An Update on Our Good Friend, Comedian Will Durst

Readers starving for more of columnist and comedian Will Durst ‘s trademark humor — like me — will have to wait a while.

Will Durst
Comedian Will Durst.

Mr. Durst was hospitalized after suffering a stroke backstage before a scheduled performance at the Presidio Theatre in San Francisco on Oct. 7th. He is currently in a skilled nursing facility getting rehab. The beloved comedian has postponed all appearances for the first time in his long career.

As the S.F. Chronicle reported, “On the night he was stricken, Durst was waiting to take the stage as part of the 60th anniversary celebration for the San Francisco Mime Troupe. Another performer noticed Durst having trouble moving and suggested he go to the emergency room. ‘I can’t,’ he said. ‘I need to tell my jokes.’”

Shortly after, an ambulance took him to the hospital.

His wife, Debi Durst, herself a longtime standup comedian, told the Humor Times on January 20th that Will is now doing much better, saying, “He’s out of the hospital and in a skilled nursing facility to get rehab. He’s getting PT, OT and speech therapy every day and is progressing, albeit slowly. He’s got some work to do to get the left side of his body working again, but I’ve started some acupuncture therapy as well.”

Debi said that Will’s spirits are good, adding, “He never lost the ability to speak, and his sense of humor is intact.”

“He is upset for sure about not being able to be onstage right now during all this political mess,” she said. “But I’m bringing his laptop to him daily and he’s beginning to make notes on what’s going on. To say nothing of the fact that he’ll probably have an entirely new one-man show about this whole experience.”

That’s our Will! Heal up soon — the world needs your unequaled wit and sharp-as-a-tack political satire, now, more than ever!

James Israel
Social media
Latest posts by James Israel (see all)
Share
Share