In a lengthy feature for the New York Times, Dave Itzkoff profiles 30 Rock regular Tracy Morgan, one of the most memorable Saturday Night Live alumni in recent years. Morgan’s career is on fire again, thanks to the critical success of 30 Rock, a show that he steals in every episode. I’ve always admired and enjoyed Morgan’s blend of absurdity and physical humor, but that brand of comedian rarely makes it to an old age. Some people think Jack Black is akin to Chris Farley or John Belushi. For my money, the heir is Tracy Morgan. Thankfully, Morgan interrupted a detour into alcoholism that could have ended in a similar, life-ending fate:
Mr. Morgan says he has been sober for almost a year. But he did not escape unscathed: in January, his wife, Sabina, filed for divorce. “She said, ‘I want off this roller coaster,’ ” Mr. Morgan said. “Because I was acting really unstable. But I’m an artist, and most artists have a vice.”
Last year, Mr. Morgan found that his diabetes, which was first diagnosed about a dozen years ago but which he never took seriously, had worsened. After developing a 104-degree fever on a “30 Rock” shoot, he spent a month shuttling between the set and the hospital. Now he checks his blood sugar regularly and injects himself with insulin before meals.
Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
