Only a person with a heart of stone could fail to weep at Oprah‘s Roger Ebert segment today, particularly when it came to the love between the veteran film critic and his wife, Chaz.
We were taken into the Eberts’ daily routine, as well as the hand signals Roger uses in the screening room when he isn’t relying on a pad and paper or his laptop. In the clip released earlier today, we saw how, with the help of a Scottish company and copious footage of Roger Ebert’s voice, including DVD commentary, his computerized voice has been recast to something far closer than Roger’s actual voice.
Inside the Eberts’ Chicago home, Chaz eats in the dining room while Roger feeds via a gravity drip bag and a tube into his stomach (a part of his day he preferred not to display).
Oprah (who dated Roger Ebert decades ago) took particular care in praising Chaz Eberg. “You make me proud to spell my name W-O-M-A-N,” said Oprah. “This woman refused to let him die.”
Chaz described her husband as “Smart, funny, very respectful of women, appreciative of other culture.” “
Ebert said he’s done with the surgeries — since his eating and speaking won’t ever be restored, he won’t go under the knife again just to repair his face’s appearance. “Nobody looks perfect. We have to find peace with how we look and get on with life,” he said.
Earlier: “Roger Ebert Doesn’t Give A Shit, And I Love Him For It”