Updated January 29th, 2024

‘You Can’t Cancer and Chill’: Comedian and Cancer Survivor Quincy Jones Uses Humor to Point Out Absurdities in Healthcare System

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Finding Humor in Difficult Situations

After getting a mesothelioma diagnosis in the middle of a comedy tour, Quincy Jones is making jokes out of the absurdities he said he saw in the healthcare system.
Jones quipped about an issue many cancer survivors and their families know all too well: feeling dismissed or disregarded by doctors.
Jones’ experience, as well as those of countless others, show just how important it is to advocate for yourself in the healthcare setting.

When Quincy Jones was given a mesothelioma diagnosis in the middle of his comedy tour, he knew almost nothing about the cancer, which grows in the lining of organs like the lungs. Now, years later, he’s turning that experience and the many uncomfortable times he had to deal with the U.S. healthcare system throughout his cancer journey into comedy gold.

“Just hearing funny things, and realizing certain things don’t make sense … people know they don’t make sense, but we all actively participate in things that don’t make sense like the healthcare system,” Jones said while participating in SurvivorNet’s last “Close the Gap” conference, an event focused on addressing racial disparities when it comes to accessing cancer care.

“It was funny that people, when you’re diagnosed with something serious, they expect you to have your wits about you and be able to communicate with the medical professionals soundly, not emotionally, and have no comfort coming from them,” he added.

Jones created a comedy special about his experience, from this diagnosis to dealing with insurance to learning how to navigate doctors who “don’t listen to you” at all (an experience too many cancer survivors and their families are all too familiar with).

“I had to go to a doctor out here in LA,” Jones quips during his comedy special. “I told him, I was like, ‘yo, I have cancer.’ But you know when you talk to a doctor, they don’t even listen to you? They’re like, ‘hey, I hate to break it to your Mr. Jones, but you have cancer.’ I was like, that’s what I just told you. I just told you I have cancer. I don’t need to read the chart.”

Even though Jones was able to turn the experience into a hilarious anecdote, many patients have concerning stories about being ignored or pushed aside while seeking medical care. To avoid it, professionals stress the importance of advocating for yourself it’s very important to speak up in the healthcare setting.

Dr. Zuri Murrell explains why it’s so important to advocate for yourself, and be pushy when you are seeking answers about your health.

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