When people think of the late, great Ralphie May, they usually picture the guy who could command a room with a single smirk and a Southern drawl. He was the king of the "Last Comic Standing" era. But behind the scenes, his personal life was a lot more complicated than a standard stand-up set. If you've ever wondered who was ralphie may married to, the answer is fellow comedian Lahna Turner.
It wasn't just some Hollywood fling. They were together for over a decade. They had kids. They shared a podcast. Honestly, they were a comedy powerhouse until things got messy toward the end.
The Comedy Couple: How Ralphie May and Lahna Turner Met
Ralphie and Lahna didn't meet at a glitzy red-carpet event. They met the way most comics do—on the road, likely in the back of a smoky club. They got hitched on July 3, 2005. At the time, Ralphie was riding high on the fame from the first season of Last Comic Standing. Lahna was an up-and-coming musical comedian, known for her biting lyrics and acoustic guitar.
They were a match that made sense on paper. Two people who understood the grueling life of a touring comic. For years, they were inseparable. They launched a podcast called The Perfect 10, which gave fans a raw look into their marriage. You’d hear them bicker, laugh, and talk about the realities of raising kids while living out of suitcases.
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The Divorce That Never Actually Ended
Life wasn't all punchlines, though. By 2015, the marriage was on the rocks. It was loud. It was public. Lahna Turner filed for divorce in October 2015, citing irreconcilable differences. She sought sole physical custody of their two children, April June May and August James May.
Ralphie didn't take it well.
The split turned into a nasty legal battle. There were allegations of substance abuse and neglect. There were restraining orders. At one point, Ralphie even filed an emergency petition to block Lahna from taking the kids on a trip to China, citing a "super typhoon" as the reason. The court actually sided with him on that one.
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Here’s the kicker: even though they were separated for two years, the divorce was never finalized.
When Ralphie May passed away on October 6, 2017, they were still legally married. This created a massive legal headache and a lot of emotional baggage for Lahna. Imagine being in the middle of a bitter split and suddenly becoming a widow. It’s heavy stuff.
What Lahna Turner Has Said Since
Lahna hasn't stayed silent about the relationship. In the years following Ralphie’s death, she’s been open about the dark side of their marriage. She produced a documentary called What’s Eating Ralphie May? which is a gut-wrenching look at his final days. It doesn't sugarcoat anything. It dives into his addiction, his health struggles, and the enablers who surrounded him.
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She’s often described as his "estranged wife" in the press. That’s a fair label. But she’s also the mother of his children.
A Quick Look at the Timeline
- 2005: Ralphie and Lahna get married in July.
- 2007: Their daughter, April June May, is born.
- 2009: Their son, August James May, is born.
- 2013: They launch The Perfect 10 podcast together.
- 2015: Lahna files for divorce, starting a two-year legal war.
- 2017: Ralphie dies of cardiac arrest in Las Vegas.
The Legacy of the May Family
Ralphie May was a legend, but his marriage to Lahna Turner proves that even the funniest people deal with serious pain. Today, Lahna continues her own comedy career. She’s a singer, a songwriter, and a director. She’s busy raising their two kids, who are now teenagers.
She’s also dedicated a lot of her work to highlighting the opioid crisis and addiction, using Ralphie’s story as a cautionary tale. It’s a way to honor him while being honest about the reality they lived through.
If you’re looking to understand the man behind the microphone, you have to understand the woman who was by his side for his biggest wins and his lowest moments. It wasn't a perfect marriage. Far from it. But it was a real one.
To get a better sense of their dynamic, you can still find episodes of their podcast or check out Lahna’s special A Song About It. It gives a lot of context to why things ended the way they did. Watching the documentary What's Eating Ralphie May? is also a must for anyone who wants the unfiltered truth about his final years and the impact it had on his family.