Will Dursthas finally hit the wall.
The political humorist, who hasn’t missed a performance in 30 years, has been hospitalized since suffering a stroke on Oct. 7, backstage before a scheduled performance at thePresidio Theatre. As a result,“Durst vs. Durst,”his biweeklydialogue with himself on a wide range of subjects, has not appeared in The Chronicle since Oct. 15. Hiswebsiteand newsletter are lacking their constant updates, he’s gone silent on social media, and he has postponed all appearances for the first time in his long career.
“Will has never lost the ability to speak or communicate, and he jokes with his nursing staff every day,” said his wife,Debi Durst, in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle. “One day this week he asked one of them if she would be so kind as to fetch him a beer.”
Durst also told his wife, from his hospital bed in the intensive care unit, that he was planning their Thanksgiving menu and “wanted to know if I wanted him to make turkey, roast beef or roast pork.”
Clearly, the 67-year-old comedian is trying out material for his next appearance. Regrettably it will not be in time for “Durst Presents: The Big Fat Year End Kiss Off Comedy Show XXVII,” a Christmas season cavalcade that will go on without its headliner. The annual tour opens Dec. 22, takes a break so that Durst can prepare a sumptuous Christmas dinner, then runs nightly from Dec. 27 through Jan. 5, in a different Bay Area venue each night, from Pleasanton to Pleasant Hill.
Six comics — Debi and Will Durst, Michael Bossier, Mari Magaloni, Arthur Gaus and Johnny Steele — were scheduled to perform a road show with Durst as the headliner and executive producer. This is the 27th year, and the first that he will not be in charge. Comics Diane Amos (the Pine Sol lady from television ads), Dan St. Paul, Larry “Bubbles” Brown, Michael Meehan and Barry Weintraub will alternate guest appearances in place of Durst.
“He’ll still be leading the comedy caravan,” says Debi, “but he’ll be doing it from his hospital bed.”
On the night he was stricken, Durst was waiting to take the stage as part of the 60th anniversary celebration for the San Francisco Mime Troupe. Another performer noticed Durst having trouble moving and suggested he go to the emergency room.
“I can’t,” he said. “I need to tell my jokes.”
A few minutes later he collapsed, bringing to mind “the old vaudeville line, ‘Is there a doctor in the house?'” says Debi.
Luckily there was, the mother of one of the Mime Troupe performers. She rushed backstage to find Durst on the floor, took his vitals and called for an ambulance.
杜斯特没有hospitalized since the day he was born, his wife said. The stroke was hemorrhagic, meaning a blood vessel was broken in the brain, causing a buildup of cerebral spinal fluid. That has required a hole to be drilled in his skull to drain the fluid and relieve the pressure. After three weeks in the ICU, Durst was transferred to another unit for rehab, but the fluid persisted and he developed an infection, requiring a return to the ICU two weeks ago.
Throughout this six-week ordeal, Durst has never lost consciousness. He can read but cannot write, which is a struggle because he would write every day for his website or his weekly newsletter “Burst of Durst.”
“His brain is trying to reboot itself and reinstall many apps,” says Debi.
He has not posted on Facebook or Twitter for a month, and his friends and fans have been wondering. “It’s like ‘Where’s Waldo?’ Where’s Will Durst?” says Debi, who has been the gatekeeper. “I’ve been warning people under threat of pain and torture to keep this off all social media platforms.”
But the couple felt it was finally time to make a public announcement.
Debi plans to open all nine nights of “The Big Fat Year End Kiss Off Comedy Show” by taking the stage to explain Durst’s absence. And it won’t be somber. There could be jokes at his expense. He’s probably writing them in his head right now.
“Durst Presents: The Big Fat Comedy Kiss Off”: 8 p.m. Dec. 22. HopMonk Tavern,224 Vintage Way,Novato; 8 p.m. Dec. 27. Firehouse Arts Center,4444 Railroad Ave.,而往常;晚上8点。12月28日。专业中心Arts, 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek; 7 p.m. Dec. 29. Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Ave., Alameda; 8 p.m. Dec. 30. Coastal Repertory, 1167 Main St., Half Moon Bay; 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Dec. 31. Theatre on San Pedro Square, 29 N San Pedro St., San Jose; 7:30 p.m. Jan. 1. Throckmorton Theatre, 142 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley; 7 p.m. Jan. 3. Pleasant Hill Senior Center, 233 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill; 8 p.m. Jan. 4. Raven Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg; 7:30 p.m. Jan. 5. Cobb’s Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Ave., S.F. Ticket prices vary by venue. For more details, go towilldurst.com.