Sinbad Makes First Public Appearance Since 2020 Stroke: ‘Miracles Happen’ — Watch Video
Sinbad is thanking “fans and friends” for their enduring support following his first major appearance in more than three years.
The beloved comedian, now 67, suffered a stroke in November 2020 — and with the exception of a still image shared to his Instagram in 2022, had not been seen in public until last month.
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On Feb. 29, Sinbad joined the cast of the NBC classic A Different World (via Zoom) as part of an HBCU tour event at Morehouse College in Atlanta. And now, in a video released to Instagram, Sinbad is acknowledging the “rough” journey he’s faced on the road to recovery.
“Thank you to everybody who’s been praying for me, and saying good things, and supporting me during this time in my life,” he begins. “It means a lot to me. God has been with us and he has carried me. He has carried me through my whole life, and it means so much when I hear from you all and you tell me, Sinbad, keep going… Sinbad, we’re sending prayers… Those words are important and I feel it. I feel those prayers.
“I want to say this to all of the people who have emailed me through [my] website: Some of you are going through what I’m going through, or even worse than me,” he continues. “I’m reading these things, I’m trying to answer as many as I can. I pray for you and I understand how it’s like. It’s rough. I want to thank all of you who have been fans and friends all these years of mine.
He even goes on to suggest that he’ll be getting back to work. “Expect to see more of me soon,” he says. “And don’t freak out if you turn around and I’m standing right behind you. ‘Sinbad, I can’t believe you’re here.’ You can’t believe it? You better believe it! Miracles happen.”
In addition to his role as Coach Walter Oakes on the aforementioned sitcom A Different World (1987-91), Sinbad served as host of It’s Showtime at the Apollo (1989-91) and headlined the Fox comedy The Sinbad Show (1993-94). More recently, he returned to Fox and played Lil Rel Howery’s dad in the short-lived series Rel (2018-19).
Among the biggest comedians of the ’90s, Sinbad headlined multiple stand-up specials for HBO, including Sinbad: Brain Damaged (1990) and Sinbad: Afros and Bellbottoms (1993). Those were followed by Sinbad: Son of a Preacher Man (1996), Sinbad: Nothin’ But the Funk (1998), Sinbad: Where U Been? (2010) and Sinbad: Make Me Wanna Holla (2014).
On the big screen, he appeared in films That’s Adequate (1989), Coneheads (1993), Houseguest (1995), Jingle All the Way (1996), Crazy as Hell (2002) and Planes (2013).
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