Williams returns to stand-up
Tour resumes six months after heart op
Robin Williams is to resume his stand-up tour in September, six months after undergoing heart surgery.The 57-year-old had to postpone the Weapons of Self-Destruction tour in March after complaining of shortness of breath.
After being admitted to hospital, he had surgery to replace his aortic valve with a transplanted cow valve, repair his mitral valve and correct an irregular heartbeat.
Williams said: ‘This little break has given me more energy than ever. Plus it’s wonderful to have a cow valve... If you don’t mind the grazing, it’s quite invigorating.’
And appearing on The Late Show with David Letterman last night, he added: ‘I realise now, shortness of breath is kind of code for heart problem, just like exhaustion is code for alcoholic.
‘They put me on this drug which I found out later was a rat poison. It's called warfarin, and it's designed to keep your blood thin,. But who was the rat that went, “This would be good for humans?”.’
Williams will resume his American tour on September 30 in Indiana. As well as the rescheduled dates, a handful of new stops have been added to the schedule.
He also stars as President Theodore Roosevelt in Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian, which had its London premiere this week.
Published: 14 May 2009
