The late comedian talked about how laughter helped him in the best and worst of times in the 'CBS Mornings' interview.
In one of his final interviews before his untimely death, Bob Saget opened up about how comedy, and the pure act of laughter, played a pivotal role in his life.
The late comedian sat down with CBS Mornings and spoke to the network's chief medical correspondent, and Saget's good friend, Dr. Jon LaPook, for an in-depth segment about how comedy saved him. According to the news network, the never-before-seen interview occurred on Dec. 6, a little over a month before the Full House star died in his hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando.
In a preview of the interview, set to air Friday morning, Saget revealed the lengths he went to as a kid just to get a laugh.
"I would dance in the living room and just start dancing, dancing stupid to make anybody laugh," Saget recalled. "Just like silent film stars. I knew some jokes, but it wasn't really jokes. It was just like, I've got to perform. I've got to make people laugh."
Humor, in essence, is what helped Saget get through some of the most difficult periods in his life.
"It was a defense mechanism," Saget said. "And it truly helped me survive. And it helped me keep me mentally alive, rather than letting it destroy me."
The interview will also dive into Saget's mission to raise awareness of scleroderma and raising $26 million for the Scleroderma Research Foundation. He became a board member of the foundation after losing his sister to scleroderma, a rare disease that hardens and tightens the skin and connective tissues.
Saget rallied his famous friends around the cause. Ashley Olsen, for example, made a rare public appearance back in 2017 to support one of the foundation's events.
Following the news of his death, there was an outpouring of tributes and mourning, with particularly emotional memorials shared by his former Full House co-stars.
In a statement to ET on Monday, Saget's wife, Kelly Rizzo, said that she's "shattered" and "in disbelief" following her husband's death on Sunday.
"My whole heart. Bob was my absolute everything," the Eat Travel Rock blogger said in a statement. "I am so completely shattered and in disbelief. I am so deeply touched by the outpouring of love and tribute from our friends, family, his fans and his peers."
Saget's interview with CBS Mornings will air Friday, Jan. 14 at 7 a.m. ET on CBS.
RELATED CONTENT:
