Michael J. Fox

[MrsCatHead]

Does anyone have links to any interviews he's done before this where he is symptomatic? Someone on a local board near me is saying yes, MJF was faking it.

[kateln]

I don't. But I just saw the Scrubs episodes he did last night and I was struck at how much he was shaking. I mean the camera was capturing good times for his medicines but still it was clear that the disease was having an affect. That said, his character was hilarious. He plays a Doctor with OCD. He has to touch everything in his first patients room with a "dink" including Kelso's nose...

It makes me sad that he's sick. I had the biggest crush on him when I was a little kid, and as an adult I respect him--he seems like such a classy, great guy.

[slanderous]

Didn't he recently accept an award, or present one, where he was shaking a lot? I wish I could remember for you, MrsCatHead, because I swear I've seen the shakes now for years.

[indigo]

Heather Locklear and company said that while they were filming Spin City it was difficult for Fox because of his involuntary shaking. Sometimes his medicine hadn't taken full effect and he would have to try very hard not shake. Or they would have to rethink the way they were shooting because he just couldn't control it.

Didn't he finally leave Spin City because of health reasons? His condition has been worsening for many years now.

I find it hard to beleive the likes of Rush Limbaugh think he is faking.

Anyway here is some short footage of an award show with an interview intercut. I don't think it's the one you meant but it's the only one I could find.

Link

[slanderous]

Ugh, I just tried to find some interview footage predating the ads, and there's a whole bunch of rightwing Rush fans who've made clips making fun of MJF. I hate people.

[scarlet]

I just saw the Katie Couric interview and it's obviously to anyone with a working cerebellum (so that does eliminate Limbaugh) that the disease has progressed dramatically over the last few years. So sad--and yet, he's not asking for anyone's pity. I got quite choked up when, about the accusations being hurled at him he said that if it takes attacking the messenger to get the message across he'll gladly take that burden. As has been said, the man has more class in his pinky than R.L. could ever hope to have.

[Spinderella]

As has been said, the man has more class in his pinky than R.L. could ever hope to have.

You got that right. He's such a trooper. God Bless, MJF! *tear*

[Deleted]

My brother lent me a copy of Michael J Fox's auobiography, Lucky Man, a while ago and it's a fantastic read, I'd recommend it to anyone.

MJF was one of my childhood heroes and reading his book just renewed my adoration of him. He's honest about his flaws but doesn't dwell on them and he has the same attitude towards his illness and how he has coped with it. He did ignore it for several years after he was diagnosed but by the time he wrote the book (in 2000 I think) he'd come to terms with it and decided not to be ashamed or self-pitying and instead, to count his blessings. That's where the title of the book comes from, he says that he feels like an incredibly lucky man because of all the good things in his life and the Parkinson's doesn't negate any of those good things.

Reading the book and reading about how hard he works (whilst suffering from such a debilitating disease) makes me love him more than ever. He's faced his disease with dignity and bravery and so when I read about this moron Limbaugh I just see red. I've no idea who the guy is- I'd never heard of him before reading this thread - but I really want to hurt him badly now.

Just as a side note, he's still damn fine looking.

Link to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research for anyone who's interested.

[BinkyBetsy]

I remember a commercial he did, early on, for something computer-related, in which he was twitching (sorry if that's not PC) a bit, but it seemed that he was trying to "steer into the skid", so to speak. Like involuntary arm movements would be sustained so they'd look like gesturing, and so forth.

I was also impressed by one bit in the Couric interview, in which he said something to the effect that selfconsciousness/vanity was not an issue, because he'd had his era of being a teen idol, and people admiring him for his appearance, and that doesn't last anyway, so what of it. Good attitude, I think.

[Inkyblott]

Rush Limbaugh and his ilk as such assclowns. The only good thing about what they're doing is that it exposes them to be insensitive at the very least and at the most ignorant dicks resorting to making fun of a person with a serious, horribly debilitating disease.

I have to hand it to MJF for being, or at least seeming to be, a very decent person who's willing to really put himself out there re: Parkinson's disease and stem cell research. He seems like a really class act.