TVG: What about Tracy? Has this made you closer?

MJF: It’s hard to say, because we were always so tight. When was I diagnosed, 1991? We were married in 1988. So we’d been married for three years. We’ve now been married for 12 years. Seventy-five percent of our marriage has been dealing with this reality. It’s touching to me as I think about it now, but it is amazing. It is a tremendously close friendship. And I have a huge amount of respect and love and feeling of pride [for] Tracy. Also, you know, I get to go to the beach with this woman. She’s unbelievable. I mean, there are 21-year- old girls walking by today that I wouldn’t waste my time taking my eyes off my wife to look at. I mean she’s just — she’s stunning and she’s funny. That’s the other thing about her, she’s just funny. I’ll say, "Honey, can you cut this bagel?" And I’m waiting for my pill to kick in and she’ll go, "OK, brain disease, right?" So yeah, it’s good.

TVG: In a previous TV Guide story, you talked about drinking, another challenge in your life at one point.

MJF: Well, yeah. I couldn’t be partying when I was trying to deal with this. I wasn’t this maniac, but I needed to completely change my lifestyle to take care of my body. And so I said, "I can’t drink." I was never an out-of-control, you know, maniac. But I couldn’t even afford to be a not-out-of-control maniac. I couldn’t afford to be your Uncle Larry who has too many on the weekend at the barbecue. I wanted to deal with this and be present for this. So I haven’t had a drink in, like, eight years.

TVG: Was that hard?

MJF: It wasn’t. Actually, it was fairly easy. Cigarettes are hard.

TVG: You’ve had two hugely successful shows. Do you think about your comedy legacy?

MJF: I don’t know about legacy. I love doing that for a living. I look forward to having another chance to do it. And I think about — I don’t know if teaching is the word — but there are crafts and customs and techniques and philosophies [of comedy]. What people call the Komedy Kollege, with two ks. I’d love to see that stay alive.