Legendary film critic communicated via a laptop that spoke what he typed. By Eric Ditzian Chaz and Robert Ebert on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” Tuesday Photo: Harpo Productions Almost four year after cancer surgery deprived legendary film critic Roger Ebert of the ability to talk, the 67-year-old appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to discuss his battle with the disease and his enduring love for movies, his wife Chaz and root beer. Communicating via a laptop that spoke words after he typed them, Ebert’s first statement came in response to Oprah’s question about how he feels. “Terrific,” he said. Ebert was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2002 that then spread, necessitating multiple surgeries and the eventual removal of his jaw and the lower floor of his mouth. He is now unable to talk, eat or drink, and takes his meals four times a day through a gravity-drip bag connected to his stomach. But Oprah announced that Ebert is currently cancer-free. When asked, he couldn’t recall what his final spoken words were before his surgery. “I didn’t realize at the time they were going to be my last words,” he said. “I probably spoke them to Chaz as they wheeled me into the operating room. They were probably, ‘I love you.’ At least I hope those were my last words. On the other hand, they may have been, ‘Good morning, doctor!’ ” During the interview, Ebert spoke movingly of his connection with his wife, his commitment to continuing to review films (his column is still syndicated in over 200 newspapers) and his enduring love of food. He related one dream he had about going to a root beer stand with his father as a young boy and how he woke with the frosty taste of the drink in his mind. Despite his appearance, Ebert said he has no intention of having reconstructive surgery on his face. “No more surgeries for me,” he said. “I’m not going to talk or eat or drink again. So the surgery would only be to patch my face back together. I don’t want to go through that. This is the way I look and my life is happy and productive, so why have any more surgery?… Nobody looks perfect. We have to find peace with the way we look and get on with life.”
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Roger Ebert Talks Cancer, Movies And Root Beer On ‘Oprah’
