Roger Ebert Previews His New Voice on the Oprah Winfrey Show, After Thyroid Cancer Leaves Him Unable to Speak
For several years Ebert and his partner, Gene Siskel hosted, Sneak Previews...At the Movies with Siskel and Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert at the Movies. They previewed upcoming movies and critiqued them.
The program was widely successful until 1999 when Gene Siskel died of brain cancer. After Siskel's death, Ebert teamed with Richard Roeper for the series Ebert and Roeper at the Movies. Ebert appeared on the show until 2006 when he suffered post surgical complications after surgery for thyroid cancer which left him unable to talk.
Currently he uses a computer voice system to speak. He writes down the words he wants to say, and the computer says them. He first chose a computer voice with a British accent, but has since decided on a more American sounding one. But the good news he wanted to show everyone, was that a company in Scotland is designing a voice that sounds just like his original one.
The years since being diagnosed with thyroid cancer have been difficult for Roger Ebert. He has undergone several surgeries in which doctors removed his thyroid and salivary glands which altered his voice. Just when he was thought to be cancer free, symptoms returned. Doctors had to remove additional cancerous tissue, his entire right jaw and his lower mouth. This surgery nearly killed him when his carotid artery burst. When he recovered he was left unable to drink, eat or speak. He fell in 2008 and broke his hip.
On the Oprah show he appeared upbeat, but very fragile. The lower half of his face was heavily bandaged. Doctors want to do restorative surgery but Ebert says "No more." Chaz, his wife of 18 years, appeared with him. She said she has not heard him speak since July 1, 2006.
Together, husband and wife (Ebert using his computer voice) described their typical day. Ebert has a full time live-in nurse to attend him. He receives intravenous drips 4 times a day for nourishment from a gravity drip into his stomach. Husband and wife usually eat in private. Ebert misses the socialization eating involves, as well as food and drink, but he needs his privacy now. Some days when he is feeling OK, he asks his wife to eat some of the food he used to like, just to see her enjoy it.
He is at peace with his condition, and still manages to watch 3 or 4 movies a day. When asked his picks for the Oscars, he was ready;
* Best Picture....The Hurt Locker
* Best Director....Kathryn Bigelow....The Hurt Locker
* Best Actor...Jeff Bridges...Crazy Heart
* Best Actress....Sandra Bullock....The Blind Side
Sources:
The Oprah Winfrey Show....3/2/2010
Wikipedia
Eonline.com
Published by Memmay Moore
I am a transfer to Tampa from Boston where I had many years experience in health and nutrition education. I am now enjoying a new career in writing and photography. View profile
- Ebert and Roeper Two Thumbs GoneRoeper announces he is leaving the show and then Ebert hints that he is not happy with Disney's tweaking.
Hannah Free; Lesbian Movie, Starring Sharon Gless, Debuts in ChicagoActress Sharon Gless, formerly of "Cagney & Lacey," to star in the lesbian movie "Hannah Free" to debut at Chicago's Gene Siskel Film Center. - Olympus VN_240 Digital Voice RecorderLooking for a reliable and inexpensive voice recorder and want to move into the digital age. The Olympus VN-240 is a digital voice recorder with a lot of good features and at a great price.
Comparing the '73 and '93 Movie Versions of "The Three Musketeers"This article reviews and compares the 1973 and 1993 movie versions of "The Three Musketeers."- Roger Ebert's Cancer Surgery Won't Delay His New Movie ReviewsRoger Ebert, the famous movie reviewer, is not slowed down even when undergoing surgery; his advance reviews will still appear in the Chicago Sun Times even as he undergoes cancer surgery in Houston, Texas.
- View Every Movie Review Siskel & Ebert Ever Did
- Siskel & Ebert Made Stars Out of Movie Reviewers
- Roger Ebert to Make First Public Appearance in 10 Months
- New Hosts for At the Movies: Possible New Golden Age of Film Criticism on TV
- A Roger Ebert Rival Show to "At the Movies": Will it Become a Reality and Show Up...
- Roger Ebert Oscar 2010 Picks, on Oprah
- Roger Ebert Gets Voice Back with Modern Technology
14 Comments
Post a CommentI was unable to watch the show but I imagine it was amazing.
I had no idea he even went thru this. Where've I been?!
He certainly knows how to pick the Oscar winners. I'm so sorry that he has had to suffer through this and make what must be a difficult adjustment. His perseverance inspires me, though.
Having lived through two surgeries in 08 for thyroid cancer myself, I did not want to read this article. Yet, I could not tear myself away either. This sheds new light on a cancer that is so often described as the "good" cancer to the newly diagnosed, given it's high cure rate. Thank-you for bringing to light the fact that no cancer is good cancer. Yvette :)
I didn't know he had cancer. Wonder why he wasn't on TV anymore. He's lucky technology has given him a voice. Thanks for the info! :)
I saw previews of this, sad what cancer does to people.
Really interesting. I had no idea!
I knew that he was sick, but I didn't know that it had gotten this bad for him until just the other day. Such a sad story, but he seems to have a very strong spirit!
Oh, my, I didn't know this! How sad for him.
I saw a picture. DIdn't even know he had this. His appearance was so altered I didn't even recognize him. So very sad.