most famously known for his role as Harry Goldenblatt on “Sex and the City,” spoke Thursday night in front of a sell-out crowd of 300 people at Hillel about his role as an actor and cancer survivor.
In 1985, Handler was diagnosed with acute leukemia cancer. While doctors told Handler that the illness is fatal, they also told him 10 percent of the people who are diagnosed recover by standard procedures.
“It is an incurable illness in which a small percentage of people end up cured anyway,” Handler said. “Nothing should be labeled incurable or terminal until that person is dead and buried.”
Last night, Handler, surviving leukemia for nearly 20 years now, spoke passionately about whether he believes in God and his opinion of doctors and their use of the words “false hope”- words he encountered often during his struggle.
“Hope is the one thing in this world that can never be false. Hope is exactly what it says, it is a longing, a desire,” he said.
Handler read an excerpt from his book, “Time on Fire,” which describes his battle with leukemia and its immediate aftermath. Handler is in the process of writing a second book, titled, “It’s Only Temporary, the Good News and Bad News in Being Alive,” which he describes as being mainly about faith and who he is as a person 20 years later.
Handler also spoke about how he is very different from his character on “Sex and the City.”
While Harry was portrayed as one of the less attractive suitors of the show’s character Charlotte, Handler made it a point to address that he, as a person compared to his character Harry, is “much better looking.”
Much of Handler’s speech held a comical, yet philosophical tone.During the Q & A session, students took time to ask humorous questions, mainly about “Sex and the City,” such as, “Were the sex scenes awkward?” and “What did Mom and Dad think of the show?”
Rachel Haskell, communications director of the Jewish Cultural Collective, said the JCC’s goal has been to bring people with “a Jewish undertone, but without religious affiliation” to influence students on campus. Haskell, along with the other board members, said they were extremely happy with the turnout.
