In the summer of 2018, actor Michael Richards, who starred as Cosmo Kramer on the hit sitcom “Seinfeld,” privately fought for his life. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer but managed to keep his health scare private. Only now, in 2024, is he sharing his story.
When Richards sat down for an interview with PEOPLE to talk about his upcoming memoir called “Entrances and Exits,” he discussed why writing the memoir was important to him. That’s when the topic of his 2018 health scare came up.
Richards explained that back in the summer of 2018, he was diagnosed with stage 1 prostate cancer. His initial thought was “Well, this is my time. I’m ready to go.” Then he had another thought that completed negated the first thought. He explained, “Then my son came to mind just a few seconds later and I heard myself saying, ‘I’ve got a 9-year-old and I’d like to be around for him. Is there any way I can get a little more life going?’”
The biopsy didn’t look good, so in order to fight the cancer, Richards’ doctor recommended that he have his prostate removed. Richards said, “It had to be contained quickly.” He added, “I had to go for the full surgery. If I hadn’t, I probably would have been dead in about eight months.”
That brings us back to why Richards decided to write his memoir. After facing a life-threatening medical situation, he was more aware than ever of his own mortality. He said, “I had over 40 journals I’d kept over the years and wanted to do a full review of my life.” He continued, “I’m turning 75, so maybe wanting to do that is something that comes with being my age.”
Watch the video below to learn more about what Richards had to say about his battle with prostate cancer.
Richards’ memoir will be available on June 4th.
