Eric Braeden (The Young and the Restless:”I chose to talk about my cancer to inform everyone”

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What made you decide to talk about the experience you have with cancer ?

Eric Braeden: At my age who gives a damn? I can help a lot of men that problem because as you know, the prostate grows with a impinges on the urethra and it kind of not empty your bladder as successfully as it used to when you were young man. And what causes UTI who knows what eventually causes so I’m not 50 or 52 I’m 82 I don’t care, I’m proud of it. And why not? Relay that story to other men who may have the same issues and are afraid to be exempt from the diagnosis of cancer. I have learned from friends of mine who one woman friend who went through breast cancer . You treat it with so many new methods of dealing with cancer that don’t be afraid to deal with it early on. And mine was called just in time, stage one.  But it’s a mixture of low-grade cancer cells and high grade cancer cells. So it’s because of the high grade cancer cells that I have to go through what is called immunotherapy PCB. By the way, interestingly enough two French scientists came up with that method. It is an attenuated or a weakened tuberculosis virus or bacteria. And we can infuse that into your bladder to arouse your own immune response to go after the cancer cells and the pound is successful.  It is very successful. You go through six weeks of immune infusions once a week, then six weeks off, then another six weeks on. Supposedly that sort of takes care of it. Anyway, the reason I decided to tell people is to remove the fear, remove the stigma.

What, what was  your first reaction when the doctor gave you the news?

E.B. :I told myself : Merde!I remembered having  the conversations with a few people who had cancer.  I’m from the world of sports. Courage, we face challenges, and we go after them. Or you say I can’t do that I’ll show you. So those are good attitudes. I think I learned that from sports.

And how important is your family and friends right now to help you to go through that ?

E.B. :They are very empathetic, very nice but I don’t talk about it much except to you and to some other people. And I do a Facebook Live where I openly talk about it. So that people it takes the stigma away from it.  Cancer has become almost the normal side of getting older.

Do you think that this experience has changed you ?

E.B. :Good question. I don’t give a damn what anyone thinks, but I never have, and I do what I feel is right. So the experiences of others who have gone through has made me more empathetic and more understanding .The issue of life, in your personal life, in politics, the workplace… is to have an understanding of the other,of empathy with the position of the other. You just now in France went through a strike. You know, you guys will retire at 64 Well, I for example,  I’m still working. Yeah. After 62 You shouldn’t overdo one. The only way that works I said is if you have a girlfriend on the  side. Or the women have a boyfriend on the side.You cannot tell me that a man in the prime of his life at 62 sits at home and waits for the coffee in the morning. He  has a mystery somewhere…. Give me a break

So talking about that actually, is 3965 episodes probably why we’re talking while this interview air will be 3970 episodes. What does it take on a personal and professional level to make it happen? Such a longevity ?

 E.B. :Discipline, that’s all. And actually, the joy of acting, I enjoy my profession. I enjoy doing whenever I do a good scene, the scene that was real or as real as it can be. It makes me feel good. I don’t know why ?

What was the reaction of the team at the Young and Restless, the producers, the writers when you announced that to them . Did they change the storyline?

E.B. :No that has not changed the storyline. Because we always so many months ahead. So it’s difficult to suddenly introduce it.  They didn’t do that. At the same time, I had my left knee replaced, you know that without me?. So I  was recuperating from the left knee surgery and then had to get up every other hour to pee and then finally, it ended up in the diagnosis of cancer. And so the recovery for the knee has slowed down. But I still work out every day. You know a little less. Whatever got me. I still box a lot. The heavy bag I’m here everything is fine with the legs. After years and years of soccer, sports. My knees are not as strong as they used to be. But as I work out every day to make them strong again.

What has been the most touching reaction of the fans since you announced you have cancer ?

E.B. :To be frank with you? This is all touching. Very, very touching from fans from fans in France  from South Africa, from Australia, from Guinea from somewhere in Africa, from Israel from Romania, from Bulgaria, from Canada, Australia, New Zealand. Obviously, America friendly wonderful reactions very touching

You wrote your autobiography a couple of years ago. You think you could still continue it and add a couple chapters now?

