More health woes for US comic

American comic Rick Shapiro has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

The 44-year-old was diagnosed with the degenerative disorder last month, around a year after he suffered a cardiac episode that hospitalised him for six weeks.

The stand-up – who had a heroin addiction in his youth – told US comedy website Laughspin: ‘It sounds like an old lady’s disease. It’s Aunt Edna’s disease.’

He added that his main symptoms symptoms include exhaustion and stiffness, which makes it especially difficult for him to write.

Shapiro is now promoting a new T-shirt carrying the slogan: ‘Shaky is the new cool: If you’re not shakin’. you’re not doin’ shit’ to raise funds and awareness of the disease.

He performed at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe while clearly still unwell from his hospitalisation, struggling to concentrate or remember his material.

Michael J Fox and Bob Hoskins also suffer from Parkinson’s and veteran comic Norman Collier died earlier this year after a seven-year battle with the disease.

Published: 3 May 2013