Tracy Morgan calls Ozempic 'great' and says he was 'glad to use' controversial weight-loss drug... after joking he gained 40lbs on it
Tracy Morgan set the record straight on his experience with the controversial weight-loss drug Ozempic.
While he recently claimed to have gained 40 pounds while taking the Type 2 diabetes medication, the 55-year-old comedian confessed that his remark was made purely for comedic effect.
'That was just a joke,' he told E! News at the Garden of Laughs Comedy Benefit in New York City on Tuesday. 'Ozempic did great by me and I was glad to use it.'
The former Saturday Night Live cast member — who admitted to using the drug in August — added that he takes it once a week.
'It cuts my appetite in half,' he claimed. 'Now I only eat half a bag of Doritos.'
Tracy Morgan set the record straight on his experience with the controversial weight-loss drug Ozempic; pictured November 2023
While he recently claimed to have gained 40 pounds while taking the Type 2 diabetes medication , the 55-year-old comedian confessed that his remark was made purely for comedic effect; pictured 2019
Earlier this month, Tracy made the joke about the 40lbs weight gain during an episode of The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon.
At one point during the late-nigh talk show, host Fallon complemented the actor's physique and questioned how he was 'staying in shape.'
Morgan then simply replied with, 'That's Ozempic,' causing the crowd to briefly burst out in laughter while Jimmy said, 'Oh!'
Tracy continued, 'I've learned to out-eat Ozempic. I out-ate Ozempic. I've gained 40 pounds.'
The 30 Rock star questioned, 'Oh really?' prompting the comedian to add, 'I'm like Magic Johnson. I gained 40 pounds.'
Seven months earlier, the Cop Out actor made an appearance on the Today show where he revealed that he was taking Ozempic.
At the time, he told hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush that he credited his weight loss to using the drug. 'That's how this weight got lost.'
He further opened up about how he came about to using Ozempic and stated, 'I went and got a prescription, and I got Ozempic. I ain't letting it go.'
'That was just a joke,' he told E! News at the Garden of Laughs Comedy Benefit in New York City on Tuesday. 'Ozempic did great by me and I was glad to use it'; seen earlier this month in NYC
The former Saturday Night Live cast member — who admitted to using the drug in August — added that he takes it once a week; seen in 2015 in L.A.
Although Tracy is taking the medication, he also credited his weight loss to still following a strict fitness routine.
Morgan is just once of many celebrities who have candidly admitted to taking the weight loss drug, including Chelsea Handler, Amy Schumer and Sharon Osbourne.
In a recent interview with Woman Magazine, the wife of Ozzy Osbourne revealed doctors 'can't figure out' why she has been unable to gain back weight - despite the star no longer taking the medication for months.
However, she told the outlet, 'I think it's just because I'm getting older and as you get older you lose weight anyway and shrink and shrivel off.'
And last year in June, Schumer admitted to also trying out Ozempic, but stated that it had made her 'skinny and too sick' to play with her son.
Nearly 10 years earlier, Tracy notably was involved in a severe car collision with a Wal-Mart truck driver in New Jersey. His friend and fellow comedian, James McNair, passed away due to the crash.
At the time of the accident, Morgan suffered several injuries, including broken ribs, a broken nose and had to have surgery on his leg.
In 2015, the comedian took part in a candid interview with NBC's Matt Lauer and discussed his recovery. 'Sometimes, emotionally, I don't feel well.'
'It cuts my appetite in half,' he claimed. 'Now I only eat half a bag of Doritos'; May 2023
Earlier this month, Tracy made the joke about the 40lbs weight gain during an episode of The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon
'I've learned to out-eat Ozempic. I out-ate Ozempic. I've gained 40 pounds.'
He continued, 'I'm really focused on my memory coming back to me, my walking getting better.'
'I promise you: One day, when I'm 100 percent, I'm going to grab that mic, and I'm never going to let it go. I'm going to be the funniest I can be because I ain’t never going to take life for granted no more.'
During his latest interview on The Tonight Show earlier this week on Tuesday, Tracy also briefly talked about stand-up comedy.
The star is currently on tour and is set to make stops in states such as Washington later this week on Friday, March 22 followed by a visit to Nevada on Saturday.
His tour is slated to come to an end in May as he makes a stop in the state of New Jersey.
Fallon pointed out how stand-up was what kickstarted Morgan's career and he responded with, 'That was the foundation for everything, just like you. Doing stand-up is the foundation for all of this.'
