Richard Lewis' Last Message To His Wife On Twitter Was Simply Beautiful

On February 27, the world lost one of its most beloved comedic minds when Richard Lewis passed away. The actor and comedian passed away in his Los Angeles, California home at the age of 76 due to a heart attack. His death comes a mere few weeks after the debut of the 12th and final season of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" — the Larry David-led comedy series that Lewis has appeared on since Season 1 — and just under a year after his announcement that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Lapinsky, to whom he left a touching final message on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Keaton had his Eleanor
I have my Joyce
❤️ pic.twitter.com/jGJe7NHHkk

— Richard Lewis (@TheRichardLewis) February 14, 2024

Quite appropriately, Lewis shared a loving post to Lapinsky on the evening of Valentine's Day, February 14. "Keaton had his Eleanor, I have my Joyce," he wrote, with a heart emoji and a photo of the two dressed up and smiling at an event. Lewis' words compare their love to that of fellow famous actor and comedian Buster Keaton and his wife, Eleanor, who were married from 1940 to 1966. It's not a particularly long post, but it says so much about their relationship in so few words. Similarly to Eleanor, who performed alongside her husband on stage and promoted his work, Lapinsky also worked alongside her husband and produced his documentary "House of a Lifetime: Richard Lewis."

Just as lovely as this post is the story of how Lewis and Lapinsky came to be a romantic couple.

The love story of Richard Lewis and Joyce Lapinsky dates back over two decades. A previous 2010 interview with Lewis and Pop Culture Classics revealed that mutual friends initially tried to set them up when Lewis was still on his "Anything But Love" sitcom in the early '90s, to which she then said: "No, he's crazy. I'm not going out with him" (via ET). But the timing would work out later as Lewis also recalled to the outlet: "I was able to commit to somebody finally," he said. "I met the right woman at the right time. There's a lot of compromise in any relationship. But it's easier to compromise at 60 than it is at 25."

When Lewis and Lapinsky later met at an album release party hosted by Beatles alum Ringo Starr, they hit it off. "It triggered what she calls 'the snake dance.' I might as well have been a 9-year-old. I was putting on a show for this woman," Lewis recalled their first interaction in an interview with Observer in 2007. Soon enough, the two began dating, and by the mid-2000s, they were ready to tie the knot.

Lapinsky and Lewis married in 2005, remaining happily together until his death.

Of course, the positive impact of Lapinsky on Lewis isn't something the actor alone has attested to, as even those around him noticed how perfect of a fit they were. "Joyce has such a stabilizing effect on him. Everybody is looking for that one person in life who will love you unconditionally, and he's found that with her," Susie Essman, the actor behind Susie Greene on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," said. Still, she joked that he remained as miserable as ever despite their strong romance.

All in all, it seems that Joyce Lapinsky couldn't have been a more perfect match for Richard Lewis throughout their 26 years together. Lewis' death was announced by his publicist Jeff Abraham, who recently shared a message on behalf of Lapinsky to Deadline. Abraham noted, "His wife, Joyce Lapinsky, thanks everyone for all the love, friendship, and support and asks for privacy at this time."

May he rest in peace.