Prince: "I Was Born Epileptic" (VIDEO)

Prince announced Monday night on PBS' "Tavis Smiley" show that he was born with epilepsy.

"I've never spoken about this before, but I was born epileptic, and I used to have seizures when I was young," he told Smiley. "My mother and father didn't know what to do or how to handle it but they did the best they could with what little they had."

Prince continued, telling Smiley about how grateful he is today as he looks back on his emotional childhood:

My mother told me one day I walked into her and said, 'Mom, I'm not gonna be sick anymore.' And she said, 'Why?' I said, 'Because an angel told me so.' Now, I don't remember saying it, that's just what she told me, and from that point on I've been having to deal with a lot of things, getting teased in school. Early in my career I tried to compensate for that by being as flashy as I could and as noisy as I could. I just looked forward to this time in my life when I could reflect back on it, and talk to people like yourself, Dr. Cornel West...when you all come over tot eh house and we sit and we just talk about heavy things, I just become thankful, I don't know.

Watch:

Comments

[didleijoe]

He's still the coolest cat around.

[pk4obama]

I have loved Prince's music since day one and love his new DC Lotus Flower....­very jazz.

[kandyjns1]

This man is a legend period. Although, he hasn't had a hit in a minute- he doesn't have anything to prove. Call him a freak, or anything you want. But, over the years I don't recall hearing Prince in any MAJOR drama ( troubles with the law, etc.) ; like MJ or any other celebrities. I didn't say he was perfect and something may have slipped my radar. He has transcended over time. He is still great.

[dezzu]

What about holding one of his girlfriends prisoner? I guess it was so long ago that people have forgotten about it.

[The Ghost]

HE TORTURED HER BY READING HER THE BIBLE!

[mcavity]

The reason he went with the symbol for a name was because the record company owned the name "prince"

[qdog112]

Stevie, Prince, Michael

ELITIST?

[PoliticalRockChick]

Who would've thought decades later, we will see Prince as the sane one and Michael as the crazy one. Go figure. I love them both.

[PippiLongstocking]

Doesn't sound like it.

[qdog112]

GENIUS

[PNK]

He sure makes wearing glasses look hot.

LOVE PRINCE

[wlaurencew]

That's Prince trying to look conservative, I guess. It's like watching watching Liberace and Prince Charles fighting to inhabit the same body. He's never boring, you've got to give him that.

[Trueheart]

That was hysterical!

[SeattleKurt]

"It's like watching watching Liberace and Prince Charles fighting to inhabit the same body."

Thank you for that description. It stopped the screaming in my head. ;-)

[trudem2]

Interesting man. I love his demeanor..­..so open and unaffected.

[DMcD]

man ??

[truthartbeauty]

open and unaffected. he is the very definition of being affected. he's an idiot. he belongs to some hideous ignorant fundamentalist religious cult and trashed gay people based on it. hes a total freak

[champislove]

Well I that God that he was able to overcome this. Wow , what the world would have been like without his music.

[jneems]

If he were a woman, everyone would be trying for force a cheeseburger down his throat or call him anorexic.

Just pointing out a double standard.

[Rmchairphilo]

No, sorry, but your comment doesn't hold any water. Prince doesn't have ropelike arms and protruding bones, he is just small. When you see him on stage you see well defined muscle definition. He's healthy, not starved.

[constabull]

Tavis made me sick with all of his butt kissing in this interview. WAY over the top with that crap.

[WilliamL]

Napolean, Dovstiesky(sp), and a few more very notables have been epileptic

[snork]

And very short, too. All republicans like Prince, too?

[snork]

By the way, incase you are a literalist, I was being sarcastic.

[LeeCalif]

Good album and good interview.

Looking forward to Part II.

[rektruax]

Major talent. Strange guy though.

[DMcD]

"major talent" --- I think 'not'
"strange guy" --- no question about it
This guy has always given me the c-r-e-e-p-s