Roger Ebert is in serious but stable condition after suffering a burst blood vessel near the site of an operation two weeks ago to remove cancerous growths from his salivary gland. These kinds of things are always scary, and I can't concentrate on much of anything but wishing for Roger's quick recovery. Thanks, too, to all of you who have sent e-mails with your best wishes. I'm saving them up to send to Roger and Chaz once he's out of the hospital.
Just to keep the positive recuperative vibes flowing, I'm posting this picture -- one of my favorites -- that I took at an Overlooked Film Festival reception at the Playboy Mansion in 2000. Here he is with Mark Borchardt of "American Movie" (who's holding a beer and a screwdriver -- which was pretty much the case for the entire evening). The great thing about this shot is that Roger did his thumb gesture just as I was about to take the picture, and Mark immediately put both his drinks in one hand so he could reciprocate. Just one of many great times I've had with Roger, and here's to many more!
UPDATE 07/04/06: Chaz Ebert has an update on Roger's condition.
I hope Roger gets well soon.
How do I sen him well wishes?
I've watched him since I was in my early teens.
I just want to let him know I think he's a very special person, and I hope he gets well soon.
Jim: Although I certainly remain worried about Mr. Ebert's current condition, I'm glad that he seems to have stabilized and that the prognosis seems good. If you understandably cannot pass on individual well wishes, then please let him know that there are a lot of people out here whom he has never met who wish him only the best and speediest of recoveries. Thanks for keeping us up to date, and for publishing that picture, complete with back story.
My thoughts are with Roger for a speedy recovery.
The world wouldn't make as much sense without Ebert. I visit the website practically daily (because I have issues,) and I never miss the new crop of reviews every Friday. It's great every week to have Ebert guide me to masterpieces and rip horrible films to shreds. And with a backlog of hundreds of movies, I can see an old film on DVD and then Ebert and I can love it or hate it together, or agree to disagree. If the reviews stopped coming, who would I turn to? No critic is more respected or revered. Fridays would never be the same.
I wish Roger all the best and hope the recovery goes well.
Well said, Dennis. It's funny how well we can come to know someone's public persona after years of regular exposure to their thoughts and writings. News of Mr. Ebert's condition affected me far more than news about most any other celebrity.