{"id":27553,"date":"2021-06-22T09:17:44","date_gmt":"2021-06-21T23:17:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.star1045.com.au\/?p=27553"},"modified":"2021-06-22T09:32:27","modified_gmt":"2021-06-21T23:32:27","slug":"friends-gunther-actor-james-michael-tyler-reveals-he-is-battling-stage-four-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms.star1045.com.au\/entertainment\/friends-gunther-actor-james-michael-tyler-reveals-he-is-battling-stage-four-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Friends\u2019 Actor James Michael Tyler Reveals He Is Battling Stage Four Cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

James Michael Tyler, the actor who played iconic Central Perk barista Gunther on Friends, has been battling prostate cancer for the past three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The actor was diagnosed with the health issue in 2018, and in an interview on the U.S Today Show<\/a> overnight (June 21, 2021), he opened up on his illness, which was first revealed during an annual checkup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, which had spread to my bones,” Tyler explained. “It’s stage 4 (now). Late stage cancer. So eventually, you know, it\u2019s gonna probably get me.\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was 56 years old at the time, and they screen for PSA, which is prostate-specific antigen. That came back at an extraordinarily high number… So, I knew immediately when I went online and I saw the results of my blood test and blood work that there was obviously something quite wrong there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Friends actor said he was subsequently diagnosed with Stage 4 Prostate Cancer. After more tests with physician Dr. Matthew Rettig, a research scientist and oncologist at UCLA, who determined the illness was genetic, not environmental, he began a course of hormone therapy, which \u201cworked amazingly for about a year\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll I had to do was take a pill in the morning and the night, and boom, life was pretty much normal,\u201d he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

However, the cancer will eventually spread to his bones and spine, leading to paraplegia, or paralysis of the lower body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tyler,
James Michael Taylor appeared as Central Perk barista Gunther on Friends for 148 shows (Image Credit: NBC\/Friends)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tyler, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy, which is \u201caggressively\u201d fighting the cancer, appeared on last month\u2019s Friends: The Reunion<\/a> by Zoom because he didn’t want to \u201cbring a downer\u201d to the show by having to explain his illness in person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to be a part of that, and initially I was going to be on the stage, at least, with them, and be able to take part in all the festivities,\u201d Tyler explained, 

\u201cIt was bittersweet, honestly. I was very happy to be included. It was my decision not to be a part of that physically and make an appearance on Zoom, basically, because I didn’t wanna bring a downer on it, you know? … I didn’t want to be like, \u2018Oh, and by the way, Gunther has cancer.\u2019\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Tyler also emphasised that screening and early diagnosis can help with better outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNext time you go in for just a basic exam or your yearly checkup, please ask your doctor for a PSA test. It’s easily detectable. … If it spreads beyond the prostate to the bones, which is most prevalent in my form, it can be a lot more difficult to deal with,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get all the latest in news, entertainment and lifestyle on the Central Coast, follow Star 104.5 on <\/em>Instagram here<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WATCH: Wake up with a laugh and join <\/em><\/strong>Rabbit & Sarah for Breakfast<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, weekdays, 6am-9am. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n