Now, I ain’t no doctor, and I sure ain’t here to poke around where the sun don’t shine, but I do know a thing or two about the male species—particularly the stubborn kind that thinks they’re too busy, too tough, or too important to see a doctor until something starts falling off. Being there, done that.
Men, especially the successful ones, will negotiate a billion-dollar merger before they’ll schedule a colonoscopy. They’ll sit through eight hours of PowerPoint but won’t sit still for a five-minute blood test. And God forbid you ask them about their bathroom habits—suddenly they’re more secretive than the CIA.
But here’s the thing: cancer doesn’t care about your calendar, your title, or how many Twitter followers you’ve got. It shows up uninvited, unannounced, and unimpressed by your résumé.
This little piece you’re about to read? It’s not a guilt trip. It’s a reality check—delivered with a bit of wit, a few grim statistics, and the hope that maybe one of you hard-headed fellas will decide to pick up the phone and make that appointment. Because prostate and colon cancer are sneaky bastards—and if you don’t catch them first, they’ll make damn sure to catch you.
You can own a yacht, a skyscraper, or a presidential library—but if you won’t take ten minutes to check the plumbing, you might just end up six feet under it.
The truth is, no man has ever earned enough money, power, or prestige to bargain with time. And once it’s gone, it’s gone. You can’t outsmart cancer. You can’t outwork it. You sure as hell can’t ignore it into submission.
So if you’ve made it this far—past the warning signs, the cautionary tales, and the list of men more famous than you who still didn’t make it—do yourself one favor: get checked.
It ain’t unmanly to care about your health. What’s unmanly is leaving your family behind because you were too proud—or too busy—to spend half an hour doing something that might’ve saved your life.
As I always say: dying’s easy. It’s living that takes some damn effort.
And a little common sense. Because DEATH is the ultimate equalizer and teacher.
So It’s 2025, and yet famous men—men with money, influence, and access to the best doctors on the planet—are still dying of cancers that are largely preventable and often curable if caught early. Poor People too even if they access to the tests. Why?
Take colorectal cancer, for example.
The Quiet Rise of a Younger Killer
Once thought of as an old man’s disease, colorectal cancer is now striking younger men at alarming rates. It is the second leading cause of cancer death for men in the U.S.—and it’s on the rise among those under 50.
The symptoms? Often subtle and easy to dismiss:
- Blood in stool
- Unexplained weight loss
- A persistent change in bowel habits
- Cramping or abdominal pain
- Fatigue or weakness
Colorectal cancer grows in silence. Most men don’t get screened until symptoms force the issue—and by then, it can be too late.
This is exactly what happened to Chadwick Boseman, the brilliant actor who brought Black Panther to life. He died at just 43, after privately battling colon cancer for years. If it can take a superhero, it can take anyone.
Prostate Cancer: The Silent Assassin of Men Over 50
Then there’s prostate cancer—a disease that kills quietly, and unnecessarily, every single day.
Former President Joe Biden has reportedly been diagnosed with an aggressive, bone-spread form of prostate cancer. His condition is “hormone-sensitive,” which makes it more treatable. But still, this begs the question:
How does someone with a security detail, a personal physician, and round-the-clock health care end up with late-stage prostate cancer?
Simple. The early signs are easy to ignore:
- Trouble starting urination
- Weak or interrupted flow
- Feeling like your bladder isn’t empty
- Frequent nighttime urination
- Sudden, urgent need to urinate
When prostate cancer spreads, it shows up as back pain, hip pain, erectile dysfunction, weight loss, or even numbness in the legs and feet—due to spinal cord pressure. At that stage, treatment becomes less about cure and more about survival.
The Real Reason Men Don’t Catch It Early
It’s not lack of money.
It’s not lack of doctors.
It’s mentality.
Busy men—especially high achievers—tend to ignore their health.
- “I don’t have time for a checkup.”
- “It’s probably nothing.”
- “I feel fine.”
- “I’ll deal with it later.”
They push through pain, discomfort, and warning signs the same way they push through meetings, crises, and deals.
But cancer doesn’t care about your schedule.
Screening Is Easy. Dying Is Hard.
For prostate cancer, a simple PSA blood test and a digital rectal exam could flag problems years before symptoms show up.
For colorectal cancer, a colonoscopy or stool-based test starting at age 45 (or earlier with risk factors) can catch polyps before they become deadly.
These are small acts of prevention that buy decades of life.
Gentlemen, Get Checked.
If you’re over 50, get screened.
If you’re under 50 with a family history, get screened.
If you’re too busy to go to the doctor, remember: you’re not too busy to die.
And to the women reading this: please nudge the men in your life. Husbands, brothers, dads, sons—they may not listen to their doctor, but they might listen to you.
🩺 Famous Men Who Died from Prostate Cancer
| Name | Profession | Year of Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Zappa | Musician, composer | 1993 | Diagnosed late, died at 52 |
| Earl Woods | Father of Tiger Woods | 2006 | Vietnam vet, influential in Tiger’s life |
| Dennis Hopper | Actor, director | 2010 | Easy Rider, Apocalypse Now |
| Bill Bixby | Actor (The Incredible Hulk) | 1993 | Died at 59 |
| Telly Savalas | Actor (Kojak) | 1994 | Known for iconic bald look |
| Rudy Boesch | Navy SEAL, Survivor contestant | 2019 | Died at 91 |
| Harry Belafonte | Singer, activist | 2023 | History of prostate cancer before heart failure |
| James Brown | Singer | 2006 | Diagnosed with prostate cancer prior to death |
🚽 Famous Men Who Died from Colorectal Cancer
| Name | Profession | Year of Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chadwick Boseman | Actor (Black Panther) | 2020 | Died at 43, kept diagnosis private |
| Charles Schulz | Creator of Peanuts | 2000 | Died at 77 |
| Jackie Gleason | Comedian, actor | 1987 | Star of The Honeymooners |
| Milton Berle | Comedian, TV pioneer | 2002 | Died at 93 |
| Claude Debussy | French composer | 1918 | Died at 55 |
| Tony Snow | White House press secretary | 2008 | Died at 53 |
| Darryl Kile | MLB pitcher | 2002 | Early-stage colon cancer found posthumously |
Final Word
Being famous won’t save you.
Being rich won’t save you.
Only awareness, early detection, and follow-through will.
Don’t wait for symptoms.
Don’t wait for tragedy.
Don’t wait to get checked.
Because unlike your meetings, your health doesn’t come with a reschedule button
BTW, there are many ways to improve your chances of not getting cancer.
Basically:
- Eat Healthy
- Eliminate Stress
- Sleep Well
- Avoid Alcohol
- No Sugars
- Drink Green Tea, Matcha and others
- Avoid Plastics
GREAT VIDEO BELOW
EXTRA CREDIT
Whiskey Wisdom, and the Wages of Excess: A Spirited Look at Booze, the Brain and Cancer
CT Scans Projected to Cause 100,000 New Cancer Cases in the US: What You Need to Know
SLEEP
Take Care of Your Mental and Physical Health—
You Only Get One Body and Mind
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