Piven Exits SPEED-THE-PLOW, Mamet Comments on Illness

Daily Variety reached out to David Mamet, who wrote the showbiz satire and seemed less than convinced by Piven's departure. Mamet commented, "I talked to Jeremy on the phone and he told me that he discovered that he had a very high level of mercury," Mamet said. "So my understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer."

Mamet indicated to Variety that despite Piven's exit, the show will go on. "The good news is that some really great actors will be helping out and stepping in, which to me is a sign of great heroism and friendship," said Mamet, who declined to name the replacement.

A spokeswoman for the actor said he wanted to continue in the role, but that doctors advised him he should end his run immediately.

Piven's spokeswoman to Variety that "the diagnosis came from a team of doctors headed by Dr. Carlon Colker, an internist and attending physician at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York and Greenwich Hospital in Connecticut, and also CEO and medical director of Peak Wellness".

Piven was scheduled to perform throughout the show's run, which is scheduled to run until Feb. 22nd.

No further details about the illness were available. A rep for the show confirmed that Piven had missed the recent performance but gave no other comment.