While they are well aware that these treatments have no curative or even medicinal powers, they still feel better after using them.
Every now and then, however, someone might actually try to sell them a "cure" for their illness.
Something they'll likely have no interest in adding to their daily meds.
Redditor ProcedureMinute6644 was curious to learn about some of the silliest "cures" pushed on people with chronic illnesses, leading them to ask:
"People with chronic illnesses, what's the most absurd 'cure' were you suggested by someone? and did you consider it?"
"I had gout since I was in my early 20s."
"It's not fat or alcohol but hereditary, at the time, and in good shape."
"My father had it, too."
"He sprayed WD40 on his and swore by it."
"I did it because it hurt so bad I figured why not."
"It felt better, but I think it was the cold compressed air."
" Still laugh at that."- Big-Property-6833
"Chronic migraine, was told to rub a lemon slice on my forehead."- amrob22
"Endometriosis."
"My doctor suggested I get pregnant."
"At 19 years old."- rudepigeon7
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"I once had someone tell me that if I went vegan, my Rheumatoid Arthritis would 'go into remission'."
"I had been vegan for about 5 years by that time."- calipithecus
"I have osteoarthritis in the lumbar region of my spine."
"The amount of people telling me I should see a chiropractor and get 'adjusted' is crazy."
"I mean, those vertebrae look like a freaking crown in x-ray and you want me to let someone try to crack my back?"
"I'll stick with my physical therapy thank you."- LeftatOrion
"When I told my parents that I started taking antidepressants my dad suggested that I should eat one clove of raw garlic every morning instead."
"Didn't even know what to respond."- 0w3w
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"Meditation."
"I have epilepsy."- Prestigious-Syrup836
"I have Type 1 diabetes."
"I've been recommended all sorts of things, including green juice mix, pink(?)."
"Smoothies, 'gut health' vitamins, and what have you."
"No, I have never considered any of them."
"The only thing that works--that has ever worked in the 35 years of my disease,--is daily insulin injections."
"I'm on a pump now that tests my blood glucose and auto-injects insulin when I need it."
"That's pretty snazzy tech."- FortuneTellingBoobs
"Cancer, twice."
"I had an aunt try and convince me on everything from coffee enemas to colloidal silver."
"She got breast cancer and tried all these remedies until it was too late and it spread to the other breast."
"She's now working with my oncologist."- fren2allcheezes
"Misdiagnosed with MS, and after 10 years of horrendously expensive, uncomfortable, daily/weekly injections, pills, infusions...found out it wasn't (instead is: Sjogren's Disease + Rheumatoid Arthritis...joy. /s)."
"Anyway: acquaintances, relatives, and colleagues would tell me to 'eat clean', do LOTS of hot yoga (uhmm, xtra bad advice for MS, btw...), check out so-and-so celebrity vitamins (ugh), 'have kids-- it will totally cure the MS!' and to just 'will myself to good health'. Riiiight".- Wrong-Sock1752
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"Ditch my prescriptions medications (one of which is a hormone my body doesn’t produce enough of) for Himalayan sea salt."- ranch_life_1986
"I'm celiac and I'd say 50% of the time it's brought up, I get told I should just go to Europe so I can eat gluten there."
"Gluten is gluten no matter where you go."
"I am not going to listen to someone who has zero experience with the disease I live with."- WavyLady
"The Lightning Process."
"I have severe ME, am predominantly bedbound, and need a wheelchair to go out."
"ME is a complex neuro-immune condition, causing profound fatigue and post exertional malaise - a poisoned, flu like feeling after any activity physical or mental."
"The condition is usually triggered by an infection."
"The Lightning Process charges you hundreds of pounds to tell you it's all caused by negative thinking, and to say 'stop' every time you're experiencing a symptom."
"It basically teaches you to be in denial of a debilitating biological illness."
"And then it recruits its marks to tell others they were cured by it, to get new marks, and more money."
"My brother met one such mark, and introduced us."- veganmua
Lightning Thunder GIF by Tec de Monterrey Giphy
"Someone suggested that I could cure my food allergies by going to a special clinic in California that fixes allergies with special tolerance diets."
"It’s really expensive and they only treat under-18s, and when I looked it up the founder was very secretive about his methods and apparently it only works for SOME people."
"I did not go to the clinic."- junkdrawertales
"Upon my first visit with a new GP, he told me I just needed to get my rage out and then proceeded to kick a trash can."
"For my crippling anxiety disorder."- TreeBranchImpalement
It's fine to partake in healing methods that serve no medical purpose if they put our minds at ease and improve our mental health.
If we're looking for results, however, always take your Doctor's advice.
...Unless their advice is to kick a trash can, in which case it's time to find a new doctor...
But the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel revealed his hypocrisy on September 22 when they reported Berrien had been following sexually explicit accounts online. One account belonged to adult performer Jiz Lee who identifies as nonbinary—a gender identity that falls under the transgender umbrella.
After being questioned about his online activity by the paper, Berrien began unfollowing numerous accounts—activity that was easily flagged by observers.
