After battling Parkinson’s for so many years, the beloved star passed away

Richard Lewis built a career out of raw honesty, turning anxiety and vulnerability into comedy that made people feel less alone. In his final years, he spoke openly about living with Parkinson’s disease and chose to step away from stand-up on his own terms.

Offstage, his greatest stability came from his wife, Joyce Lapinsky, whom he married in 2005 after meeting years earlier. Tributes from friends like Larry David and Bette Midler highlight the same truth—he didn’t just make people laugh; he made them feel understood.