Larry the Cable Guy is recovering at home after a sudden case of appendicitis sent him to the hospital for two days. The 63-year-old comedian, whose real name is Daniel Lawrence Whitney, became ill in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Thursday night. His medical emergency reportedly forced him to postpone taping episodes of his forthcoming CBS syndicated series, “American Mayhem.” Larry the Cable Guy was discharged on Saturday and is said to be in good spirits as he continues recovering at home.
Larry the Cable Guy was hospitalized after doctors diagnosed him with appendicitis. His representative subsequently confirmed the medical scare in a statement to the Daily Mail. “I can confirm that Larry was hospitalized with appendicitis. He was discharged today and is recovering well. He’s in good spirits and feeling much better,” the representative said.
No additional details about his treatment were included, and it was not stated whether the comedian required surgery. Following his release from the hospital, he returned to his 180-acre farm outside Lincoln, where he lives with his wife, Cara, and their two children, 19-year-old Wyatt and 18-year-old Reagan.
His Health Scare Delays ‘American Mayhem’
The unexpected hospitalization interrupted production on Whitney’s newest television project. He reportedly had to postpone recording episodes of “American Mayhem,” although no information was provided about when taping will resume. The comedy clip series is scheduled to premiere this fall through CBS syndication.
Whitney was announced as the host of the 52-episode weekly program in May. While the format has been compared to “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “American Mayhem” will take a more extreme approach to user-generated content. Rather than focusing primarily on family-friendly clips involving pets, children, and everyday accidents, the new show will spotlight wild and “out of control” videos.
The series marks another television venture for the comedian, who built his public persona around Southern humor and his signature “Git-R-Done!” catchphrase.
When Whitney is not performing, recording his radio show, or working on television projects, he keeps busy on his Nebraska property. The comedian breeds horses, cares for cattle, and helps his son with bull riding and other rodeo activities. He is also an avid golfer.
Whitney spent several weeks touring his stand-up act earlier this year. His shows included stops in Florida and Atlantic City before the run concluded in Erie, Pennsylvania, on May 17. He also hosts “Larry the Cable Guy and The Fun Bunch” on SiriusXM channel 97.
His representative’s positive update suggests that Whitney is already improving, but no revised production schedule for “American Mayhem” has been announced.
Larry The Cable Guy Challenges ‘Woke’ America
Before his hospitalization, Larry the Cable Guy made it clear that he had no plans to soften his comedy because of America’s politically divided climate. “We live in the United States of America – somebody doesn’t want to like your act then don’t go see that person’s act. It’s as simple as that,” the comedian told Us Weekly.
Much like choosing one soda over another, Larry the Cable Guy argued that audiences can simply avoid entertainers whose material they dislike. With an established fan base behind him, Whitney said he feels comfortable continuing to perform the jokes he finds funny.
“I don’t worry about it,” he explained. “I already got a pretty good, built-in following and I got some awesome fans. You know, if I think it’s funny I’m going to do it and we’ll see where it goes.”
He Credits Shane Gillis With Surviving Cancellation
Larry the Cable Guy also pointed to Shane Gillis as an example of a comedian whose career grew after he faced backlash. “If you let it bother you, yeah it’s going to be tough,” he said. “But I think Shane Gillis pretty much proved to everybody that you can get canceled and if you wanna double down on that that’s what people want you to do because they’re sick of it to.”
He added, “Shane Gillis got even more popular after he got fired from ‘Saturday Night Live’ for being ‘too woke’ from stuff he did 10 years ago, you know? And now look at him.”