E.B. :Yes. But it would be largely about my views of politics. I’m very interested in politics, very interested in history. And most people don’t know much about history anymore. They don’t realize where we are today had mostly to do with what happened in Europe 70 years ago more than that, first of all war 1914 1918 Second World War 1949 1945. Those were crucial wars and they changed the face of Europe. We live in freedom in Europe now. Because America, England,  Australia, Canada, New Zealand went against my country, against the Nazis. Thank God. We are free and most of Europe because of the cold war. We held out the numbers against the Soviet Union with a strong military presence in Europe against the possible attack from the Soviet Union. That’s the truth. Those are facts So now we are helping the Ukraine. Macron very good. We must continue to help Ukraine. NATO has become stronger because of Russia because of Putin. There’s delusions of grandeur. He’s not satisfied with what do you have as delusions on what Russia once was under the Soviet Union? Communism didn’t prove to be very successful. People want to live in freedom. Under Stalin about 60 million people died between 1923 and 1953. About 60 million people die under communism. And I must say a lot of European and American intellectuals were initially for Staline. Until they realize much later what that was all about. So democracy is very messy. Sometimes not very satisfying sometimes. But it’s the best system in the world. arguing back and forth, the best system in the world trying to solve problems in a democratic fashion. It’s the best way there’s no better way. No Hitler, no Mussolini. No Staline, no  Trump, that bullshit artist who wanted to really establish an authoritarian government in America ,crazy idiot. He is a phony. So let us deal with the difficulties that we have right now in France. Macron has a difficult job, actually fighting back and forth? It’s okay. We don’t all agree. And I must tell you, I love France. Paris, love it. Love to south, la Provence. I love it all. And you have given so much to the world. French culture has given so much to the world and most people in America forget was responsible for the success of the American Revolution against the monarchic England Jefferson Adams Benjamin Franklin, they all hung out in Paris. Tried to get money from the French government to fight the revolution against England. People forget Rousseau, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Descartes …all these people were the Oh my God. I doubt therefore I am . These are the foundations of democracy. That is what created America. What created peace in Europe for over 70 years. The fact that all these allies and France fought Hitler.

 Apart what you’re going through now, what is the biggest challenge you have to overcome in your life?

E.B. :Surviving in this business and surviving my childhood in post war Germany. I was born in 1941. I survived all the bombing. My town was 96% destroyed. They threw 500,000 bombs over my town alone. And surviving childhood really. My father died early. We plunged into poverty. I survived in the farms working. The only light in my life as a child growing up was sports and girls.

Sports and girls are nothing but wonderful. Because your teenager was in love every three weeks. So, coming to America alone, at the age of 18 not knowing what sports was happening. Sports makes you look forward to the future.  Sports makes you want to improve your life to improve your personal life, it gives you ambition gives you toughness. That’s why it has always helped me . But  to survive in this profession in Hollywood is one of the toughest things.

By the way, how much Hollywood How much is it different to be an actor in the 60s and 2023 . What has changed?

E.B. :In the 60s you had only a few stars, real stars. I worked with Marlon Brando in a film in 1964. You had a few television series I worked almost on all of them. There were fewer places to find a job . Obviously now with all the new venues and Netflix and Hulu and HBO, the field has widened enormously. So in a sense there are more opportunities. But acting isn’t acting, either you are good or you are not. In one look I can tell a phony actor.  I can tell real actors immediately. Jean Gabin, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Alain Delon, Jeanne Moreau were wonderful actors .

Once this cancer will be over, what is the first thing you want to embrace?

E.B. :I don’t feel that way. I feel good now. I am looking forward to in Europe in June to see my son who is directing his movie: Den of Thieves 2. I had a part in the first one but not the second. It wouldn’t work. I just want to watch him. He is a wonderful writer and a very good director. He is shooting in Tenerife, Canary Islands. It was supposed to be in Marseilles but in the summertime, it is too complicated.

You feel stronger than ever. It looks like this challenge makes you even stronger?

E.B. :Yes. There are moments to be honest with you when you get up in the morning, your knees are stiff. And you are heading in the bathroom… but then after five, ten minutes it’s ok. Never give up. I want to go in France sooner or later.