
Selma Blair reveals the MS symptoms doctors dismissed since she was a kid: ‘It took me 30 years to get an MRI'
The 'Cruel Intentions' actress, now 52, can trace early symptoms back to her childhood, but claims doctors brushed off the red flags for decades.
'It took me 30 years to get an MRI,' Blair said last week during a panel at the second annual Women's Health Lab, hosted in partnership with Northwell Health's Katz Institute for Women's Health.
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3 Selma Blair was diagnosed with MS on August 2018.
Getty Images for Glamour
At the age of 7, Blair lost control of her bladder and use of her right eye and left leg — yet, after ruling out cancer, doctors and family branded her an attention seeker.
What they missed: Juvenile MS, a debilitating disease that affects the central nervous system by disrupting the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and body.
'If you're a boy with those symptoms, you get an MRI. If you're a girl, you're called 'crazy',' Blair told British Vogue in 2023.
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As a child, the 'Hellboy' actress would wake up laughing uncontrollably in the middle of the night.
Decades later, those laughs gave way to sudden, uncontrollable spells of sobbing.
'I just thought I was a hugely emotional person,' Blair said. In reality, MS had damaged her frontal lobe — like a brain injury.
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It would be another 40 years until she received the diagnosis.
3 Selma Blair with her service doc Scout at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in 2025
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'[I was] thrilled,' Blair told People earlier this month.
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'I felt like people thought it had to be some tragic thing, but I was like, 'No, you don't understand,'' she said. 'I was feeling tragic inside before.'
Blair, who shares 13-year-old son Arthur with ex Jason Bleick, said she often wondered what was 'wrong' with her before the diagnosis.
'I just did not understand how I was so different from people, but yet totally kind of fine-ish,' she told the outlet. 'I finally just felt seen.'
Nearly 1 million Americans have been diagnosed with MS, according to the National MS Society. The disease can affect anyone, including children.
You may be at higher risk if you're female, between 20 and 40, and of Northern European descent, per the Cleveland Clinic.
3 'If you're a boy with those symptoms, you get an MRI. If you're a girl, you're called 'crazy',' Blair said.
Getty Images
Doctors don't know exactly what causes MS, but research suggests that factors like smoking, childhood obesity, low vitamin D levels and genetics could be possible triggers.
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Exposure to toxins like secondhand smoke and pesticides — as well as viruses such as Epstein-Barr or mono — may also increase the risk.
Early warning signs of the MS include blurred vision, muscle weakness and numbness.
As the disease progresses, symptoms can range from fatigue and dizziness to trouble with balance, bladder control, mood swings, muscle stiffness, and cognitive issues like memory and concentration problems.
Many patients experiencing periods of remission where signs of the disease fade. While there is no cure, treatments can help manage symptoms and reduce flare-ups.
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Last year, Blair revealed she suffered a major relapse after a stem cell transplant — but she's now in remission thanks to a new provider.
Her doctor — the first woman she's ever been treated by — took a holistic approach, including factoring in the actresses early menopause.
'It really did change my life completely,' Blair said at the Women's Health Lab panel. 'We found a way to manage my MS and I am doing really, really well right now.'
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Buzz Feed
5 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
People Are Sharing Interesting Celebrity Encounters And Secrets They Discovered After Being Face-To-Face With Hollywood Stars
Earlier this month, a Redditor asked the community, "People who've been around celebrities for work, what are some behind-the-scenes truths?" And the stories did not disappoint! 1. Pedro Pascal "Ahh, finally my time to shine: My sister has worked on all the seasons of The Mandalorian show so far and is also helping with the movie. Pedro got to befriend her, and ONE DAY, while I'm on the damn toilet in the morning, I get a FaceTime call from her. I answer going, 'Heeeyyyy bitch!' And what do I get in return? A very classy, VERY sweet, 'HEEEEYYYY BIIIITTTCHH!' from fucking PEDRO PASCAL! We talked for 15 mins and he was super fucking nice, man. He complimented my sister, we talked about his time on GoT, and then he peaced out to shoot some scenes." — u/Duvoziir 2. Jamie Lee Curtis "Jamie Lee Curtis asks crew members to wear name tags so she can greet and thank everyone by name." — u/PerspectiveNo1313 3. Henry Winkler "When my wife and I were in New York, we were standing outside waiting for a Broadway show, and Henry Winkler walked by. We waved and said hi, and he stopped and started talking to us. My wife was pregnant with our twins at the time, and we told him he was the first person we were telling, besides our parents, who already knew. He was so genuinely excited for us and stood there and spoke with us for another five minutes before he headed home. We got our picture with him, and then something else happened. About 5-6 weeks later, he was doing TV interviews at local stations. I work at a local TV station, and when I popped into the green room, I said, 'You aren't going to remember this, but a few weeks ago, my wife and I saw you, and she was pregnant...' He stops