Amy Schumer (left) in February 2024 and (right) in March 2022. . Photo: Todd Owyoung/NBC/Getty; Karwai Tang/Getty
In a candid conversation on the Jan. 22 episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast, comedian Amy Schumer shared how a whirlwind of internet criticism ultimately led her to a surprising medical diagnosis: Cushing syndrome.
The Kinda Pregnant star, 43, revealed that about a year ago, online trolls began scrutinizing her noticeably swollen face. “The internet really came for me,” Schumer said, recounting how commenters speculated wildly about her appearance. Initially, she brushed off the harsh remarks, thinking, “Okay, everybody, like, relax.”
But things took an unexpected turn when medical professionals started chiming in on the comments. “Doctors were like, ‘No, no … something’s really up. Your face looks so crazy,’” Schumer said. At first, she resisted their unsolicited advice, thinking, “F—k off.” However, their concerns began to sink in when she recalled receiving steroid injections for scars from her breast reduction and C-section.
It was then that Schumer realized there might be a connection. These steroid treatments had caused her to develop Cushing syndrome, a condition linked to prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol. As explained by the Mayo Clinic, Cushing syndrome can result in weight gain, acne, and the signature “moon face” swelling.
Schumer, who shares a 5-year-old son with her husband Chris Fischer, admitted the revelation was a lot to process. “I wouldn’t have known if the internet hadn’t come for me so hard,” she quipped. In February 2024, she publicly disclosed her diagnosis, but at the time, she was also grappling with a daunting challenge: preparing to film her Netflix comedy Kinda Pregnant, set to premiere on Feb. 5.
Amy Schumer stars in the Netflix comedy "Kinda Pregnant.". Photo: Spencer Pazer/Netflix
“I had just found out I had this condition, and I’m starring in a movie — with a camera right in my face,” she said. While well-meaning people told her she looked great, Schumer’s self-doubt lingered. One brutally honest friend finally said what she was thinking: “Your face is looking, like, a little bit insane.”
Schumer explained that overcoming Cushing syndrome required patience, as the condition “just has to work itself out.” During this time, she worried about how her appearance might affect her performance. “I was feeling really down on myself before I started filming this movie,” she admitted. “I was really struggling to figure out how I was going to star in a movie while I had this going on.”
The turning point came when director Lorraine Caffery offered some much-needed encouragement. “You know, I think you look f—ing great,” Caffery told her. That single moment of reassurance shifted Schumer’s mindset. “I just needed one person to amp me up,” she said.
Now on the other side of her health journey, Schumer is sharing her story with characteristic humor and honesty, proving that even in the face of challenges, laughter truly is the best medicine.
