American actor Alan Alda, 82, is well known for his performance as Captain Benjamin Franklin 'Hawkeye' Pierce in the comedy series, ”M*A*S*H”, he also appeared in the series “The West Wing.” Alda has recently talked about his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease three-and-a-half years ago, saying he decided to only speak about the diagnosis now.

Parkinson’s is a condition that affects the brain and can lead to brain damage. It also causes the sufferer to experience difficulty moving, tremors and speech changes and can eventually lead to memory problems.

Alan Alda speaks about Parkinson’s disease

Alda stated on “CBS This Morning” that he didn’t previously want to speak publically about his diagnosis as he has experienced a full life since that time. He said there are still things you can do with Parkinson's disease, adding that he is taking tri-weekly boxing lessons.

Alda went on to say that he had noticed his thumb twitch during recent interviews relating to his new podcast, “Clear + Vivid”. He decided it was only a matter of time before somebody spotted it and does a story about it from a “sad point of view.” He stressed that is not where he is.

According to Alda, he visited his doctor for a scan, as he had a feeling he may have Parkinson’s disease.

He had read an article in the New York Times by Jane Brody that said if people acted out their dreams, there was an excellent chance it could be an early symptom before anything else showed. Alda said he dreamed about someone attacking him and he threw a bag of potatoes at them. However, in real life, he was throwing a pillow at his wife.

As reported by the BBC, Alda explained he does not want to “short-change” people with Parkinson’s disease, who have more severe symptoms, which can get really bad and make their families suffer. However, he went on to say you are immobilised by fear at the very beginning, thinking it is the worst thing that can happen to you, but in effect, there are still things that you can do.

Alan Alda’s career

The actor is well known for his role as 'Hawkeye' in the hit military comedy show ”M*A*S*H” which he played between 1972 and 1983. Alda later played the role of presidential candidate Arnold Vinick in the US series “The West Wing” and later received an Oscar nomination for the 2005 Film “The Aviator.” Throughout his career, and now at the age of 82, he has retained his lovely smile.

Speaking of Alda’s new podcast, the New York Post mentions he has been called the “world’s oldest millennial.” The “Clear + Vivid” podcast is about people “relating and communicating” in their daily lives.

He told the newspaper's Page Six that the project appears to be a hit so far.

However, there is a drawback, in that most of Alda’s friends have no idea what a podcast is, let alone how to download one. It was apparently his young staff that dubbed him “the world’s oldest millennial,” as Alda himself has no problem with technology.
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