Michael J. Fox

[kafka]

binkybetsy said:

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've noticed the same thing. When he was on Letterman a year or so ago, I remember noticing how he hid his really shaky arm by draping it around and to the back of the sofa chair. With the other, he held his leg cross over his knee. And whenever the hand shaking got too be too much, he'd gesture and wave his arm around.

It almost looked like a natural part of conversing, except it happened every 90 seconds, and his speech was very obviously slurred from either the meds or diminished motor skills.

In light of all that's happened and come out, I'm sure he took a lot of meds before coming onto such a big show with such a large national audience. And it says something that even with the meds, he couldn't hide the way his body was shaking.

I've seen all his appearances on Boston Legal and it was very obvious that they set up the cameras to minimise attention to his right side. (Well, my right, so probably his left. It was the same side he tried to camouflage the most on Letterman). It was also obvious how much he'd deteriorated, although they really tried to hide it.

I'll try to link to the Letterman interview if I can find it on YouTube because I remember it was very endearing with his comments on hockey and Canada, not to mention his totally humble, utterly embarassed reaction to the massive --- MASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSIVE ----- audience cheers for him when he first came out.

[indigo]

I've seen all his appearances on Boston Legal and it was very obvious that they set up the cameras to minimise attention to his right side. (Well, my right, so probably his left. It was the same side he tried to camouflage the most on Letterman). It was also obvious how much he'd deteriorated, although they really tried to hide it.

Yes. Tha cast of Spin City were talking about the very same thing. Having to arrange scenes and set up cameras so as to disguise his symptoms.

[Deleted]

Okay, now you guys are really making me want to cry. I just want to find MJF and give him a gigantic hug now.

[stephanie]

guinastasia said:

Okay, now you guys are really making me want to cry. I just want to find MJF and give him a gigantic hug now.

So do I and then I'd like 5 minutes in a boxing ring with fat ass Limbaugh. Although I'm a female the smart money should be on me

[kayti2212]

I caught his E! Hollywood True Story this morning, and am not ashamed to admit that I cried. The footage of him shaking whilst advocating for research into PD in front of Congress was heartbreaking. I was surprised to hear that he had actually hidden his PD for almost a decade as he didn't want to be pitied. There were interviews with his fellow Spin City cast members who said that he used to hold up shooting for hours at times because his medication hadn't kicked in, and because they hadn't known at the time that he had PD and thought he was just being a prima donna who needed things run on his own time, they often got quite annoyed with him.

Anyway, I just adore him. He was a staple of my childhood - Back To The Future, Family Ties, etc. I love that he and his wife have been together so long and seem to be so stable and supportive of one another. I want to read his memoir now!

[indigo]

I was surprised to hear that he had actually hidden his PD for almost a decade as he didn't want to be pitied. There were interviews with his fellow Spin City cast members who said that he used to hold up shooting for hours at times because his medication hadn't kicked in, and because they hadn't known at the time that he had PD and thought he was just being a prima donna who needed things run on his own time, they often got quite annoyed with him.

I knew he hid his Parkinson's and kept it a secret but I really didn't know that he didn't tell the cast and/or crew on the show. I thought they knew all along. That takes a lot to go through people having a false impression of you because you don't want them to know that you are sick and can't help it. Well he must have told them all at some point as it worsened.

I can sort of understand why he didn't tell them at first. Once you tell people on the set it's only a matter of time before it spreads and then leaks offset.

Some asked for an MJF interview from before the ad campaign.

Here - it's 30 minutes long - done in 2001

If you didn't know he had Parkinson's I don't think anyone would notice anything at all. But knowing he does the slight rocking is noticeable. Around 25 minutes into the interview he gets some involuntary mouth thing that happens to him but he can still talk and he works around it seemingly without too much trouble and without breaking pace. It only lasts for a minute or two and goes away.

I like the fact that somewhere around that time in the interview that the mouth thing happens he was talking about being a small guy and being underestimated and finding joy in taking the effort to surpass people's expectations of him to prove he can compete equally with anyone else. Kind of mirrors his approach to his disease and his desire for people not to pity him or underestimate him because he happens to be ill.

ETA: There are 4 other parts each a half hour long and if you are a fan of his and have the time over the next week to watch them I would recommend them. They are interesting and worthwhile. This man is a great interview. Candid and effortlessly cool.

Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

[petals]

I've never been a huge fan of his--he's just been there. But damn, seeing him doing these recent interviews has made me look at him in a whole new light. Him and Christoper Reeve--talk about special people! The inner strength it must take to put yourself out there like that, and not return an attack on someone who, frankly, deserves a smack down. It blows my mine.

I do get very irritated by the idea that he's being "used" by liberals. He's not a chair. He has a mind of his own, and he has made the decision to be in the commercials and speak out. That's his right.

[Deleted]

I'd like to add that my reaction (tears and hugs) is not out of pity so much as just I HATE seeing him like this, and I just admire the hell out of him, for standing up and telling Rush to fuck off.

That and nostalgia for my first ever celeb crush.

[Deleted]

kafka said:

caribou said:

He is now and will always be Canadian first. It amazes me how and why some (very few as far as I can tell) Americans hate Canadians and look down their noses at us, yet MJF is there being a typical Canadian and they love him.

If we're Canadian but living in the USA, then we're okay?

I don't know if you were talking about anyone here but, personally, I think it's silly to use nationality as a litmus test for liking *or* disliking someone. Same with the question of the country in which a person lives. The one exception is Gwyneth Paltrow, and that's solely because she's made nationality and location something to use to cast derison onto others.

No no, sorry I should have clarified. It was elsewhere online, several places. It seems to go hand in hand with criticizing MJF, in that those who say he was faking also say "well he's Canadian too so...". It was really irritating to see it in everything I read and heard nearly.

Just want to add, MJF does come to Canada for reasons other than awards. His parents and family are here. As do many artists who now live or took out citizenship in the USA. The only one I know who renounced his Canadian citizenship entirely is Conrad Black.

Anyway, does anyone remember the special or interview MJF had on 20/20 years ago? It was either while he was doing Spin City or just after he left that show. It was all about his brain surgery and did show him shaking a fair bit, which is why he had the surgery. Maybe i've just caught more footage than most over the years but it's been well-documented, his illness and it's progression. That's why I was so surprised that Rush could claim this was news or faking. It's been out there a lot for several years.

[Sunnyhorse]

Rush Limbaugh never lets the facts get in the way of his hateful opinions.