About Jay

He Left Us Laughing

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Jay Thielen, known to generations of comedy fans by his iconic stage name, Jay Wendell Walker. Jay passed away peacefully the evening of June 27th at Holy Family Hospital in Spokane, Washington, surrounded by the love of his family and the echoes of a lifetime of laughter.

Known to many in the comedy world as a “Heavyweight Champion of Comedy,” Jay spent more than six decades bringing joy, razor-sharp wit, and an unmistakable physical charisma to stages across the country. Raised in a family of vaudeville performers, Jay caught the comedy bug at just five years old. He officially stepped onto the stand-up stage in 1960 at the age of 18, beginning a relentless, decades-long journey as a touring comic, often performing 40 to 50 weeks a year.

Jay was a fixture of the Northwest comedy community, a mentor to countless young comics, and a man whose ability to connect with audiences of any age or background made him a rare, true craftsman of the stage. He spent his life making the world a lighter, funnier place. He will be deeply missed by his family, his peers, and the thousands of fans he made laugh until they cried.