As surprising as it may seem, some of your favorite celebrities also experience hearing problems. Although they may give the impression of having a perfectly controlled life, these stars are as human as the rest of us.
Tinnitus – those whistling or buzzing sounds in the ears – is one of the most common hearing disorders among celebrities. This challenging condition affects people of all ages and can have multiple origins. Among the most common causes are:
Aging
Ear infections
Earwax blockage
Trauma or head injury
Autoimmune diseases of the inner ear
Permanent or sudden exposure to loud noise
Depending on their origin, tinnitus can be permanent or temporary. A benign and easily correctable hearing disorder often causes temporary tinnitus, while irreversible ear damage generally leads to permanent tinnitus. Its intensity also varies: some people live with it without real discomfort, while others experience great difficulty carrying out their daily activities.
In this article, we present some of the many personalities affected by tinnitus, the origin of their hearing problems, and how they live with it daily.
1. Keanu Reeves
Keanu Charles Reeves is a Canadian actor born in Beirut on September 2, 1964, and raised in Toronto. He has starred in numerous films, including Youngblood (1986), Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), Point Break (1991), The Matrix (1999-2021), Constantine (2005), and John Wick (2014).
Keanu Reeves suffers from tinnitus in his left ear. While he has stated in interviews that his tinnitus no longer bothers him, that doesn't mean it has disappeared: the whistling is simply no longer bothersome enough to distract him because he has learned to ignore it. He can thus go about his usual activities without his tinnitus interfering.
2. Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan was an American politician who served as the 40th President of the United States of America from 1981 to 1989.
Before becoming president, he was the 33rd Governor of California and an actor in Hollywood. We have added him to this list for the role he played in the public acceptance of hearing aids. Reagan suffered from tinnitus in the later years of his life. The exact cause remains unknown, but many attribute it to a blank pistol fired too close to his ears on a film set before he became president.
Reagan was the first American president to wear hearing aids during his term. This largely contributed to making hearing aids known and accepted by the general public. Unfortunately, Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease during the last ten years of his life and died of pneumonia related to the disease on June 5, 2004.
3. Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn Martin is an American actor, writer, playwright, comedian, musician, and producer born on August 14, 1945. In 2004, Steve Martin was ranked sixth on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians. He has also received 5 Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Kennedy Center Honors, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Steve Martin has lived with tinnitus since 1986. It appeared during the filming of "Three Amigos," caused by sudden exposure to the intense noise of a gunfight scene. He seems to have gotten used to the ringing in his ears, as there is no indication that it has any visible repercussions on his life. When asked about his experience with tinnitus, he replied that you eventually get used to it.
4. Barbra Streisand
Barbara Joan Streisand is an American singer, director, and actress born on April 24, 1942. She has achieved immense success in several areas of entertainment and is one of the few artists to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award.
In 1985, Barbra Streisand revealed that she had suffered from tinnitus since the age of nine. She does not know its origin: she explained in an interview that it started abruptly one day while she was sitting in class, and the whistling never stopped. As a child, to try to muffle the sound of tinnitus, she constantly wrapped scarves around her head.
Barbra Streisand waited years before consulting an audiologist, for fear of discovering what it was. Once correctly diagnosed, she learned to manage her tinnitus and reached the pinnacle of her career. However, she attributes her irritable nature to the annoyance caused by her tinnitus. The explanation is not far-fetched: the sound of tinnitus can indeed be a source of irritation.
5. William Shatner
William Shatner is a Canadian actor, director, producer, singer, screenwriter, and author born on March 22, 1931. He is best known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek. He co-wrote a science fiction novel series titled TekWar, as well as several other novel series set in the Star Trek universe.
His tinnitus appeared during the filming of Star Trek, during a special effects explosion he was standing near. He describes his tinnitus as a powerful, shrill grinding sound inside his head.
William Shatner tried for years to live with his tinnitus alone, with little success, before deciding to consult an audiologist. Thanks to professional care, he managed to control it. He also learned to reduce and ignore the whistling by retraining his brain to treat tinnitus as mere background noise. To do this, he listens to soothing and relaxing sounds, limits his alcohol and coffee consumption, and exercises regularly. William Shatner is also a very active member of the American Tinnitus Association.
6. Whoopi Goldberg
Caryn Elaine Johnson, known as Whoopi Goldberg, is an American actress, author, comedian, and television personality born on November 13, 1955. She is one of the few artists to have won an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Oscar, and a Tony Award.
