Current:Home > Contact'All Wigged Out' is about fighting cancer with humor and humanity -MacroWatch
'All Wigged Out' is about fighting cancer with humor and humanity
Surpassing View
Date:2025-04-06 22:02:55
When Grammy-Award-winning musician Marcy Marxer learned she had breast cancer, she didn't get sad or mad. She got funny. Marxer, who's one half of the award-winning duo, Cathy and Marcy started posting cartoons, memes and musings on social media as a way updating friends on her cancer treatments. But her work was suddenly finding a wider audience of people dealt a cancer diagnosis, and they were applauding her.
"I was talking about my breasts, which I don't actually do generally in public. It's personal but I find when I talk about my breasts, other people think it's funny," Marxer told Morning Edition host Leila Fadel.
It wasn't long before a network took shape out that social media following. "I got a lot of messages from people talking about their cancer situations. So, I ended up being kind of a chemo coach for a bunch of people and connecting with other people who help patients get through it."
Marxer, and Cathy Fink, her partner in music and in life, decided to turn the experience into, of all things, a movie musical comedy: All Wigged Out. The narrative follows Marxer's seven-year journey through cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
Positive in a negative way
Marxer remembers the day, in 2015. She was holding a ukulele workshop when her doctor called.
"I'd had a biopsy and my doctor explained that the results were positive. And I said, 'Positive. You mean, positive in a negative way?' Positive should be good. So right away, some things about the whole medical process didn't make much sense to me," Marxer recalls. "They seemed a little backwards and a little bit funny and a little worth poking fun at."
Information from unexpected places
Marxer's doctor was a little vague about whether she might lose her hair during chemotherapy. Just in case, Marxer and Fink paid a visit to Amy of Denmark, a wig shop in Wheaton, Md. That's where they learned a few things the doctor didn't tell them.
"When we walked in, this woman, Sandy, said, 'What's your diagnosis? What's your cocktail? Who's your doctor?' This was all stuff she was familiar with, Fink recalls. "Once we gave Sandy all the information, she looked at Marcy, she said, 'When's your first chemo?' Marcy said, 'It was two days ago,' and Sandy just looked up and said, 'Honey, we got to make a plan. You're going to be bald in 10 days.'"
The wig shop experience turns up as a musical number in All Wigged Out. Likewise, "Unsolicited Advice," which recounts all the possibly well-intended — but completely unhelpful — comments that come from friends and others. And there's even an upbeat chemotherapy number, "I Feel A Little Tipsy," about a particular side effect of treatment.
Role Reversal
At its core, All Wigged Out is the portrait of an enviable marriage weathering the most unenviable of times. And now Marxer and Fink find their roles suddenly reversed. Fink got her diagnosis a few months ago: she has breast cancer.
"We are living in a little chapter that we're calling 'The Irony and the Ecstasy,'" Fink told Leila Fadel. I'm working with our team that's promoting All Wigged Out, partially from my chemo chair."
Fink says her prognosis is positive — positive, this time, in a good way — and, this time, at least, they're better-trained than they were eight years ago.
About those hard-earned skills, Marxer says, "One thing we know is patients try to live their life to the best of their abilities, and doctors are trying to save your life. And those are two very different things. We do understand that we're walking two lines. One is the process of making sure that Kathy is going to be fine and live a long and happy life. And the other is living our lives while we go through this."
Marxer predicts large doses of humor will be a major part of the treatment protocol.
The broadcast interview was produced by Barry Gordemer and edited by Jacob Conrad.
veryGood! (6573)
Related
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Hi Hi!
- With its top editor abruptly gone, The Washington Post grapples with a hastily announced restructure
- Witnesses, doorbell camera capture chaotic scene after Akron shooting left 1 dead, 25 injured
- 'Kingdom' star Jonathan Tucker helps neighbors to safety during home invasion incident
- Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
- How To Prepare Your Skin for Laser Hair Removal
- Chinese spacecraft lands on far side of moon
- Alligator that went missing at Missouri middle school found after nearly 2 weeks
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- Police arrest pro-Palestinian demonstrators inside San Francisco building housing Israeli Consulate
Ranking
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- 3rd try at approving recreational marijuana in South Dakota makes the ballot
- CEO pay is rising, widening the gap between top executives and workers. What to know, by the numbers
- The bodies of 2 canoeists who went over waterfall in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters have been recovered
- As Trump Enters Office, a Ripe Oil and Gas Target Appears: An Alabama National Forest
- Cucumbers recalled in 14 states due to salmonella risk
- Gossip Girl alum Taylor Momsen bit by a bat while performing in Spain: I must really be a witch
- Horoscopes Today, June 1, 2024
Recommendation
Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment
IRS sues Ohio doctor whose views on COVID-19 vaccinations drew complaints
Skier Jean Daniel Pession and Girlfriend Elisa Arlian Die After Mountain Fall, Found in “Final Embrace
Deontay Wilder's dad has advice for son after loss to Zihei Zhang: Fire your trainer
Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
Bebe Rexha allegedly has fans removed from concert after throwing objects at stage
Does Miley Cyrus Want Kids? She Says...
Giant Food stores in D.C. area ban duffel bags to thwart theft