It was a "fun fact" fail during 2014’s Golden Globes
coverage, when the E! network posted an insensitive tidbit about TV legend Michael J. Fox, who was nominated for a Golden Globe in the
category of best comedy actor for his self-titled sitcom.
During the red carpet pre-show, the cable channel posted a graphic
touting Fox's 1991 Parkinson's diagnosis as a "fun fact," leaving
viewers stunned and sparking outage on Twitter. (Incidentally, Buzzfeed caught
another not-so-fun fact during E!'s pre-show Golden Globes broadcast:
"Robert Redford was stricken with polio as a child." Sigh.)
In a statement posted by the Hollywood Reporter, E! apologized for
the error, saying: "We regret the insensitive classification of Michael J.
Fox's Parkinson's diagnosis during our live stream. We understand the serious
nature of the disease and sincerely apologize."
While Fox didn’t comment on the onscreen snafu, the “Family Ties” alum has long been open about his battle with the debilitating
disease. In fact, the actor's short-lived 2013 sitcom addressed his real life
ailment head on. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Fox said
he'd even turn down a quick fix for the disease, which he's battled for more
than 20 years.
"If I walked into a room with God or Buddha or Bill Gates or
Sergey Brin or whoever could figure out a way to fix it for me, I don't think
I'd do it," the actor said. "My life is better than it was, because I
have access to these truths and access to these moments where I give myself a
break and just go, 'F--k it.' That's the source of all this wisdom that's
attributed to me … It's like I just took an a-- kicking and remembered the
boots were kicking me."
Even with that positive attitude, we can think of plenty of things
that are more "fun" than battling any type of disease. That said,
here are five real fun facts about Michael J. Fox.
1. The actor didn't finish high school as a teen, but he made up
for it later. In an interview with NPR, Fox revealed he went back to school 15 years after
dropping out of high school -- at the request of his 4-year-old. "I always
felt that I came up short in the education department," Fox said.
"But I've come to the conclusion that we all get an education. And somehow
over the years, I managed to get one."
2. The actor's middle names is actually Andrew. So, where did the
"J" come from? According to Mentalfloss, there was already a Michael Fox in the Screen
Actors Guild, so Fox added the "J" to set himself apart. Legend has
it the former teen heartthrob switched out his initial so teen mag covers
wouldn't refer to him as "Michael, A Fox."
3. His guitar playing is not an act. In 2011, Fox recreated his
famous "Back to the Future" guitar scene for a Parkinson's
fundraiser. The actor channeled Marty McFly in a rendition of "Johnny B.
Goode," even using an exact replica of the bright red 1950s guitar he used
in the film. While Fox didn't actually play guitar in the movie, he reportedly
learned the part shortly thereafter.
4. His list of favorite things doesn't include 1980s music. In an interview with USA Weekend, Fox cited "Dr. Strangelove" as his
favorite flick, but he didn't share the love on 1980s music, despite the fact that
he's an '80s icon. "I think right now my favorite music is the stuff I
grew up on in the '60s and '70s," he said. "I took the '80s off but
love the music of the early '90s. Nirvana. Soundgarden. Alice in Chains. But I
can listen to James Taylor, too." What? No Huey Lewis and the News?
5. He knows the secret of his success -- to a long marriage. In an
interview with Good
Housekeeping, the actor dished on his 25-year marriage to actress Tracy Pollan:
"Here's the thing with Tracy and me: We like focusing more on the comedy
and less on the drama," he said. "The secret to a good marriage, as
far as I am concerned, is a joke I make: Keep the fights clean and the sex
dirty."
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