Comedian Richard Lewis Confirms His Career Is Over After Parkinson’s Diagnosis – “Luckily I got it late”

Updated: June 11, 2024 | Published By: Radha Sharma | In Health | Published On April 26, 2023

Source: US Weekly

Comedian and actor Richard Lewis confirms his career is over after Parkinson’s diagnosis.
The actor is well-known for ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’, ‘Robin Hood: Men in Tights’, and more.

Richard Lewis has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease but insists he’s “cool”

Veteran comedian and Curb Your Enthusiasm actor Richard Lewis revealed that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in a Twitter video on Sunday.

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The 75-year-old actor explained that he’d just wrapped season 12 of Curb Your Enthusiasm with Larry David

“The last three-and-a-half years I’ve had sort of a rocky time and people have said, you know, I haven’t heard from you, are you still touring? So here’s what really happened.”

He explained:

“I said, you know, I’m at the top of my game. After almost 50 years, I’m going to call it quits, and I felt great about that. And then, out of the blue, the shit hit the fan.”

He was kept busy with recovery and therapy after having four successive surgeries and hip replacement.

“It was incredible. I couldn’t believe it. It was bad luck, but it’s life.”
Lewis revealed his Parkinson’s diagnosis with a Twitter video (Source: Daily Mail)

Lewis added that a couple of years ago he started walking stiffly, shuffling his feet, and went to a neurologist because of that. He then had a brain scan done which confirmed his Parkinson’s Disease.

However, he remained upbeat and told his fans he was okay.

“I’m cool. Luckily I got it late in life and they say that it progresses very slowly, if at all, and I’m on the right meds, so I’m cool.”

He added:

“So I guess I just wanted you to know that that’s where I’ve been at. I’m finished with standup, I’m just focusing on writing and acting.”

The actor further explained:

“I have Parkinson’s Disease, but I’m under a doctor’s care and everything is cool and I love my wife, I love my little puppy dog, and I love all my friends and my fans, and now you know where it’s been at the last three-and-a-half years.”

Also read: Young and the Restless Actor Eric Braeden Announces Cancer Diagnosis

Several celebrities are openly living with Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that affects the movement of the body. It happens when the brain cells that produce dopamine start to die.

Dopamine is important for sending messages between different parts of the brain that control movement, and when there is not enough of the chemical, it can lead to tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.

The disease can also cause non-motor symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia. While there is no cure for it, there are treatments that can help manage the symptoms and improve the quality of life.

Alan Alda also lives with Parkinson's — Alan Alda also lives with Parkinson’s (Source: CNN)

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, roughly 90,000 people are diagnosed with the disease every year. Furthermore, it is estimated that 1.2 million people in America will be diagnosed by 2030.

Celebrities other than Richard Lewis who are openly living with Parkinson’s include Alan Alda, Michael J. Fox, Neil Diamond, Linda Ronstadt, Jesse Jackson, Jeff Cook, Ozzy Osbourne, and more.

The great Muhammad Ali also battled with the disease for three decades before he died in 2016.

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