John Goodman 'Running Out Of Time'?

1:00 pm, February 14, 2021

John Goodman in a suit at a Might Gemstones event — (Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock.com)

John Goodman is an American treasure, but one outlet says that he may not be long for this world. The report says that the actor’s years of poor health are catching up to him. Here’s what we know.

John Goodman’s Worrying Health

“John Goodman Running Out Of Time!” says the National Enquirer, pointing to the possibility of the actor’s “boozy, coked-up past” spelling an early end for him. According to the outlet, Goodman’s been so busy with work lately “because he’s terrified” that he won’t be alive for much longer. While Goodman’s impressive weight loss may have solved some of his health problems, an unnamed source explains, he’s “convinced the damage from his debauched past of alcohol and cocaine abuse will catch up to him” soon.

“Doctors have told him after so many years of boozing, the damage to his liver is hard to calculate, but he could develop a fatty liver or cirrhosis of the liver from all that drinking he did,” a friend says. The outlet then quotes a doctor’s take on the threats Goodman should be worried about despite getting lap-band surgery in 2016. “Once the band is removed, he’ll have to eat like a bird to avoid putting all the weight back on,” the doctor explains. “Obesity is a massive cause of prostate cancer, asthma, stroke, diabetes, and heart failure. If he had any of those when he was fat, he’s still at risk!”

The pal then snitches that Goodman’s no stranger to those warnings. “He thinks he’s a ticking time bomb and that he will have to pay for his boozing and gluttony any day,” despite his attempts to stay healthy. “John goes to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting nearly every single morning,” another pal adds. “And when he’s on set, he closes his eyes when he walks past the food service tables. But he lives in fear the other shoe will drop and regrets he didn’t get his act together earlier!”

What’s Going On Here

While it is true that Goodman’s had his problems in the past, this story seems to be nothing more than an attempt to shame the legendary actor and stir up drama. The sources in the rumor are all unreliable, given that the doctor in question has never treated — or even met — Goodman, so there’s no reason that they’d have any legitimate insight into the state of his health. Sure, he’s at risk of some diseases, but so are most people. Any celebrity could have a sudden aneurysm or pass away, but that doesn’t mean it’s fair to imply that they’re running out of time or close to death.

Likewise, the supposed “friends” of Goodman are wrong about basic facts. He didn’t take up The Mighty Gemstones in a desperate attempt to cement his legacy. In an interview from just last month — where he seems, like most people right now, a bit weary of the pandemic but otherwise in good health and spirits — he admitted that the show came to his attention just after the Roseanne reboot was initially canceled. With his schedule suddenly cleared, he moved on, and The Conners became available after that. A true friend of the actor would have known that, so there’s no reason to listen to any of the claims here.

The Enquirer is infamous for cheering for possible celebrity deaths. In October 2019, its source were confident that Ozzy Osbourne would be dead within months, but he’s still doing fine. Last year, it reported that Phil Collins would be dead by Christmas, which obviously didn’t come true either. Heck, they’ve been calling for Queen Elizabeth’s death for years now, and she may just outlive the tabloid. We don’t know how long John Goodman — or any celebrity — will be around, but we’re sure that the Enquirer doesn’t know either.