Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was...

In April 2023, news broke that Jamie Foxx had been hospitalized in Atlanta with what his daughter described on Instagram as a "medical complication." Not much else was revealed, and in the vacuum of information, rumors spread. When a photo of Foxx appeared online, some conspiracy-minded types called it a clone. Katt Williams even jokingly questioned and made fun of his "mysterious illness."

Now Foxx says he wants to set the record straight. Speaking in a theater a few hundred yards from the hospital where he says his life was saved, Foxx enters wearing sunglasses but takes them off quickly to wipe away tears. He says he experienced a brain bleed, suffered a stroke, temporarily lost the ability to walk and doesn't remember 20 days of his life. It's a moving performance that feels like part of a growing trend of how comics deal with medical catastrophe.

I thought the first 15 maybe 20 at the most would be him explaining his story and move on with a bit of Jokes talking about his new movie or even anything other than himself but nope just a solid hour of Me me me and black pandering to God and the Audience. If he wasn't a clone before I would definitely see him more so now. Should not even be labeled as a comedy its more like a Documentary first then maybe a Gospel. Wow this is bad I literally fell asleep and flipped through today to see if I missed anything but nope. Just a man crying for an hour straight and tanking god for his survival while the Audience preaches on.

I appreciated that it wasn't a traditional stand-up comedy show-he blended impersonations, music, and footage from past projects, which I found refreshing and creative. I also understand and respect his gratitude for a second chance at life. However, I didn't care for the frequent use of the N-word, excessive profanity, and how talk about God was mixed in with it. I believe he could express the same messages without the profanity and the N-word. That said, I loved seeing his daughters as part of the show, and it was clear how genuinely thankful he is for his journey and the opportunity to live For Life.

As a RN, I am empathetic to any patient that suffers from an acute event, such as a stroke, MI, etc. However, most of these events can be prevented.

Don't get me wrong, it is beneficial for the individual to believe in something. Whether it be a higher power (God) or family, etc. However, religion will not cure you. Foxx speaks endlessly about how God rehabilitated him, but also asks continuously "Why me?". "Jamie Foxx don't get strokes."

Well Jamie, God didn't rehabilitate you, the doctors, nurses and ancillary staff did! This was the perfect opportunity to show the under appreciated nurses some serious love! However, you simply chose to classify them as "butt wipers". His sister had no idea where the hospitals were, which shows how out of touch celebrities are with healthcare. If they hadn't entered the hospital I guarantee religion would have done nothing for him without the tremendous medical care he received.

"Jamie Foxx don't get strokes.". Really? Your body doesn't care who you are or how rich you are. Clearly, you had unchecked risk factors (i.e. Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, etc.) and you left them untreated. Instead of using this special as a platform for stroke awareness and the importance of our shrinking number of underpaid medical professionals in this country, you chose to show the viewers your resume, wealth and denial of your health.

Millions of patients go through the same thing Foxx did everyday and most of them don't have the benefit of wealth, extensive rehab or even family to help them through. A comedy special about his ego-stroking, health unawareness and narcissism is not what we need.

This is not a comedy special. Jamie spends an hour explaining his health scare. It is obvious that this was a humbling experience. Rest assured, Jamie is the same funny and talented guy as he's always been. Jamie taps into his locker full of impressions to help him navigate the story. Some of his past roles are highlighted. You will see a lot of raw emotion throughout the special. He gives thanks to his family, God and the staff at Piedmont Hospital, in Atlanta, Georgia for helping him to get back on his feet. Both of his daughters make a special appearance. If you are a longtime Foxx fan then this is worth your watch.