Latest news with #brainDisorder
New York Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
‘Billy Joel: And So It Goes:' 5 Takeaways From the Film's Conclusion
The second part of the sprawling documentary 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes' ends before the musician's recent announcement that he has the brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus. That is to say, if you're looking for an update on Joel's health, the film by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, which HBO aired on Friday night (and is streaming on HBO Max), does not provide one. But Joel, in a podcast interview with Bill Maher earlier this week, is seen playing the piano. 'It's not fixed,' he said of his condition, but it's 'being worked on,' and he assured fans: 'I feel good.' 'They keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder, so it sounds a lot worse than what I'm feeling,' he added, likening the sensation to being on a boat with poor balance. While the first half of the film, which premiered in June at the Tribeca Festival, focused on the little-told story of how Joel's relationship with his first wife, Elizabeth Weber, shaped the early days of his career, the second covers more familiar territory. Starting with the production of 'The Nylon Curtain' in 1982, it chronicles his much discussed marriages to Christie Brinkley and Katie Lee Biegel, his well-documented struggles with alcohol, the betrayal of his manager Frank Weber, his decision to retire from the road and eventual return to live performance following the '12-12-12' benefit concert for Hurricane Sandy relief. And still, the nearly two-and-a-half-hour exploration of his life and career makes time to delve into his complicated relationship with his father, Howard, as well as his retreat from producing new pop music and the influence of classical compositions on his work. Here are five takeaways. The Holocaust looms large in Joel's family history. Joel's Jewish identity comes into play heavily during the second part of the documentary, specifically with regard to his fraught relationship with his father, Howard Joel. He describes how in his mid-20s he discovered that his paternal grandfather, Karl Joel, had a textile factory in Nuremberg. The family lived next to the park where the Nuremberg rallies were held and Joel speculates about the trauma his father must have endured watching those unfold as a young Jewish boy. Joel's grandfather was targeted by Nazi propaganda newspaper Der Stürmer and was forced to sell his business, though he was never paid. The Joels escaped Germany over the Swiss border and the factory was ultimately used to manufacture the striped uniforms for prisoners in concentration camps. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Fox News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Billy Joel surprises NYC pedicab driver playing his iconic Manhattan anthem
Billy Joel left a New York City pedicab driver shocked after the singer stopped on the street. The pedicab driver, who had two female passengers at the time, was playing Joel's "New York State of Mind." Joel began recording a video as he drove past and stopped to say hello. Not realizing it was Joel, the pedicab driver told him: "Next time." Once he realized it was Joel, the driver said: "Oh, Nice. You see, we are playing you, man." The driver asked for a photo as Joel flipped the camera to show him inside the vehicle. "We're in a New York State of Mind…always," Joel captioned the post. Another video of the moment, shared by a fan on social media, showed the pedicab driver snapping a photo of his two riders while Joel remained inside his vehicle. In May, Joel revealed he had been diagnosed with a brain disorder. The musician was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). The brain condition can affect vision, hearing and balance. "I know a lot of people are worried about me and my health, but I'm okay," Joel recently told People magazine. "What I have is something very few people know about, including me, no matter how much you try to research it. I'm doing my best to work with it and to recover from it." Joel claimed while the diagnosis was "disturbing," he is doing fine. "It was scary, but I'm okay," he said. "I just wanted to let people know, don't worry about me being deathly ill or anything." Joel's life and career were showcased in the upcoming HBO documentary, "Billy Joel: And So It Goes." The "Piano Man" singer explained why he's "resisted" sharing his intimate life story. "I've resisted this kind of thing for so long," he told People magazine. "I'm sick of talking about myself. Some of the stupid stuff I did, that's painful to talk about. [But] they asked me for some thematic guidance. I said, 'Just tell the truth.'" The 76-year-old musician said he finds talking about himself to be "almost embarrassing." "My goal was to get it over with," Joel explained about his work on the film. "When I do interviews, people just ask you about yourself and you get a little self-conscious about it eventually. It's almost embarrassing. When you're talking about your personal life detached from the material… I suppose there's a little bit of wariness involved."
The Independent
7 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Billy Joel shares first health update after brain disorder diagnosis: ‘I feel fine'
Billy Joel has disclosed he was diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) in May, a brain disorder that led to the cancellation of his upcoming performances and tour dates. The 76-year-old music icon discussed his condition for the first time in an interview with Bill Maher, stating that while doctors are still 'working on it', he feels 'fine' despite his balance being affected. Joel described the condition, previously known as 'water on the brain', as making him feel 'like a boat', though he reiterated he feels 'good' despite the serious-sounding diagnosis. NPH is a rare condition caused by excess cerebrospinal fluid, primarily affecting people over 60, and can lead to neurological symptoms including problems with walking, hearing, vision, and balance. A statement from May confirmed Joel is undergoing physical therapy and is committed to prioritizing his health, with hopes to return to the stage in the future.
The Independent
21-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Billy Joel shares first health update after brain disorder diagnosis: 'I feel fine'
Billy Joel has disclosed he was diagnosed with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) in May, a brain disorder that led to the cancellation of his upcoming performances and tour dates. The 76-year-old music icon discussed his condition for the first time in an interview with Bill Maher, stating that while doctors are still 'working on it', he feels 'fine' despite his balance being affected. Joel described the condition, previously known as 'water on the brain', as making him feel 'like a boat', though he reiterated he feels 'good' despite the serious-sounding diagnosis. NPH is a rare condition caused by excess cerebrospinal fluid, primarily affecting people over 60, and can lead to neurological symptoms including problems with walking, hearing, vision, and balance. A statement from May confirmed Joel is undergoing physical therapy and is committed to prioritizing his health, with hopes to return to the stage in the future.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Billy Joel cancels all concerts after brain disorder diagnosis
Dr. Mark Gregory Luciano, director of the Johns Hopkins Hydrocephalus and Cerebral Fluid Center, explains Billy Joel's brain disorder diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus.
