Husbands of Hollywood.