On September 26, Berrien officially dropped out of the Wisconsin gubernatorial race.
Berrien said in a statement:
"As a result of our politics today, I cannot focus on the issues I know will turn Wisconsin around. I have come to the conclusion I do not have a path to the nomination."
"It was a major attack piece and we confirmed opposition research started in January of this year, if not earlier. And for what? For reading!"
"Nothing illegal, nothing unethical, and nothing immoral. Just reading. Wouldn’t you want your political and business leaders (and all of society, frankly) to be widely read and thoughtful and aware of different perspectives and ideas?"
"Yet, when a supposedly major metropolitan newspaper condemns someone for reading, we have ourselves a problem."
People were hardly surprised by another conservative Republican being hypocritical.
@internetfun2Ø25/X
Even Lee, the trans/nonbinary performer Berrien followed, called him out, writing on Bluesky:
"It's okay to follow trans porn stars. It's okay to read articles about sex and relationships. What's not okay is the hypocrisy of backing forceful legislation that restricts what people, trans and otherwise, can do with their own bodies."
"That is shameful."
With a little over 13 months until the 2026 midterm election, Republicans might want to start scrubbing their hypocritical online activities now.
Or suffer Bill Berrien's fate.
The Saudi Press Agency promoted the event as:
“The festival is the largest of its kind globally, bringing together a selection of award-winning comedy stars known for their outstanding performances on international stages and streaming platforms. It reflects the efforts to amplify Riyadh’s status as a leading destination for major cultural and artistic events.”
But critics say the festival is a textbook case of “comedy-washing”—using stand-up to launder Saudi Arabia’s image while sidestepping its human rights abuses, crackdowns on free speech, reliance on desperate “canceled” or openly transphobic comedians, and its ties to the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on October 2, 2018.
The CIA later concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the driving force behind Vision 2030, personally approved Khashoggi’s assassination.
Joey Shea, Saudi Arabia researcher for Human Rights Watch, condemned the timing in a statement:
“The seventh anniversary of Jamal Khashoggi's brutal murder is no laughing matter, and comedians receiving hefty sums from Saudi authorities shouldn't be silent on prohibited topics in Saudi like human rights or free speech.”
The killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, shocked the world and drew rare bipartisan condemnation in the United States. His murder remains a defining symbol of Saudi Arabia’s repression, and deciding to host a comedy festival on its anniversary is especially jarring.
Citing the hypocrisy, comedian David Cross unloaded on his peers in a fiery statement on social media:
“I am disgusted, and deeply disappointed in this whole gross thing. That people I admire, with unarguable talent, would condone this totalitarian fiefdom for…what, a fourth house? A boat? More sneakers?”
So, how much are comedians making? Fired Riyadh comedian Tim Dillon admitted he would’ve earned $375,000, while others could command up to $1.6 million.
On his August 30 podcast, Dillon shrugged off the backlash:
“They're paying me enough to look the other way… Do I have issues with some of the policies towards women, towards the gays … towards the freedom of speech? Well, of course I do, but I believe in my own financial well-being.”
But the Arrested Development actor wasn’t having it:
“Clearly you guys don’t give a shit about what the rest of us think, but how can any of us take any of you seriously ever again? All of your bitching about ‘cancel culture’ and ‘freedom of speech’ and all that shit? Done. You don’t get to talk about it ever again. By now we’ve all seen the contract you had to sign.”
That contract reportedly comes with strict censorship rules. Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka shared that she declined an invitation after reading an offer that explicitly prohibited material critical of Saudi Arabia, the royal family, or religious figures.
Cross pushed further:
“I mean, how do you even promote that? ‘From the folks that brought you 9/11. Two weeks of laughter in the desert, don’t miss it!'"
You can view his entire statement below:
He’s not alone. Shane Gillis revealed on his Secret Podcast that he turned down a lucrative offer, saying, “I took a principled stand. You don’t 9/11 your friends.” Marc Maron also mocked the festival in a stand-up set, quipping that it was easy for him to “take the high road” since he hadn’t been invited.
And the awkwardly lovable Office star Zach Woods weighed in on Instagram with his own video critique:
On social media, many users rallied behind Cross, praising him for saying what others in the industry lacked the integrity—and frankly, the guts—to do. Others, however, pointed out the hypocrisy of criticizing Saudi Arabia while overlooking the United States’ own human rights record.
Spoiler alert: it’s not exactly stellar either.
@awinell/Instagram
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Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has rapidly expanded its entertainment industry under Vision 2030. In just a decade, the kingdom has gone from banning concerts to hosting raves and booking stars like Jennifer Lopez and Justin Bieber. Movie theaters, film festivals, and major sporting events—including the 2034 FIFA World Cup—are now pillars of its global rebrand.
But Joey Shea warns these flashy spectacles are less about reform than distraction. Rather than being remembered as a country that murders dissidents, Saudi Arabia wants to recast itself as a land of concerts, comedy festivals, and international partnerships.
For comedians who once claimed to champion free speech, that punchline lands flat.
