‘Conan’ Sidekick Andy Richter Is ‘Eternally Grateful’ His Then-Girlfriend Aborted Their Child at Planned Parenthood

‘Conan’ Sidekick Andy Richter Is ‘Eternally Grateful’ His Then-Girlfriend Aborted Their Child at Planned Parenthood September 26, 2016

andy-richterAndy Richter, longtime sidekick to Conan O’Brien, currently the host of “Conan” on TBS, recently toplined Sexy Beast, the second art-themed fundraiser for Planned Parenthood L.A., held Sept. 10 at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles.

Richter, now married to comedian Sara Thyre, who was his longtime girlfriend (and with whom he had two more children), addressed the crowd about the couple’s abortion.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

“I’d like to share a story,” he began. “In 1992, my girlfriend and I were having a rough time. We’d been performing in a show together for a couple of years, but it had come to an end, and we found ourselves living apart. She was in New York City working three jobs; I was in Chicago jobless and sleeping on my mother’s couch. The strain of living apart, and the stress of being two young people attempting to make a living as performers and writers was really taking a toll on its relationship. So when she called me to tell me that she was pregnant, it was not exactly happy news.”

“Luckily for us Planned Parenthood existed,” Richter continued. “My girlfriend knew that she was not ready for motherhood, and I knew that I was in no way prepared to be a father. I drove from Chicago in my battered old Toyota pick-up to be with her when she went to Planned Parenthood to terminate her pregnancy. Her choice to get an abortion was a choice that she made with assuredness. She knew that she was doing the right thing for everyone involved. But I can’t say it was easy. She was sad, and I was sad, and it was sad. But to this day, I know that she will tell you that she made the right decision.”

UPDATE: Here’s the bit, later in the Reporter story, that features the Richter quote in the title:

Planned Parenthood allowed my wife to make the decisions she needed to make in order to control her body and her health, and maintain her life and her future. And for that, I will be eternally grateful.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

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