THE once-tubby Ebby Yus is now gaunt but despite his drastic weight loss, he remains his jovial and witty self.
He returned to work a month before Ramadan and says he has "never felt better".
Having suffered from a kidney ailment for more than a year, a heart ailment (he underwent bypass surgery in 1998) and chronic gastric problems, the Negri-Sembilan-born comedian is fortunate to be able to fast again.
"I went for my umrah in Mecca last February. After months of praying hard, I thank God that I'm able to observe the fast like the rest of my family," he said at the recording of the Hari Raya special, Jawatankuasa Kampung Kalut Raya, at Seri Pentas 2, Plaza Alam Sentral in Shah Alam recently.
"However, the doctor says I still have to take things easy. No over-straining myself, eat right, drink lots of water and get sufficient sleep."
The Bahau-born comedian, who has been in the industry for more than 30 years, admits that his "difficulties" over the last year were a "wake-up call" for him to monitor his diet and live a more healthy lifestyle.
"During the few months I spent in Kuala Lumpur Hospital last year, I feared I would never be able to act again.
"My spirits were down but my loved ones encouraged me to think positive. Likewise my friends from showbusiness, including the Raja Lawak and Maharaja Lawak graduates who visited me in hospital.
WORKING IT OUT
"I missed my work dearly. One night, I told myself 'I want to be back, comedy is my life'," said Ebby, whose real name is Muhammad Yunus Rashid.
The love for work proved to be his strongest “medicine”. “It motivated me to take stock of my health and bounce back,” he said.
Ebby lost 9kg as a result of his illness and hospitalisation. He now weighs 82kg.
"I visit my doctor every three months. Health checks are important. My siblings always phone me to check if I've visited the doctor," he said, adding that he now makes it a habit to bring his medication to work.
"Also, I've learnt to eat smaller portions of food every three hours. As I also have high blood pressure and diabetes, I've to reduce my intake of carbohydrates.”
Ebby is thankful to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for encouraging him to "live healthy".
"I was a regular emcee at the former Prime Minister's open house in Putrajaya alongside my close friends Angeline Tan and Sathiya. Najib advised me to eat small portions during each meal,” he said, adding that his co-hosts also advised him to drink warm instead of iced drinks.
Ebby has been playing Pak Din, the village headman and protagonist of the sitcom Jawatankuasa Kampung Kalut since it began in 2014.
RAYA ROLE
Ebby is grateful to TV3 for having him star in a Raya sitcom this year. He did not appear in any Raya programme in the last six years.
"I've been playing Jawatankuasa Kampung Kalut’s Pak Din for five years now. I love him because he's a pakcik (uncle) who is young at heart.
"Playing men who are young at heart is good for me because I get to think like a youngster and be sharp like one!"
Nevertheless, Ebby will not involve himself in "heavy menial tasks" in the studio.
"Yes, that's on doctor's orders. No heaving big boxes or climbing steep flights of steps. I'll be seated or making small steps on the stage most of the time," he said.
Ebby, who co-owns the Adam Lai Restaurant in Shah Alam with three business partners, made his film debut in Tuah, alongside Datuk Jamal Abdillah and Erma Fatima.
He has also appeared in the films XX-Ray (1992), Lu Pikirlah Sendiri The Movie (2010), Bujang Terlajak (2012) and This Is Pilah (2018).
In Jawatankuasa Kampung Kalut Raya, which will be screened on TV3 on the third day of Hari Raya at 11pm, Ebby's character Pak Din helps an old friend, Kodi, played by comedian Ropie of Hantu Kak Limah fame, convince his long-lost parents that he is still alive.
Kodi was separated from his father (Datuk Jalaluddin Hassan), mother (Rozita Che Wan) and younger sister (Nadia Brian) during his youth as a result of an accident.
The trio show up at Kampung Kalut during Hari Raya but they cannot remember who Kodi.
JKK Raya is produced by M. Samsairol Che Aman and Haizren Mohd Esa. It also stars Shuk Sahar, Issey and Ain Edruce.