Singer and actress Selena Gomez revealed that she was diagnosed with Lupus in 2015. The Only Murders In the Building star ultimately required a kidney transplant due to the damage caused by lupus. In a 2022 interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, Gomez disclosed that she had named her new kidney “Fred.” The Love On singer explained that she named it after famous comedian Fred Armisen.

Comedian Fred Armisen is co-creator and co-star of the sketch comedy series Portlandia. After learning that Gomez had named her kidney after him, Armisen sent flowers to Selena Gomez.

Selena Gomez Visits “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.” (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Selena Gomez named her new kidney after the famous comedian

Gomez talks about naming her new kidney. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The Love On singer revealed that in 2017, she underwent a kidney transplant, and her best friend, Francia Raisa, volunteered to donate it. Undergoing a kidney transplant is no laughing matter, but Gomez has found a way of “coping” with her lupus diagnosis and transplant. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Gomez said she named her new kidney “Fred.”

She explained,

“I named it after Fred Armisen because I love Portlandia.”

She added,

“I’ve never met him, but I’m secretly hoping he finds that out just because I want him to be like, ‘That’s weird.’”

At the Tonight Show, Fallon playfully said to Gomez that he knew she had named her new kidney. Gomez reiterated the reason to Fallon and told him that she loved Armisen’s Portlandia.

Fred Armisen is a former star of Saturday Night Live and more recently appeared on Netflix’s hit series Wednesday as Uncle Fester. While Gomez and Armisen have not met, Gomez is in awe of his work. She reported,

“I love everything he does.

Gomez also told Fallon that Armisen knows that the singer named her kidney after him. As a sweet gesture, he sent her flowers, and Gomez was “so excited” about it. Fallon went on to suggest to Gomez that she should meet the star. The Lose You To Love Me singer was more than happy to hear the proposition and said,

“I heard he’s awesome.”

Selena Gomez’s ways of coping with lupus

 The Rare Impact Fund Hosts A Private Screening of “Selena Gomez: My Mind And Me.” (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Rare Impact Fund)

It was not an easy journey for Selena Gomez after her lupus diagnosis. The condition put incredible pressure on her physical and mental health, eventually leading her to take some time off the screen. Before she named her new kidney after a comedian as a way of coping with the condition, she resorted to various treatments to feel better.

Some treatments included going for chemotherapy and learning about a specific type of psychotherapy called Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. In an interview with Billboard, Gomez talked about her secret to staying healthy. She noted that it is a combination of “diet, routine, and medication.”

After years of continued battle with lupus, Selena Gomez has learned to work on her physical and mental health. Growing up in the spotlight can be challenging. Still, Gomez has channeled it to increase awareness about lupus and other mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression associated with it.