me and says, 'You're having twins, I remember!' It was one of the most incredible moments I've had with a celebrity, and I've had a few working in this industry." —Anonymous BuzzFeed Community Member 4. Megan Fox Jerod Harris / Getty Images for Uber "Megan Fox always had great breath, like, notably minty fresh, 100% of the time." — u/lmNotaWitchImUrWife 5. Jay-Z "Jay Z has incredibly soft hands, softer than you're than a very soft child. His hands are almost unnervingly soft." — u/Original_Campaign 6. Amanda Joy "AJ" Michalka from Aly & AJ "I once got into an argument with AJ from Aly & AJ. This was in 2017 so some of the details are a bit fuzzy lmfao. Someone who clearly didn't like her gave her a fake dictionary book that was used to store money as a birthday gift. She came into my store begging to return it. I told her she couldn't return it without a receipt, and she said, 'I'll take cash, thanks.' I repeated the policy, thinking maybe she didn't hear me the first time, and that's when she threw a full-on white girl fit. The item cost like $20, yet she was acting like it was draining her bank account. It got so heated that I had to walk out of the room. 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She pushed past the rest of her posse and loudly announced who she was, as if it were the secret password to letting her do whatever she wanted. Her kids then proceeded to go crazy in the chicken coops, breaking eggs and trying to grab chickens. While she had an impromptu social media photoshoot with an onion, she pretended to harvest it. She stayed a while after closing time, but I ended up not minding too much, as it was honestly hilarious to witness. No joke, it was one of the most comical experiences dealing with a 'celeb' I've had.' — u/hands_in_soil 15. Coolio Greg Doherty / Getty Images "Coolio (RIP) let me drink on his tab for knowing the lyrics to 'Gangsta's Paradise.' He told my boss to give me a raise. Also, he was rocking the same hairstyle as the music video, and that was impressive dedication." — u/thin_white_dutchess 16. Lastly, Donald Trump Bloomberg / Bloomberg via Getty Images "My father was a limo driver in the late '80s/early '90s. He drove talent for NBC and CBS. Donald Trump wasn't the insufferable a-hole he is now and offered my father a job chauffeuring his kids around. My father turned it down." — u/Soinclined2think Did any of these surprise you? Or do you have an interesting celebrity encounter that you want to share? Let me know all about it in the comments or in our anonymous Google Form.


New York Post
7 hours ago
- New York Post
A look back on Jack Black's wild Ozzy Osbourne tribute at 2024 Rock & Rock Hall of Fame induction: ‘The Jack Nicholson of rock'
No more tears when there's a moment like this to remember. Jack Black gave Ozzy Osbourne a raucous Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in October, just nine months before the legendary heavy metal rocker's death at age 76 on Tuesday. Osbourne said he was looking forward to Black's speech inducting him into the avowed institution as a solo artist, nearly 20 years after he was part of its Class of 2006 with his Black Sabbath bandmates, telling Rolling Stone he was 'always a big fan' of the actor. Advertisement 6 Jack Black and Ozzy Osbourne at the metal icon's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in October 2024. Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 6 Ozzy Osbourne at the Moscow Music Peace Festival in 1989. Getty Images 'Jack invited my family to the 'School of Rock' movie premiere in 2002,' Osbourne reflected. 'I've always been a big fan of his. Jack is one of the few great actors that is also a genuine rock & roller and not acting the part.' Advertisement And during last fall's highly anticipated moment, Black, 55, did not disappoint. Read Jack Black's wild Ozzy Osbourne tribute at 2024 Rock Hall induction 'Plumber, car horn tuner, slaughterhouse worker, the greatest frontman in the history of rock 'n' roll. Ozzy Osbourne. 'I remember the first time I heard of Ozzy. I was 13 years old, wandering around the record store. What should I get? Sticks? Journey? An older rock aficionado noticed my indecision, and he said, 'Stop f–king around, kid. This is the album you need to get, 'The Blizzard of Ozz.' Man, was he right! Thank you, nameless rock aficionado, wherever you are, you changed my life. I remember looking at that album cover at Ozzy's face before I even heard the music. I was transfixed. He looked so cool, that red-white suit with the white fringe on the sleeves, that crazy look in his eyes, the skull, the cross — Holy s–t. The whole thing just looked so badass. It was the most metal thing I'd ever seen, and I didn't even know what metal was. He was teaching me. I didn't realize I was entering a whole new world of heavy metal music. 6 Jack Black and Ozzy Osbourne during the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Advertisement 6 Jack Black gave an induction speech that was fitting for the Prince of Darkness. Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 'I took that record home, and when the needle hit, the vinyl heaven opened up above me, I don't know. Then track two, 'Crazy Train.' There was an explosion of colors in my brain. 'Suicide Solution.' 'Mr. Crowley,' 'Revelation,' even 'Goodbye to Romance.' You best believe Ozzy could take it down a notch. He could do it all. 'Blizzard of Ozz' was the best thing I'd ever heard. A heavy metal masterpiece. That f–king sound was raw power. Randy f–king Rhodes, yeah, giving Eddie Van Halen a run for his money. And Ozzy, that voice, it could cut through a glass. Magic, joy, beauty. 