Onerous instances: Comic Keith Robinson’s life-changing stroke got here after taking Viagra

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By Jon Levine

There’s no exhausting emotions.

Comic Keith Robinson mentioned a crippling stroke he suffered in 2020 got here shortly after he popped an ill-timed Viagra.

“My c–kblocking stroke needed to stick its face the place it didn’t belong,” Robinson, 60, reminisced to The Submit by cellphone this week.

The story — and extra — are anticipated to be recounted in a brand new Netflix particular the comedian filmed at Sony Corridor earlier this month.

The occasion was attended by comedy luminaries together with Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes and is anticipated to be launched in early 2024.

The difficulty for Robinson started on a flight to Phoenix, the place the comic had ventured for a tryst with a longtime lady-friend.

“Now I’m consuming and consuming on the flight — top notch in fact — and I’m a bit of hammered,” Robinson recalled in a sluggish drawl. He “popped a Viagra” 20 minutes earlier than touchdown.

“I timed it completely,” he mentioned.

Robinson, who had a smaller stroke in 2016, mentioned he started feeling the signs as he was touchdown, however determined to forgo medical consideration in favor of his unique plan.

“Ought to I am going to the hospital and dwell or attempt to get laid,” Robinson mentioned, recalling the inner deliberations. “And he or she’s seeing me after which issues begin to occur, however unhealthy. My arm was gone, my leg was gone and the one factor that was nonetheless working was from the Viagra.”

Robinson in the end didn’t get medical consideration till the following day.

“She’s an individual that I’ve labored with for years,” Robinson mentioned of the unidentified girl buddy. “This was the primary time we had been going to get right down to the nitty and gritty of issues. That’s the one cause I flew.”

Viagra doesn’t put its customers at extra threat of stroke, however there are anecdotal reviews of stroke after taking Viagra whereas consuming closely.

Robinson nearly didn’t make it and restoration took years — however in early 2023, he started to re-emerge on New York Metropolis’s comedy scene.

The Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village, a favourite hangout, even put in railings for him.

“They’re not [Americans with Disabilities Act] compliant, they’re only for him to get himself on the stage,” mentioned Comedy Cellar proprietor Noam Dworman. “He loves it a lot he wouldn’t stop. He’s realized to speak about it on stage, and I might say he’s stronger now than he has ever been in his entire profession.”