Oh shucks! Leon Schuster postpones his 3rd back surgery

By Gavin Prins

Funny man Leon Schuster (73) has postponed a third back surgery because “my head is not in a good space right now”. Following two failed attempts, he remains hopeful that he will get third time lucky.

Very few South Africans don’t know who Leon Schuster is. His first feature, “You Must Be Joking”, was extremely popular with South African audiences and gave rise to the sequel “You Must be Joking Too!”

Born in Vereeniging, Leon was drawn to the filmmaking process at a young stage, playing playing practical jokes on his family and filming them. Over the years, he has pranked millions of unsuspecting South Africans, even some celebrities.

At school, he used to play rugby and this sport – doctors fear – might have played a role in the two failed back operations.

After school, he went into film. Many of his films were candid camera sketches and Leon made many more, including “Mr Bones”, his most successful film, which earned more than R33 million at the South African box office.

It was two years ago when the comedian discovered something was wrong. “I suddenly had severe back pain. I blamed it on the many smacks I got from the public when pranking them in my movies. I could not even stand, so I decided to do the operation.”

Doctors told Leon that he would be a new person within six months. “I was hopeful. But the pain came back, now even worse.” He then went to see another doctor who took X-rays and indicated that he could work on my back. We operated and it didn’t work.

“I then met another doctor, and he had a look at my back. He said let’s operate. Again, I sense that this guy knows what he is doing. He is going to give me a date. He wanted to operate last month but I told him my head is not in a good space.

“He also gives me a nurse that looks after me. I said I am going to shower myself. I don’t want the nurse to get involved with my clocks. I have basically given my life over to this doctor.

Sitting at home has had a negative effect on Leon’s spirit. “I am a mover. I can’t sit like this. I got another sitcom for a channel that we are working on and for that, I need to sit up and write scenes. I can’t do this lying in bed the whole day.

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try try again. And this is what I am doing now. Aanhouer wen. I keep praying for the best. Come hell or high water, fire or waves, I am doing the operation again.”

We wish you the best of luck Leon. IB