One of his generation’s most well-known stand-up comedians, Richard Lewis, has declared he is “finished with stand-up” following a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.
The 75-year-old comedian, also well known for portraying a fictionalized version of himself on the HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm, made the announcement yesterday via social media.
Fans have questioned why he hasn’t been performing as a stand-up comic for the past three and a half years, and he claims that it has been a “rocky time” for him. In the video, he discusses “what happened.”
Lewis recalled, “I was in the middle of a tour three and a half years ago, and then I eventually ended it with a gig. You know, I’m at the top of my game, I said. I will give up after almost 50 years and say goodbye. And I was very happy about that.”
Lewis claims that after deciding to retire, “s**t hit the fan,” and he had four back-to-back surgeries, including hip and shoulder replacements.
Lewis additionally disclosed that he had been given a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.
He explained, “I started walking stiffly around two years ago. “I went to a physician because I saw that my feet were shuffled, and after a brain scan, I was given the Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. That happened roughly two years ago.”
Lewis claims he has an optimistic attitude toward things despite his dire prognosis.
“Fortunately, I discovered I have it late in life, and since I’m taking the appropriate medication and progressing very slowly, if at all, they say, I’m doing fine. All I wanted to do was let you know where it has been. I’ve completed stand-up. Just writing and acting are my main priorities. I have Parkinson’s disease, but everything is well because a doctor is treating me. I also cherish my relationship with my wife, pup, friends, and hands. And now you know its location during the previous three and a half years. God bless.”
Lewis achieved success as a stand-up comedian in the 1970s and 1980s. He is well-known for his neurotic, self-deprecating humor and for being open about his battles with drug and alcohol addiction.
He frequently appeared as a guest on late-night programs like The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Late Night with David Letterman and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
On television, Lewis is well-known for his Golden Globe-nominated work with Jamie Lee Curtis in the comedy Anything but Love and for portraying a fictionalized version of himself in Curb Your Enthusiasm. In Mel Brooks’ Robin Hood: Men in Tights, he is best known for his portrayal as Prince John.
He has been named one of the top and most significant comedians on GQ and Comedy Central lists.
We wish Richard Lewis the best as he fights Parkinson’s disease and ends his stand-up career. Richard Lewis is a comedian who has made us all laugh over the years.
