Andy Richter said he looked into taking weight-loss drugs despite not having type 2 diabetes
He said his insurance company didn’t cover the medication and it’s too expensive to pay for himself
The comedian admitted that if he were to take the medications, people would judge him for it
Andy Richter would try taking weight-loss medications if it weren’t for the price.
During the May 6 episode of his The Three Questions podcast, the comedian and longtime sidekick to Conan O’Brien spoke to Modern Family alum Eric Stonestreet about the use of GLP-1 weight-loss injections.
GLP-1 is short for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, which work in the brain to impact satiety. Popular brands like Ozempic and Mounjaro — both FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes — have been trending in and out of Hollywood as weight-loss aids.
“I actually have investigated getting on some of these types of drugs,” Richter, 58, said. “I’m not diabetic, I’m not pre-diabetic but I obviously have weight to lose and I have sleep apnea, which could or couldn’t be — I’m sure being overweight doesn’t help with sleep apnea.
“I’ve investigated it and it’s just, it’s cost-prohibitive to me at this point,” he continued. “They’re so expensive. And my insurance is not covering them.”
The average monthly cost of GLP-1 drugs can range from $1,000 to $2,000 without insurance.
Related: Eric Stonestreet Says Mounjaro Was a ‘Game Changer’ for Type 2 Diabetes, Weight Loss: ‘There’s a Pep in My Step’ (Exclusive)
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Richter then told Stonestreet that if he were to take weight-loss injections, people would immediately judge him for it, just as they have scrutinized other celebrities.
“Even if I took one, there’s always somebody like, ‘Oh, you took a drug to lose weight.’ F— you. Yeah, I did. Sure did,” he said. “You know what I used to do? I used to hire a trainer. You throw money at problems because you can’t do certain things yourself.”
“So it’s like, why should I be above the human race? There’s certainly plenty of people that are out in the world that are struggling with this stuff. Why am I somehow, like, I can overcome the human condition outta sheer willpower, says guy on the internet,” he continued. “So I just am like, look, whatever it takes. Whatever it takes to get healthy. What’s the point of technology and science if not to apply it?”
Read the original article on People