'So then I went back into Ozzy's earlier albums, to Black Sabbath, and I was, like, unholy s–t. This motherf–ker invented heavy metal, along with Geezer Butler, Bill Ward and the immortal Tony Iommi, the darkest, heaviest s–t the world had ever heard. And through all that power, Ozzy's voice carving through the sonic blast furnace like an air raid siren, he made the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. Clear and crisp as a morning bell, and that smile, he looked so happy, he looked insane. So much charisma, the Jack Nicholson of rock. 6 The two artists share a heartfelt moment during the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Advertisement 'He invented a genre, had the greatest second-act comeback in rock history. Then what? How about 'No More Tears' in 1991 with the guitar god Zakk Wylde proving insane, lasting power, five times platinum. You heard me right! Quintuple platt. It was then that he decided to totally touch his tender side. So he called up Lemmy Kilmister from Motorhead, naturally, and together with Zakk, they wrote, 'Mama, I'm Coming Home.' And thus, Ozzy took a little dip into the Top 40 just to prove he could. Then what? The Osbornes? Yeah, he teamed up with his family to create another genre, reality TV, maybe the most evil thing he ever did. But there is no denying it, his whole family were f–king hilarious and intensely entertaining. Another f–king massive bit. Then what? Oh, maybe just a little thing called Ozzfest, only the most successful heavy metal music festival of all time. Ozzy, stop creating incredibly successful, genre-defining, world-changing hits. It's too much success for one lifetime. 'And you know, a lot has been made of his evil alliance with the Dark Lord Satan. But in truth, Ozzy is a loving father, and husband, and friend, loyal to his family and friends to the end of the world and back. 6 Jack Black listens to Ozzy Osbourne speak. Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 'And now I stand here, just another nameless rock aficionado. And I'm talking to you, 13-year-olds watching the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. All five of you put down your phones unless you're watching on the phone, then put it closer to your face. Oh, man, rock aficionado is about to drop some truth. Sure, you could go stream Post Malone and Taylor Swift and get all the warm hugs you need for your broken hearts, or you can stay up all night and get your minds blown by Ozzy's entire catalog for the first time. 'Holy s–t, you kids are so f–king lucky.'


New York Post
8 hours ago
- New York Post
Inside Ozzy Osbourne's 1982 bat-biting debacle that became part of rock history
Ozzy Osbourne will forever be remembered as the Prince of Darkness — but even in death, his infamous 1982 bat-biting incident will be cemented in rock history. The Black Sabbath frontman died on Tuesday, July 22, surrounded by his loved ones at the age of 76, The Post confirmed. 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time,' the family said in a statement. Advertisement 10 MediaPunch / Shutterstock The statement was signed by Osbourne's wife of over 40 years, Sharon, their three children, daughters Kelly, 40, and Aimee, 41, and son Jack, 39. It also included the musician's other son, Louis, whom he shared with his first wife, Thelma Riley, but not the rocker's two other kids: Jessica, 45, or Elliot Kingsley, whom he adopted with Thelma. Advertisement 10 VH1 Behind The Music While the heavy metal God was a brilliant musician, his issues with substance abuse, his family's wacky dynamic playing out on one of the first reality shows, MTV's 'The Osbournes,' and his health battles in recent years (he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease) often took center stage. However, he was also responsible for one of the wildest moments in rock 'n' roll history — biting the head off a real bat over 40 years ago. The wild event unfolded on Jan. 20, 1982, at the Des Moines Veterans Memorial Auditorium during his 'Diary of a Madman' tour. Advertisement 10 Getty Images 10 Getty Images At the time, the rocker developed a sickening ritual where he'd throw raw meat at concertgoers and they'd toss whatever bizarre item they snuck into the show right back. During this performance in particular, someone chucked a real-life bat on the stage, which the Black Sabbath singer mistakenly thought was fake. Advertisement To the audience's horror, Osbourne's mouth filled with blood, and he immediately knew he had been fooled. 10 Toronto Star via Getty Images 10 Getty Images The 'Paranoid' singer spoke about the cringe moment in his 2020 documentary, 'The Nine Lives of Ozzy Osbourne.' 'I thought it was a rubber bat,' he recalled. 'I picked it up, put it in my mouth, crunched down, bit into it, being the clown that I am.' Noting that bats 'are the biggest carriers of rabies in the world,' Osbourne explained what unfolded after. 10 Getty Images 10 Getty Images Advertisement 'I had to go to the hospital afterwards and they started giving me rabies shots. I had one one each rear and I had to have that every night,' he continued. Regarding why he decided to throw sickening things like raw meat at his fans in the first place, Osbourne shared, 'I always liked old movies that used to have these custard-pie fights. 10 Getty Images 10 Getty Images for The Recording Academy Advertisement 'It gave me this idea to throw, instead of pie, bits of meat and animal parts into the audience. I thought it was hilarious. [They'd throw back] sheep testicles, live snakes, dead rats, all kinds of things. Someone once threw a live frog onto onstage. It was the biggest frog I'd ever seen, and it landed on its back,' he said. The bat-biting debacle launched Osbourne into mainstream fame, even landing him on 'The David Letterman Show.' However, Osbourne soon grew tired of the gag. Advertisement 'It got to the point where people expected me to do crazier and crazier things,' he recalled. 'I'll tell you what guys — it ain't fun when you get them rabies shots.' More to come…