‘Seinfeld’ Star Michael Richards Opens Up About Secret Cancer Treatment and Surgery
The previous ‘Seinfeld’ star additionally addressed rumors he was planning a comeback.
Former Seinfeld star Michael Richards has been out of the highlight lately after the collection ended. Whereas he tried a number of new initiatives and an ill-fated attempt at stand-up comedy that resulted in nationwide shame, now Richards is making it clear that he is not making a comeback and he is having fun with life slightly extra now after battling prostate most cancers.
In Summer time 2018, Richard was recognized with stage 1 prostate most cancers. As he particulars in his upcoming memoir, Entrances and Exits, he instantly thought he was a goner. He echoed comparable emotions in a chat with PEOPLE.
“I assumed, ‘Properly, that is my time. I am able to go,'” he tells the outlet. “However then my son got here to thoughts only a few seconds later and I heard myself saying, ‘I’ve acquired a 9-year-old and I would prefer to be round for him. Is there any manner I can get slightly extra life going?'”
On the advice of his physician, he had the complete prostate eliminated to keep away from any nastiness predicted by the biopsy. “It needed to be contained rapidly,” he tells PEOPLE. “I needed to go for the total surgical procedure. If I hadn’t, I in all probability would have been lifeless in about eight months.
The analysis and his advancing age have been additionally the gasoline behind writing his memoirs, pulled from over 40 journals he’d stored from throughout the years. “I am turning 75, so perhaps wanting to do this is one thing that comes with being my age,” Richards mentioned. “I needed to attach with emotions and reminiscence. I am stunned at how a lot I used to be in a position to bear in mind.”
He additionally addressed his controversial racist tirade after being heckled on stage on the Snort Manufacturing unit in Hollywood. His feedback went viral earlier than viral was a factor, taking three days to unfold earlier than Richards made an apology on The Late Present With David Letterman in one of many extra awkward items of tv historical past.
“I used to be instantly sorry the second I mentioned it onstage…The harm was within me,” Richards mentioned. “So I utterly stepped away from present enterprise. It was time to vanish and at last take note of the place all of my anger was coming from. Probably the most I might do for everyone was go house and get my s-t collectively.”
Richards stresses that he is “not on the lookout for a comeback” and does not count on individuals to simply up and forgive him. He is nonetheless shut buddies with Jerry Seinfeld, and has loved a quiet life away from individuals for 17 years along with his spouse, actress Beth Skipp, and their son, Antonio, 9.