Jamie Foxx is opening up about the profound confusion and frustration he experienced following a near-fatal stroke in April 2023. During a recent appearance on the "Baby, This Is Keke Palmer" podcast, the Oscar winner, 58, shared that his initial reaction to the medical emergency was to question a higher power. "I was talking to him... This is me, bro. I put the smiles on people’s faces. Why me? Look at all these bad people out here," Foxx recounted.

The actor expressed astonishment when his loved ones informed him he had suffered a stroke. "I couldn’t make sense of it," he said, recalling the difficulty in understanding the situation. Foxx described his rehabilitation as "frustrating," particularly the common sentiment that he had been given a "second chance."

"I said, 'Fuck the second chance! What was wrong with my first chance?'" Foxx stated, emphasizing his bewilderment. "This doesn’t happen to anybody. How does it happen to me?"

During his recovery, Foxx found solace in humor, using comedy as his primary coping mechanism. He explained that his healthcare team sometimes struggled to perform wellness checks because he was constantly joking. "So, I was just funny. I was always joking all the time. So, when they [would] come and say, ‘Who are you today, sir?’ I was somebody different [everyday]," he recalled, imitating fellow comedian Dave Chappelle.

His daughter, Corinne Foxx, who also appeared on the podcast, clarified that her father's humor, such as impersonating Denzel Washington upon his hospital admission, was not a sign of memory loss but a way to cope. Foxx interjected, stating that these impersonations were "the only way I could find myself."

Foxx also revealed the severity of his condition, relaying a nurse's comment that his survival was a miracle. "Less than 3% of people that come in with what you have walk out of here. We usually put them in a box," the nurse reportedly told him.

The health issues began on April 11, 2023, with what Foxx described as a "bad headache." He recalled being incapacitated for 20 days and having no memory of the initial period. After being taken to a doctor by his sister and daughter, he received a cortisone shot. A subsequent doctor's visit revealed a more serious underlying issue.

![Jamie Foxx discussed his stroke while appearing on “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer" on Aug. 25, 2026.]( "Jamie Foxx discussed his stroke while appearing on “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer" on Aug. 25, 2026.")