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Film critic Roger Ebert has lost his ability to speak, but still communicates
AP ^ | February 16, 2010

Posted on 02/16/2010 2:31:11 PM PST by ConservativeStatement

NEW YORK (AP) — Film critic Roger Ebert lost his ability to speak nearly four years ago, when he underwent a tracheostomy, a procedure that opens an airway through an incision in the windpipe, after surgery for cancer in his jaw.

In an interview in the new issue of Esquire magazine, the 67-year-old film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times uses pen and paper and text-to-speech computer software to communicate. He's developed a kind of rudimentary sign language, and he sometimes draws letters with his finger on the palm of his hand.

(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: critics; ebert; movies
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Comment #1 Removed by Moderator

To: ConservativeStatement

Any comment I might make would be in bad taste other than, I really miss Siskel.


2 posted on 02/16/2010 2:32:59 PM PST by originalbuckeye
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To: originalbuckeye

Has he lost his ability to hate?


3 posted on 02/16/2010 2:34:11 PM PST by Salvey
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To: originalbuckeye

Did Siskel smoke or chew? Yikes. God Bless him.


4 posted on 02/16/2010 2:34:22 PM PST by gathersnomoss (General George Patton had it right.)
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To: ConservativeStatement

Is that a real picture?


5 posted on 02/16/2010 2:34:32 PM PST by DB
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To: ConservativeStatement
uses pen and paper and text-to-speech computer software to communicate. He's developed a kind of rudimentary sign language, and he sometimes draws letters with his finger on the palm of his hand.
Gheeze, what a guy. I'll bet no one in recorded history has ever done any of that.
6 posted on 02/16/2010 2:35:17 PM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: DB

that’s what I wondered...did he just suck a lemon?


7 posted on 02/16/2010 2:35:34 PM PST by WOBBLY BOB (ACORN:American Corruption for Obama Right Now)
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To: DB

The caption within the link states it’s an “undated photo.”


8 posted on 02/16/2010 2:35:35 PM PST by ConservativeStatement (Obama lies, Freedom dies)
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To: gathersnomoss; All
That's Ebert. It is a real picture. He has had several head/neck cancers. I'm not sure what kind. He has had a tracheotomy for a long time. No, he can't speak.
9 posted on 02/16/2010 2:36:32 PM PST by originalbuckeye
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To: oh8eleven

It’s settled science.


10 posted on 02/16/2010 2:36:34 PM PST by WOBBLY BOB (ACORN:American Corruption for Obama Right Now)
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To: ConservativeStatement

If that is a real picture then wow. Just wow.

I mean no disrespect but he looks like those shriveled apple dolls. His politics suck but he doesn’t deserve this.


11 posted on 02/16/2010 2:37:13 PM PST by paulycy (Demand Constitutionality. (Hi Mom.))
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To: ConservativeStatement

So this is what’s so embittered him?


12 posted on 02/16/2010 2:37:15 PM PST by A_Former_Democrat
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To: WOBBLY BOB; DB
From the article: after surgery for cancer in his jaw.
13 posted on 02/16/2010 2:38:00 PM PST by DJ MacWoW (Make yourselves sheep and the wolves will eat you. Ben Franklin)
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To: oh8eleven

Steven Hawkings comes to mind....


14 posted on 02/16/2010 2:39:23 PM PST by Cyber Liberty (I'm Ellie Light!)
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To: DB

I don’t think so...it could have been photoshopped. Hope so for his sake...


15 posted on 02/16/2010 2:39:40 PM PST by savagesusie
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To: DB

Knew a fellow who looked quite similar to that for several years.


16 posted on 02/16/2010 2:40:10 PM PST by digger48
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To: ConservativeStatement

Oh my God - he looks horrible. He doesn’t even look like the same man. Sad.


17 posted on 02/16/2010 2:41:26 PM PST by reagan_fanatic (The liberals are asking us to give Obama more time. Is 25 to life enough?)
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To: ConservativeStatement

It appears he had his lower jaw removed & my guess is if he can’t talk it is not from trach.. but that his tongue was also removed.

This is a very debilitating cancer if one opts for the surgical “corrections”

Many people have had trachs & can talk .. he may however have had his larynx removed also


18 posted on 02/16/2010 2:41:30 PM PST by DollyCali (Don't tell God how big your storm is...Tell the storm how big your God is!)
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To: savagesusie

That what you look like without a jaw. it’s real


19 posted on 02/16/2010 2:41:32 PM PST by digger48
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To: ConservativeStatement

It’s a shame to see. He answers letters in a column in the Metro. I like discussions of movies so much it’s hard to hate him, plus I guess I missed his worst remarks. I have to draw the line on politics at cancer. I wish him well and wish for cures of that disease.


20 posted on 02/16/2010 2:42:40 PM PST by Williams (It's the policies, stupid)
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