Stephen Hawking showed off his sense of humor Monday, telling an Israeli TV interviewer that "the only advantage of my disability is that I do not get put on a lot of boring committees."
During the interview, the renowned physicist also told journalist Yair Lapid that, "The downside of my celebrity is that I cannot go anywhere in the world without being recognized. It is not enough for me to wear dark sunglasses and a wig. The wheelchair gives me away. People want to be photographed with me, but it can be a nuisance when I am in a hurry."
Hawking, whose speech and mobility have been limited to a speech synthesizer and wheelchair by the progression of Lou Gehrig's disease, added that his debilitating illness had not prevented him from living a full and satisfying life.
Hawking, 64, was asked if his predicament had ever led him to consider ending his life.
"I think a person should have a right to end their life if they want, but I think it would be a great mistake," he replied. "However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. While there is life, there is hope."
