St. Denis Medical Star Mekki Leeper Says He Gets Recognized in Hospitals: “It Was Crazy”
St. Denis Medical actor Mekki Leeper manages to get recognized by his fans in the most uncomfortable situations.
Rising actor and comedian Mekki Leeper has been gaining a lot of recognition thanks in large part to his role in the NBC comedy series St. Denis Medical.
Playing the role of the fan-favorite new nurse Matt, who has made a less-than perfect first impression on his coworkers as the newest nurse in the hospital, his clumsy character coupled with some past projects and a robust stand up comedy career have made Leeper quite a recognizable face.
Related: Josh Lawson Reveals the St. Denis Medical Cast Member Who Cracks Him Up The Most
Though, when the actor recently made his debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, he revealed that some of his meetings with fans who recognize him from the mockumentary aren’t always in the most ideal scenarios.
“I do get recognized a lot, it’s a medical show, I get recognized in hospitals,” he shared in the clip above, adding, “I was in Austin on tour and I got stomach flu really bad. I had to cancel the shows, I went to the ER, it was crazy. And of course, at my lowest moments, that’s when people are like ‘Oh!’ I’m in there, I’m on a gurney, I'm evacuating my bowels, it’s disgusting. And then a bunch of nurses are like, ‘Hey, you’re that guy!’”
Aside from the embarrassing moments when fans unexpectedly appear, the comedian’s experiences in hospitals have also given him a new outlook on how St. Denis Medical truly captures the essence of what really goes on in medical centers.
“I think hospital dramas nail the intensity of it, but I think doctors nurses, patients especially, they’re really funny,” he continued. “Like, it’s the darkest part of your life, the tension’s high...human beings like to goof around and cut that tension.”
In fact, Leeper went on to share that his girlfriend's father has been diagnosed with brain cancer. And, in a period that would typically be filled with worry and gloom, he has managed to find the fun in it.
“It’s been hard for everybody, but the bright spot is that he will not stop joking around about anything. Like, he sort of can’t stop doing dad jokes no matter how grave and serious the situation is.
Catch new episodes of St. Denis Medical when they premiere on Tuesday on NBC at 8/7c. Episodes are available to stream on Peacock the next day.
