Limbaugh mocks Michael J. Fox political ad
Conservative talk show host accuses actor of faking Parkinson's disease
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15408508/
To Rush Limbaugh on Monday, Michael J. Fox looked like a faker. The actor, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, has done a series of political ads supporting candidates who favor stem cell research, including Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin, who is running against Republican Michael Steele for the Senate seat being vacated by Paul Sarbanes.
"He is exaggerating the effects of the disease," Limbaugh told listeners. "He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act. . . . This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting."
Limbaugh, whose syndicated radio program has a weekly audience of about 10 million, was reacting to Fox's appearance in another one of the spots, for Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill, running against Republican Sen. James M. Talent.
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But the Cardin ad is similar. It is hard to watch, unless, for some reason, you don't believe it. As he speaks, Fox's restless torso weaves and writhes in a private dance. His head bobs from side to side, almost leaving the video frame.
"This is the only time I've ever seen Michael J. Fox portray any of the symptoms of the disease he has," Limbaugh said. "He can barely control himself."
'A shameless statement'
Later Monday, still on the air, Limbaugh would apologize, but reaction to his statements from Parkinson's experts and Fox's supporters was swift and angry.
"It's a shameless statement," John Rogers said yesterday. Rogers, Fox's political adviser, who also serves on the board of the Parkinson's Action Network, added: "It's insulting. It's appallingly sad, at best."
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"Anyone who knows the disease well would regard his movement as classic severe Parkinson's disease," said Elaine Richman, a neuroscientist in Baltimore who co-wrote "Parkinson's Disease and the Family." "Any other interpretation is misinformed."
Fox was campaigning yesterday for Tammy Duckworth, a congressional candidate, outside Chicago, when he alluded to Limbaugh's remarks. "It's ironic, given some of the things that have been said in the last couple of days, that my pills are working really well right now," he said, according to a report on the CBS2 Web site.
After his apology, Limbaugh shifted his ground and renewed his attack on Fox.
"Now people are telling me they have seen Michael J. Fox in interviews and he does appear the same way in the interviews as he does in this commercial," Limbaugh said, according to a transcript on his Web site. "All right then, I stand corrected. . . . So I will bigly, hugely admit that I was wrong, and I will apologize to Michael J. Fox, if I am wrong in characterizing his behavior on this commercial as an act."
Then Limbaugh pivoted to a different critique: "Michael J. Fox is allowing his illness to be exploited and in the process is shilling for a Democratic politician."
'Hope to millions of Americans'
Limbaugh's shock at Fox's appearance is a measure of the disease's devastation, advocates say. Contrary to the charge that Fox might not take his medicine to enhance his symptoms, the medicine produces some of the uncontrolled body movements.
"Stem cell research offers hope to millions of Americans with diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's," Fox says in the Cardin ad. "But George Bush and Michael Steele would put limits on the most promising stem cell research."
Fox has appeared in ABC's "Boston Legal" this season. In his scenes, taped over the summer, Fox does not shake or loll his head as he does in the Cardin commercial, but does appear to be restraining himself, appearing almost rigid at times.
A source with direct knowledge of Fox's illness who viewed the Cardin ad said Fox is not acting to exaggerate the effects of the disease. The source said Fox's scenes in "Boston Legal" had to be taped around his illness, as he worked to control the tremors associated with Parkinson's for limited periods of time.
Staff writer Frank Ahrens contributed to this report.
© 2006 The Washington Post Company
Why is this man still allowed to be on radio? He is a total jerk and a convicted drug user. Who is he to criticize anyone?
funny how Michael J Fox looks pretty normal on Boston Legal though.
I think he stopped taking his meds on purpose, and that is wrong.
I am for stem cell research, but not taking your meds to get people to vote for your candidate is silly and wrong IMO.
Rarely do I disagree with Brother Billy but here I would have too. I think by not taking his meds, it emphasizes what this disease can do to a person and just how important this research can be. Just my .02
He's going to get worse regardless, and the meds won't help.
Rush Limpballs sucks ass and mocking anybody's illness is just WRONG.
I understand that he is going to get worse, and that it is a terrible disease, but to do so in favor of politics is wrong.
I guess that is what Im trying to say.
You do realize that he has to struggle through every scene and they have to constantly break in taping so that he can try to get the shaking under control, right?
yes I do
Then how did you conclude he stopped taking his meds for political reasons?
Maybe Rush is just pissed because he can't shop for his pills anymore.
Limbaugh is a fool. I agree with him politically(for the most part) but he has become a pain in the side of Conservatives along with alot of the ones in power today.
