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Roger Ebert reflects on aging and the late Gene Siskel

By April MacIntyre Sep 19, 2011, 15:31 GMT

09/14/2011 - Roger Ebert - Roger Ebert "Life Itself: A Memoir" Book Signing at Indigo Manulife Centre in Toronto on September 14, 2011 - Indigo Manulife Centre - Toronto, Canada © Robin Wong / PR Photos

Respected film critic and culture pundit Roger Ebert made headlines when he suffered post-surgery complications from cancer which resulted in the loss of his voice and his lower jaw.

In a revealing interview with aarp.org, Roger Ebert, a prolific user of social media like Twitter, reveals how his cancer has changed his view on health care, on aging and former co-star Gene Siskel. 

On the health care system

Roger Ebert  “I have had only positive experiences. I have been lucky to benefit from wonderful doctors — and, on the daily firing line, nurses and nurses' aides, who are there in the middle of the night. I strongly believe in universal health care, and find it incredible that ours is the only major industrialized nation that doesn't offer it. The arguments against it are hogwash, and it's a tragedy that many seniors have been persuaded to vote against their own self-interest.”

On what film critic Gene Siskel means to him

Roger Ebert  “What he means to me is in the present, not the past. He was remarkably intelligent, observant and incisive. I valued his advice. We shared many things. I often think of his definition of "lip flap." That's when people speak without saying anything. I think of it often when listening to celebrities and to politicians of every party.”

On his plans to retire

Roger Ebert  “If I retired, what would I do then? Exactly the same as I am doing now, but without being able to write? Unthinkable. The ideal would be to retire into a better occupation. If all you do is stop working, then what does that say about your job? Leisure can be exhausting.“

On the best part of growing older

Roger Ebert  “It's all worth remembering. The silver lining is that there is more to remember. Since my mind remains intact, the bad part is that my body can't keep up. That's built in, so there's no use fretting.”