Eric André Went to the Hospital for a Concussion After John Cena Threw Him ‘Through a Shelf’ (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Eric Andre in Austin, Texas in March 2023.Photo:Corey Nickols/Getty

Corey Nickols/Getty

ForEric André, getting injured is all in a day’s work.

Over the course of six seasons ofThe Eric Andre Show,the comedian, 41, has sustained a number of injuries.

“It’s pretty common,” Andre tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue, recalling a season 5 episode whereJohn Cenahurled him through a shelf. “I got through the shelf okay, but we forgot to sandbag the shelf — the frame of the shelf — so the metal frame tipped over and knocked me in the head. I got a concussion and went to the hospital.”

Another time, Andre accidentally thrust his hand through a window while filming a prank in Brooklyn.

“I was trying to hammer the window, but my whole hands went through,” he says. “It sliced me up, and I had to get stitches. I had to go to the hospital for that.”

Eric Andre in season 6 of ‘The Eric Andre Show.'.Adult Swim

Adult Swim

The Adult Swim comedy, which satirizes the decades-long talk show format, has hosted dozens of celebrity guests, includingJon Hamm,Jimmy Kimmel,Natasha LyonneandTinashe. Andre’s jokes can at times veer into NC-17 territory, but the comic insists that even now, his guests “have no idea what they’re getting into.”“Even if they did thorough research, they watch every episode, they’re super fans, once you sit in that chair, and explosives are being detonated, and flying African hissing cockroaches are coming out of my coffee mug? It doesn’t matterhowprepared you are,” he says.

“We’ve gotten it to the point where it doesn’t matter how prepared you are,” the comic continues. “Once the torture begins, everybody’s going to react in a genuine way. We don’t ever want people playing along.”

Eric Andre in season 3 of the ‘The Eric Andre Show.'.Trae Patton/Adult Swim/Cartoon Network/Courtesy Everett

Trae Patton/Adult Swim/Cartoon Network/Courtesy Everett

Andre’s special brand of comedy has earned him two Emmy nominations this year, one for outstanding performer in a short form comedy or drama series and another for outstanding short form comedy, drama of variety series. When he received the news from a Comedy Central employee, Andre tells PEOPLE he was “over the moon.”

“We’ve been doing the show for over 10 years, so to even just get the acknowledgement of the nomination [is amazing],” he says. “But I get a little superstitious about this stuff. I’ll celebrate if I get one of those trophies in my hand.”

Whether or not Andre snags the statues at the2024 Emmy Awardson Sept. 15, he still has high hopes for the show’s future — and would love to one day haveGhislaine Maxwellon as a guest. “She’s got stories to tell, man,” he explains.

Elsewhere, Andre also aspires to do an entire episode “underwater," stating, “I think it’d be majestic and surreal.”

Eric Andre in season 4 of the ‘The Eric Andre Show.'.Tyler Golden/Adult Swim/Cartoon Network/courtesy Everett

Tyler Golden/Adult Swim/Cartoon Network/courtesy Everett

When he’s not working on his show or performing stand-up comedy, the entertainer leads a balanced life that seems like a far cry from his frenetic onstage and onscreen persona.

Andre also brings attention to serious topics from time to time. On Aug. 20, he uploadedan Instagram postwith a video discussing a troubling stopover at Melbourne Airport in Australia, where he said he was racially profiled. In addition to requesting a security escort through Melbourne Airport, Andre asked his social media followers for leads on discrimination lawyers.

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Seasons one through six ofThe Eric Andre Showare available to stream on Hulu. The 2024 Emmys air on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

source: people.com