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Actor

1962-09-28 · Arlington, Virginia, USA · Female

20 series in the catalog

Suzanne Whang (Korean: 황보희, Hwang Bo-hui, 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 the HGTV series House Hunters for nine years, and for her recurring role as manicurist Polly Chae on Las Vegas for four seasons. Suzanne also starred as Divina the maid/wannabe actress in the Here TV sitcom From Here on OUT.

Personal life

Whang was Korean-American. Her parents were born in Seoul, South Korea. Her maternal grandfather is Kim Won-Kyu. She was born in Arlington, Virginia. She held a B.A. in psychology from Yale University and an M.Sc. degree in cognitive psychology from Brown University. As a graduate student, she conducted research with William H. Warren on visually guided action.

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.

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

Whang died on September 17, 2019, in her Los Angeles home, after a 13-year battle with cancer, aged 56. Her remains were later cremated.

Career

Whang hosted House Hunters from 1999 to 2007 on HGTV and had a recurring role as Polly the spa manager on NBC's drama Las Vegas. She made her television debut as a "Road Warrior" (remote correspondent) on the FX network's two-hour morning show Breakfast Time in the 1990s, and later co-hosted the network's Pet Department.

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

Whang won the first annual Andy Kaufman Award at the 2004 New York Comedy Festival.

She made a guest appearance on Criminal Minds in 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 with Franco, on the TV series General Hospital.

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