Whoopi Goldberg suffers from both hearing loss and tinnitus, and she wears hearing aids in both ears. She is very open about her hearing problems and believes that her tinnitus comes from many years of exposure to loud music.
7. Halle Berry
Halle Maria Berry is an American actress born on August 14, 1966. She has starred in films such as Cloud Atlas (2012), the X-Men saga (2000-2014), Die Another Day (2002), The Flintstones (1994), and many others. She began her career as a model, finishing sixth at Miss World 1986 and first in the Miss USA pageant the same year.
She is the first Black woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress in a leading role, and she has also received a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award. Halle Berry lost eighty percent of her hearing in her left ear after being hit in the head during an episode of domestic violence with her partner. The incident occurred in 1991, during the filming of "The Last Boy Scout." The blows perforated her eardrum, and her hearing remains diminished in her left ear today. Although she refused to name her assailant, she indicated that he was a well-known personality in Hollywood.
Beyond her award-winning acting career, Halle Berry is one of Hollywood's leading advocates for domestic violence awareness.
8. Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress, singer, and dancer born on March 12, 1946. She is the daughter of director Vincente Minnelli and actress Judy Garland. She is famous for her award-winning performance in Cabaret in 1972. But, unfortunately, it is also this role in Cabaret that is the origin of her tinnitus.
It appeared during the 1973 Academy Awards ceremony. Liza Minnelli was sitting next to her father when her name was announced as the winner of the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Cabaret. Her father was so enthusiastic that he screamed. As he had turned to her in his excitement, he screamed directly into her right ear. This scream damaged her hearing. As you may already know from reading CLARIA's article on tinnitus, sudden exposure to loud noise can cause tinnitus, and that's exactly what happened to Liza. She has lived with it ever since.
9. Joseph Mawle
Joseph Daniel Turner Mawle is an English actor born on March 21, 1974. He is best known for his role as Benjen Stark in Game of Thrones.
His tinnitus appeared at the age of sixteen, following labyrinthitis. Labyrinthitis is a disorder caused by inflammation of the inner ear or the nerves connecting the inner ear to the brain. This inflammation is most often due to an infection.
10. Eric Clapton
A three-time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Eric Clapton played with Cream and The Yardbirds, in addition to a hugely successful solo career. This rock star played electric guitar on stage for years without hearing protection, which resulted in hearing loss and tinnitus.
Eric Clapton says he would crank up his amps and play loud enough for his fellow musicians to complain. He continues to perform and live his life, but he now wears hearing aids and takes precautions to protect his hearing, both on stage and in the studio.
11. Ozzy Osbourne
The heavy metal musician from the band Black Sabbath once screamed at 105 decibels for 68 seconds.
He claims that all the frantic head-banging during concerts is the cause of his tinnitus. Whatever the cause, Ozzy says he hears a constant whooshing sound in his ears and regrets not having worn earplugs in his youth. He continues to perform on stage at 72 years old.
12. Neil Young
Neil Young, known for his time in Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, suffers from tinnitus.
While mixing Weld, a live album and concert video by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, he experienced hearing loss and became extremely sensitive to loud sounds. His hearing has improved today, but he still suffers from painful tinnitus, which frustrates him greatly.
13. Historical Figures
Vincent Van Gogh famously cut off his ear, and some historians believe he did so because of tinnitus. The Spanish painter Francisco de Goya also suffered from it, as did Charles Darwin.
American civil rights activist Martin Luther King and composer Ludwig van Beethoven also experienced tinnitus. Finally, astronaut Alan Shepard underwent ear surgery for his tinnitus so he could pilot Apollo 14 to the Moon.
Conclusion
Despite their tinnitus, these personalities have excelled in their careers. This proves that it is entirely possible to lead a normal life after a tinnitus diagnosis.
All it takes is seeking help from a healthcare professional (specifically an audiologist or an ENT doctor), who will explain how to ignore your tinnitus or train your brain to adapt to the noise. Whether or not you have been diagnosed with tinnitus, you should always protect your ears from exposure to loud noises to prevent long-term hearing loss problems. Also, be sure to report any hearing difficulties to your doctor.
"Hearing loss and tinnitus can affect all walks of life. Artists face a particular difficulty because their livelihood can depend on good hearing. These personalities can serve as role models for anyone experiencing the same problems." - Drew Sutton, MD, board-certified otolaryngologist.
Sources:
What Is Tinnitus? — Causes and Treatment | NIDCD
Message from William Shatner to You | ATA
The neuropsychiatric ailment of Vincent Van Gogh | NCBI
