Mississippi Comedian and Social Media Influencer John Crawley Passes Away

TUPELO, Miss. (Aug. 20, 2025) — John E. Crawley, the North Mississippi comedian and social media personality known online as “KingBeardX,” died Monday, Aug. 18, at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. He was 47. The New Albany–based Glenfield Funeral Home posted an obituary confirming his death and noting that full service details will be announced later. glenfieldfuneralhome.com

Crawley built a massive audience for his tongue-in-cheek reaction videos—especially his riffs on the way people eat food—across TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, amassing more than 3 million followers. National outlets also reported his passing Tuesday and Wednesday, underscoring his widespread impact on social media. People.com

According to a GoFundMe organized by friend and former podcast co-host Anthony Caruso, Crawley was hospitalized roughly two weeks before his death after experiencing severe breathing difficulties and was placed in the ICU. Caruso wrote that Crawley did not have health insurance, and the fundraiser—initially intended to help with medical costs—has since been updated to assist with funeral expenses and support for his family. GoFundMe

Several media reports cited family and funeral-home representatives in early accounts of Crawley’s final hospitalization; some outlets reported cardiac arrest as the circumstance surrounding his death, though an official cause has not been publicly detailed by the family as of Wednesday morning. The Economic Times

Tributes poured in on social media and on the funeral home’s online guestbook, where fans and friends remembered Crawley’s humor, generosity, and the way his videos “brightened bad days.”