Roger Ebert appeared on OPRAH and showed us what real courage is. For those of you who just beamed down from Saturn, Ebert had thyroid cancer which spread. After numerous surgeries, Ebert now is cancer-free, but the price was enormous: Ebert can’t eat, drink, or talk. However, a computer firm in Scotland is working on a voice system that will reproduce Roger Ebert’s original voice based on Ebert’s recorded commentary on famous movies. Ebert demonstrated this new/old voice by typing words into his laptop and the speech program faithfully produced Ebert’s voice. Yes, it was a bit crude, but I was amazed the technology had come that far. Ebert’s wife, Chaz, impressed me with her dedication and love for husband. What a caring spouse! Ebert announced his OSCAR picks: BEST ACTOR, Jeff Bridges; BEST ACTRESS, Sandra Bullock; BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, Mo’Nique; BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, Christoph Waltz; BEST PICTURE, The Hurt Locker; BEST DIRECTOR, Kathyrn Bigelow.
If you’d like to read a moving memoir about Roger Ebert, click here. Thanks to Art Scott for this link.
Interesting that he thinks HURT LOCKER will win. I guess we’ll find out on Sunday.
I think AVATAR should win BEST PICTURE and Bigelow should win BEST DIRECTOR, Jeff. That way, everyone is happy.
My mom always wanted me to marry Ebert…and she still reminds me that he didn’t get married until after I got married and was “no longer available”–ha-ha! Anyway, I’m so glad he’s got his “voice” back and has the support of a loving spouse. In addition to his other writing, his blog is one of the best.
I’ve been an Ebert admirer for decades, Deb. I enjoyed his reviews. Ebert’s movie tastes and mine coincide most of the time. Ebert’s wife, Chaz, delivered a very moving statement on OPRAH: “I wouldn’t let him die.” My eyes were misting at that point.
It’s enough to break your heart. Both he and Siskel suffered so. You almost wonder if too much time in a Chicago movie theater was a bad thing. And yes, his blog is aces.
I don’t know about you, Patti, but when I’m sick I just want to retreat from the world. In Ebert’s case, who would blame him if he went into seclusion to deal with his heart-breaking condition. But, no, Ebert went back to work writing some of the finest movie criticism I’ve ever read. Now he appears on OPRAH, allows ESQUIRE to print a less than flattering picture of him, and bravely soldiers on. I’m in awe of such courage.
I’m aware of the artificial speech thing, but I’m unclear how a person who cannot eat or drink is still on his feet. Is he receiving fluids and food by I.V., or what? I agree about the courage, and about the hide and moan approach to illness, my wife says I’m a big baby when I’m sick (as opposed to being a big lovable baby otherwise, I guess). Heh.
Yeah, Rick, he has a tube feeding him. He’s a gutsy guy and I give him a lot of credit for going public the way he did. He and his wife seem really close.
George, that’s what I think will happen too – AVATAR and Bigelow. She did an amazing job, even if veterans say it’s not accurate. Very tense movie.
I have the DVD of THE HURT LOCKER, Jeff. I plan to watch it this weekend.
Hey guys, don’t interrupt me, I have to finish Lethal Interjection TODAY! Yikes!
You’ve been slacking, Rick.
Rick–see the ESQUIRE profile…Bill Crider linked to it, and I’d just read it the night before that, for details. The man is nothing if not tough and game, and he certainly seems to have married well (even if he didn’t have the wit to ask you, Deb). And Patti’s thought occurred to me, as well…Siskel didn’t have much fun toward the end.
Remarkable to me how much that photo of Ebert and Winfrey makes him look like some of the late photos of Eudora Welty. Also remarkable to me that jaw prosthetics haven’t progressed further than they have.
Certainly caring for someone you love when they are very sick has to be the highest form of love, Todd. When Ebert’s wife, Chaz, spoke about the numerous surgeries Ebert went through, and how close he was to death, I was struck by her strength and dedication. She seemed to will Ebert to live.