Richard Lewis retires from stand-up after Parkinson’s diagnosis

Curb Your Enthusiasm actor and comedian Richard Lewis is officially retiring from stand-up after a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Lewis made the announcement—and elucidated some of his struggles over the last few years—in a video shared on Twitter Sunday evening.

In the clip—recorded, per Lewis, a few weeks after he wrapped the highly-anticipated twelfth season of Curb—the comedian shares says that the past three and a half years have been “a rocky time” for him. Responding to those who’ve wondered why he hasn’t been out on the road, Lewis explains that he made a personal decision to stop touring while at the top of his game just before, as he puts it, “out of the blue the shit hit the fan.”

“I had four surgeries back to back to back to back, it was incredible, I couldn’t believe it, it was bad luck, but that’s life,” Lewis recalls. In quick succession, Lewis had a back surgery, a shoulder surgery, a shoulder replacement, and a hip replacement, all requiring extensive physical therapy post-op. Then, he noticed he had begun shuffling his feet, and walking unusually stiffly.

“I went to a neurologist and they gave me a brain scan, and I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease,” Lewis shares. “That was about two years ago. But luckily, I got it late in life and they say you progress very slowly if at all and I’m on the right meds, so I’m cool.”

He concludes: “I just wanted to let you know that’s where it’s been at. I’m finished with stand-up. I’m just focusing on writing and acting. I have Parkinson’s disease but I’m under a doctor’s care and everything is cool. 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. God bless you.”

On Curb Your Enthusiasm, Lewis performs as a fictionalized version of himself. Although the upcoming, twelfth season—expected on HBO sometime later this year—seems to be Curb’s last, nothing has been confirmed as of yet. Either way, ahead of filming Lewis made a somewhat honorary statement about the series in March, alongside a photo of him before filming his “last scene.”

“Hard to believe we started in 2000,” Lewis wrote. “The cast and crew all knew we were working for a genius. When that rarity happens, no one ever takes a moment for granted.”