Roger Ebert

Last night Roger Ebert made his first public appearance in almost a year. Ebert has cancer, and has for some time, we've all heard about it. He said friends and colleagues warned him against participating in his annual Overlooked Film Festival in Champaign, Illinois because people would talk about how he looked.

Roger said “so what”.

I had heard about his upcoming appearance this weekend, and the warnings from friends and his defiance and I have to say that I thought to myself that he would look horrible, and was prepared to see photos of him and be shocked and feel bad for him and to agree with his friends, because the press can be crazy (even though I eat it up with a spoon).

But you know what? He doesn’t look so bad, sure he does have a tracheotomy (and can't speak) and a bandage to cover it, and you can see that his jaw has been left slightly deformed from surgery, but it isn’t so bad. I think he looks pretty darn good considering what he’s been through. He also hasn't wasted away to an unrecognizable form, he has a little less girth, but is still clearly and easily recognized as Roger Ebert.

So here’s to you Roger, well done and good luck to you in the rest of your recover.