Latest news with #Alzheimer'sAssn
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Billy Joel shares encouraging update after brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel reassured fans about his health on Monday. The 76-year-old musician had previously canceled all of his scheduled concerts after announcing in May that he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). NPH occurs when excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain's ventricles, with patients experiencing cognitive decline, difficulty walking and urinary incontinence, according to the Alzheimer's Assn. Joel's recent concert performances worsened his symptoms, leading to hearing, vision and balance problems, he shared in a May 23 statement. While on Bill Maher's podcast, 'Club Random,' the 'Piano Man' crooner said he often feels like he's on a boat, but otherwise, he's doing just fine. 'I feel good,' Joel said, seated at a piano. 'They keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder so it sounds a lot worse than what I'm feeling.' Joel noted that the condition is idiopathic, meaning no one knows the cause. 'I thought it must be from drinking,' he said, adding that he doesn't drink anymore. 'I used to, like a fish.' Joel finished his decade-long residency at Madison Square Garden in July 2024 after 104 monthly shows at the venue. His now-canceled tour included dates across the U.S. and performances with Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart and Sting. The first installment of Joel's documentary, 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes,' premiered Friday on HBO. The two-part series takes a deep dive into the pianist's journey from a bullied kid in Long Island to a legendary hitmaker, and features appearances from Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Pink and Sting. Part 1 'is notable in how it reframes the narrative around his relationship with his former wife and manager Elizabeth Weber, explaining how she was instrumental in guiding his career and helping him become a superstar — and how songs like 'Big Shot' and 'Stiletto' were inspired by the rocky times in their marriage,' wrote Times television editor Maira Garcia. 'It's a compelling and nuanced portrait of an imperfect person who created timeless music and whose influence continues to reverberate.' Part 2 of 'And So It Goes' premieres Friday on HBO and HBO Max.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Billy Joel cancels all of his upcoming shows after revealing brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel has canceled all upcoming concerts, revealing he has been diagnosed with a brain disorder that causes physical and mental issues. Joel, 76, has normal pressure hydrocephalus, or NPH, according to a statement posted Friday on the piano man's social media. "This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance," the statement said. Read more: Billy Joel postpones tour due to undisclosed medical condition: 'My health must come first' "Under his doctor's instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period." Symptoms of NPH — in which cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the ventricles of the brain but pressure doesn't increase — include difficulty walking, according to the Alzheimer's Assn. Sufferers walk with a wide stance and their bodies leaning forward, as if they were trying to maintain balance on a boat. The association's website says that another symptom is cognitive decline, including slowed thinking, loss of interest in daily activities, forgetfulness, short-term memory loss and difficulty completing ordinary tasks. Later in the disease, bladder control can become an issue. NPH is one of the few causes of dementia or cognitive decline that can be controlled or reversed with treatment, the association's website says. Surgical treatment usually involves placement of a shunt. The condition is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Read more: Danny Bonaduce will have brain surgery for a neurological disorder: ' I can't walk' Danny Bonaduce of "The Partridge Family," radio and wrestling fame was diagnosed with NPH in 2023. The 65-year-old said in a 2024 interview that he initially thought he'd had a stroke, while doctors thought it was early-onset dementia or Alzheimer's. It took "the better part of a year" for him to get a correct diagnosis, he said. Bonaduce's memory loss appears to have been serious: He showed the interviewer a photo of himself in a wheelchair checking out the house where he and his wife now live. He said he has no memory of visiting the place multiple times before moving there. Billy Joel's message Friday follows his mid-March announcement that he would postpone his upcoming tour to manage his health after surgery for an unspecified condition. At the time, the singer expected a full recovery after physical therapy. Now, the statement said, Joel is "thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health" and "looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage." Read more: Billy Joel on his L.A. years: I felt like 'an exiled writer living in Paris' "I'm sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding," Joel said in Friday's statement. In late February, the "Just the Way You Are" singer fell after performing "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" in Connecticut. He quickly recovered; it's unclear whether that incident was a symptom of the disease or simply coincidental. Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report. Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
23-05-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Billy Joel cancels all of his upcoming shows after revealing brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel has canceled all upcoming concerts, revealing he has been diagnosed with a brain disorder that causes physical and mental issues. Joel, 76, has normal pressure hydrocephalus, or NPH, according to a statement posted Friday on the piano man's social media. 'This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance,' the statement said. 'Under his doctor's instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.' Symptoms of NPH — in which cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the ventricles of the brain but pressure doesn't increase — include difficulty walking, according to the Alzheimer's Assn. Sufferers walk with a wide stance and their bodies leaning forward, as if they were trying to maintain balance on a boat. The association's website says that another symptom is cognitive decline, including slowed thinking, loss of interest in daily activities, forgetfulness, short-term memory loss and difficulty completing ordinary tasks. Later in the disease, bladder control can become an issue. NPH is one of the few causes of dementia or cognitive decline that can be controlled or reversed with treatment, the association's website says. Surgical treatment usually involves placement of a shunt. The condition is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Danny Bonaduce of 'The Partridge Family,' radio and wrestling fame was diagnosed with NPH in 2023. The 65-year-old said in a 2024 interview that he initially thought he'd had a stroke, while doctors thought it was early-onset dementia or Alzheimer's. It took 'the better part of a year' for him to get a correct diagnosis, he said. Bonaduce's memory loss appears to have been serious: He showed the interviewer a photo of himself in a wheelchair checking out the house where he and his wife now live. He said he has no memory of visiting the place multiple times before moving there. Billy Joel's message Friday follows his mid-March announcement that he would postpone his upcoming tour to manage his health after surgery for an unspecified condition. At the time, the singer expected a full recovery after physical therapy. Now, the statement said, Joel is 'thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health' and 'looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.' 'I'm sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,' Joel said in Friday's statement. In late February, the 'Just the Way You Are' singer fell after performing 'It's Still Rock and Roll to Me' in Connecticut. He quickly recovered; it's unclear whether that incident was a symptom of the disease or simply coincidental. Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.