He has become blinded into thinking he can say what he wants as long as it advances the Repubs agenda no matter who or what gets hurt along the way.
From McNabb being overrated (how did that work out for him?), to this latest debacle... it's clear that we should only look to him for entertainment purposes and stop taking him seriously (if anyone ever did...).
Anything less than an apology on his radio show will do nothing more than reinforce my decision to turn the dial 10 years ago and stop listening to him.
I might turn back to his show on November 8th when the Democrats retake the House. That could be very entertaining radio. At least I would have something to stop the need of puking on the newspaper.
Pathetic.
Fox has admitted that he doesn't take his meds when filming spots like that one so that the effects of the disease are more pronounced.
Actually I believe he only admitted to going off his meds before testifying before Congress. That was in his book.
That is no excuse for Rush's actions.
I had read this as well, thats why I dont agree with it.
So you don't agree that he has a right to show how bad the disease is (whether he's on or off medication) and you'd rather he "act" like he does in Boston Legal?
That seems ridiculous.
My belief is that he does this to show the effects of the disease that others may not otherwise be aware of. Seeing, for some, is believing.
Not everyone wtih Parkinson's can afford the expensive medications, and like it has been said, they sometimes help produce the effect you see on TV. I dont care whether he takes his meds or not for the ads, Congress etc- people need to see what this does to PEOPLE, not just Fox himself.
What a total idiotic statement.
What is wrong with showing what the disease has done to his life???? Who wants to have to take medications every day just to be able to halfway function? The medications do not work at all after you have been on them for a couple of years, so his time is running out.
The point is, we need to use everything in our power to try to help people and to try to eliminate this horrible disease. The ban on this research is asinine and is totally without merit.
I think Fox is sincere in his efforts. It's not like he has to make a name for himself; he's been a star for a long time.
I think he is using the influence his has to help people who have the same great need but aren't listened to as well
Misinformation Overload: Michael J Fox Lied...The candidate is for Adult Stem Cell Research... But against Embryonic Stem Cell Research ... In order to harvest human embryonic stem cells, one must destroy a living human embryo....
Point is Rush's remarks were disgusting and pathetic....which really doesn't surprise me.
Rush is just mad because Michael J. is still able to get pills from his doctor.
EDIT: aahhh, Spam beat me to it.
Evil and selfish comments by Rush.
That poor man (Fox) is trying to make a change and show the true effects of his disease. What, are we supposed to act like it's not there? I know it's simpler to avoid alot of problems and sweep them under a rug, right? Anyone who believes that it's normal and ok to take pills for the rest of your life needs a reality check. It kills your insides over time and you'll eventually die of some other disease like cancer.
Let's get him and others the help they need.
Man, I grew up watching his movies, my own personal favorite that I think was his best and most underrated was a drama, Casualties of War, a true story that Fox really believed he should make, even it didn't make a cent. If you haven't seen it, watch it. It's about a squad of American soldiers in Vietnam who kidnap a girl from a village and take her on their patrol. They abuse her, rape her and murder her and Fox tries to save her and goes against the rest of the squad and refuses to participate in the rape of the poor girl. They try to kill him for reporting it to his superiors and he makes sure that her story gets out, but he lives with the alot pain because he wasn't able to stop them.
It hardly made any money, mainly because, I think, people didn't want to see that our soldiers did something like that, but it was a very good film and I thought Fox and Sean Penn were great in it. It's a true story and it's directed by Brian De Palma.
It really saddens me to see a role model of mine like this with this disease. My childhood wasn't all that bright, but one of the good things I can remember was watching Michael J. Fox's movies, like Back to The Future and Teen Wolf, etc. This is something very personal for me and I'll support him.
God bless you Mike.
Last edited by SA210; 10-25-2006 at 12:33 PM.
Go here if you want to see the whole thing, with a transcript.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200610240001
In fairness, Limbaugh does set up the bit mentioned above by SA210:And in this commercial, he is exaggerating the effects of the disease. He is moving all around and shaking. And it's purely an act. This is the only time I have ever seen Michael J. Fox portray any of the symptoms of the disease he has.
this is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting, one of the two.
My point is that he shoots off the cuff like this so much, and is found to be wrong like this in no small number of instances, that one has to really consider taking what he says a little less seriously. He doesn't deserve the hero-worship of anybody, as so many do.So I will bigly, hugely admit that I was wrong, and I will apologize to Michael J. Fox if I am wrong in characterizing his behavior on this commercial as an act, especially since people are telling me they have seen him this way on other interviews and in other television appearances.
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