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In the new Netflix comedy series Tires, actor and writer Steve Gerben steals the show as an unqualified heir to an auto repair chain store named Will. However, fans have noticed something unusual about his hands.
Gerben's hands look slightly disfigured in the show, mostly locked in a specific position with very little movement of fingers. This is not a quirk of his character Will, but a real disorder that affects the actor in real life.
Steve Gerben revealed in 2021 during the Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast that the reason his hands were different was due to arthritis. Arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation and pain in the joints. There are different symptoms for different types of arthritis but as per WebMD, some common symptoms include pain, swelling, stiffness, tenderness, redness, warmth, and joint deformity.
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Steve Gerben reveals his arthritis medication stopped being effective
On April 9, 2021, Steve Gerben appeared on an episode of Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast titled The King Returns. Speaking to the hosts about his hand deformity, Gerben disclosed that the medication he had been taking for his arthritis had ceased to work.
He went on to add that contracting COVID-19 made his pre-existing ailment worse:
"It was arthritis stuff. The medication I was on stopped working, so we tried different medications, and they used to not work, so that one kills your everything, and then COVID."
Steve Gerben joked with his co-hosts that they could make fun of his hands as much as they wanted. He also revealed to listeners that he unfortunately only has one usable finger.
Although Gerben has not disclosed which type of arthritis he has, his symptoms are reportedly consistent with that of rheumatoid arthritis. As per WebMD, this chronic illness most frequently affects the hands, wrists, and knees.
In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, causing the lining to swell. Bone and cartilage may be harmed by this inflammation spreading to neighboring tissues. Moreover, it can also damage nerves, skin, and eyes in severe cases.
Read more: Is Netflix's Tires similar to sitcom Seinfeld? Explained
What is Tires about? Details explored
Tires is a six-episode comedy series from comedian Shane Gillis which premiered on May 23, 2024. The show follows Will (Steve Gerben), the anxious and seemingly unqualified heir to an auto repair chain, as he tries to revitalize his father's business while enduring constant torment from his cousin and now employee, Shane (Gillis).
As per Tires on Netflix, the synopsis of the show reads:
"At his father's auto shop, a hapless manager strives to improve customer service and drive profits while keeping his troublemaking cousin in line."
With Gillis also serving as co-creator and executive producer, the cast of Tires includes Chris O’Connor, Kilah Fox, Stavros Halkias, and Andrew Schulz as a guest star. The series has already been renewed for a second season.
Read more: 5 Things Tires season 2 can improve from season 1
All episodes of Tires are currently available to stream on Netflix.
