Posted Oct 8th 2009 12:45AM by TMZ Staff
So turns out a fungus might have sent Paul Rodriguez to the ICU -- and get this ... he actually ordered it as an appetizer.
We're told the comedian was at a Mexican joint in Washington D.C. where he got the "Carne Asada Plate" ... but he started things off with a dish containing huitlacoche -- a corn fungus also known as "corn smut" -- and that's what he thinks made him sick.
It may be a Mexican delicacy, but there's nothing delicate about spending three days in the hospital.
Filed under: Exclusives
Tags: corn smut, CornSmut, food poisoning, FoodPoisoning, huitlacoche, mexican food, MexicanFood, paul rodriguez, PaulRodriguez
Posted Oct 5th 2009 1:50PM by TMZ Staff
Looks like real Mexicans aren't even immune to some old fashioned belly-busting Mexican food.
We're told Paul Rodriguez -- the famous Mexican-born comedian -- went out to a Mexican restaurant in Washington the night before he got really sick and had to go to the hospital for 4 days. Now he's thinking the whole thing was a bad case of food poisoning.
While doctors haven't been able to confirm this, we spoke to Paul's friend who said the comedian ordered the "Carne Asada Plate" -- and he spent the rest of the night in the bathroom ... before eventually calling an ambulance.
Paul stayed at the hospital Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night ... then checked out yesterday.
Just goes to show -- Mexican restaurants are all fun and games until someone is rushed to the ICU.
Filed under: Exclusives
Tags: comedian, food poisoning, FoodPoisoning, hospital, Paul Rodriguez, PaulRodriguez, sick
Posted Jan 16th 2009 3:55PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned Jeremy Piven's mercury-poisoning story isn't holding water with the producers of his show -- and they've filed an official grievance with Actors' Equity, the union that handles Broadway stars.
In a statement, one of the the show's producers, Jeffrey Richards, announced, "The producers of SPEED-THE-PLOW have officially filed a grievance with Actors' Equity re: Jeremy Piven's departure. A date for these proceedings is to be determined."
As we first reported, Piv ditched the show two months early, claiming he was suffering from a sushi-induced "mercury poisoning."
We know he was examined by another set of doctors for a second opinion. The results of that exam aren't yet known.
UPDATE -- Jeremy's rep tells TMZ, "The claims made by the producers of Speed-the-Plow are absurd and outrageous. Mr. Piven's serious medical condition has been well documented by multiple physicians. He withdrew from the play due to medical necessity on the advice of his doctors, after he was hospitalized and warned by his physicians that enforced rest was necessary in order to avoid serious medical problems, including a heart attack.
"His symptoms included extreme fatigue, spacial problems, difficulty remembering his lines, difficulty maintaining his balance, and an alarmingly low resting heart rate. Mr. Piven followed his doctors' advice, although his forced withdrawal from the show was an enormous personal disappointment since it was a life-long dream to perform on Broadway."
Filed under: Exclusives, Jeremy Piven
Tags: fish, food poisoning, FoodPoisoning, Jeremy Piven, JeremyPiven, mercury poisoning, MercuryPoisoning, sick, speed the plow, SpeedThePlow, sushi
