It’s the unexpected darling of Netflix right now—it even dethroned Bridgerton for a short period as the most-watched show!—but if you’ve been watching Tires, actor Steven Gerben’s hands and what happened to them might be a question you’ve had.
Tires is based on Will (Steven Gerben), the nervous and unqualified heir to an auto repair chain who attempts to turn his father’s business around despite constant torture from his cousin and now employee, Shane (Shane Gillis).
Gillis was named in the Saturday Night Live! cast in 2019, but that was swiftly rescinded after a journalist unearthed a video of a podcast in which Gillis used a slur in referring to Chinese people and mocked a caricature accent of a Chinese person speaking English. Rober Ebert critic Brian Tallerico observed that his firing was the “best thing” to happen to Gillis, but “it often feels like Tires has been carefully manufactured to make just enough people mad to produce online buzz through opposition without saying anything that’s all that more offensive than a morning radio talk show.”
The 6-episode series premiered on Netflix on May 23, 2024. Here’s what happened to Steven Gerben’s hands.
What happened to Steven Gerben’s hands?
If you’ve watched Tires or seen promo for it, you may have noticed Steven Gerben’s hands appear a little disfigured and it’s because he’s suffering from arthritis. Speaking on Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast in 2021, Gerben explained that he only has one working finger—and that COVID compounded his symptoms.
“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,” he explained. “It’s unfortunate. I would like to have two usable fingers, I do not.”
Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more joints. Osteoarthritis causes cartilage—the cushioning between joints—to break down, whereas rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, beginning with the lining of joints. Severe arthritis, particularly if it affects your hands or arms, can make it difficult to do daily tasks. Gerben has not specified which kind he has.
Tires has been renewed for a second season given its debut success and Gillis finally made his debut on SNL five years after his firing. “Yeah, I’m here,” Gillis began during his opening monologue. “Most of you probably have no idea who I am. I was actually—I was fired from this show a while ago. But if, you know, don’t look that up, please, if you don’t know who I am. Please, don’t Google that. It’s fine. Don’t even worry about it.” He continued: “Look, I don’t have any material that can be on TV, all right? I’m trying my best. Also, this place is extremely well-lit. I can see everyone not enjoying it. This is the most nervous I’ve ever been.”
