(Oct. 24) - His body visibly wracked by tremors, actor Michael J. Fox appears in a political ad that was the subject of widespread discussion on Monday after conservative radio commentator Rush Limbaugh claimed Fox was "either off his medication or acting."
A victim of Parkinson's disease, Fox speaks out in the ad for Missouri Democratic Senate candidate Claire McCaskill, who supports embryonic stem cell research.
"I think this is exploitative in a way that's unbecoming of either Claire McCaskill or Michael J. Fox," Limbaugh said on his syndicated show.
"All I'm saying is I've never seen him the way he appears in this commercial for Claire McCaskill," says Limbaugh. "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."
2006-10-24 23:40:47 · 17 answers · asked by marnefirstinfantry 5 in News & Events ➔ Other - News & Events
I'd say so.
He later apologized according to this AP article:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061025/ap_on_en_tv/michael_j__fox_campaign_ads
In it, Dr. John Boockvar, a neurosurgeon and assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical Center at New York's Presbyterian Hospital, called Limbaugh's claim "ludicrous." Boockvar said those with Parkinson's have "on" and "off" spells.
When it comes to medical expertise, the majority of the time I'd side with doctors, not radio personalities with a political agenda.
2006-10-25 08:48:08 · answer #1 · answered by truthyness 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
No. Limbaugh was simply doing what the press is unwilling to do... critically examine Fox's statments on the ad. No one ever bothered to ask Fox whether we're REALLY on the verge of a breakthrough in embryonic stem cell research (we're not) or why Fox was misleading omitted the word "embryonic" when saying that "Talent opposes stem cell research". Instead the media's given him a free pass and that's exactly what was the main thrust of Limbaugh's monologue that day.
As for Limbaugh's opining that Fox was either off his medication or acting, that would be out of line had Limbaugh not had a ton of circumstancial evidence on his side, but he does. Fox has said he changes his medication for public events before, and this is a POLITICAL AD, where every one of the 30,000 microseconds is carefully examined to have an emotional impact. And, in case one forgot, Fox happens to be a pro at acting. As it turns out, Fox said he was overmedicated that day for the ad but that's misleading too, because being overmediated would loosen the muscles to the point where it would be difficult to control and keep one's body in place, whereas Fox would've had an easier time controlling his body if he just took a standard dose.
2006-10-28 08:53:39 · answer #2 · answered by Kyrix 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Even if it's true that Michael J. Fox went off his meds for the ad, it doesn't lessen the severity of his disease or the importance of his message. My father suffers from Parkinson's disease, and even with medication he has difficulty walking, talking, and performing other tasks. What Michael J. Fox presented was not sensationalized in any way; it was the grim reality of his condition, a condition that affects a large number of people worldwide. Stem cell research is the most promising hope for an effective treatment, and selfish, self-righteous, pompous bastards like Rush Limbaugh have no right to criticize unless they've suffered from it themselves and know the misery of living with the disease every day. I sincerely hope Rush gets a severe case and has to eat his words.
2006-10-27 14:03:59 · answer #3 · answered by ConcernedCitizen 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Michael J. Fox Foundation
http://www.michaeljfox.org/
2006-10-25 13:34:22 · answer #4 · answered by $Sun King$ 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
This issue has demonstrated an amazing thing about the character of the American spirit. Michael J. Fox and Rush Limbaugh both represent how a having debilitating mental disabilities fail to prevent one from participating in the national dialogue. Even when Rush's disability is simply called "stupidity".
2006-10-27 16:20:35 · answer #5 · answered by jack b 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Contrary to what has been spread around on this site, Michael Fox was not under-medicated when the spot Limp-blimp (as in a sagging gas-bag) has attacked was shot. When under-medicated, Parkinson's disease patients muscles stiffen and the jerky motions are replaced with a sort of rigor.
Limbaugh is as always rude, wrong reprehensible.
2006-10-28 02:07:05 · answer #6 · answered by Gaspode 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Going off the meds for Parkinsons makes a person stiff and unable to talk. The fact that MJF could talk and move proves he was ON his meds. So he did not go off the medication to make himself look worse.
"The fact is everything rush said is correct."
No, it wasn't.
"The whole point of his monologue was to show that the left is exploiting these victims for they're own political agenda."
Terri Schiavo, anyone? Talk about EXPLOITING for political agendas!
And by the way, MJF supported Arlen Specter (R) because he supports stem-cell research too. It's not political, it's a HUMAN issue.
2006-10-25 12:46:05 · answer #7 · answered by smartbunny 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes, he was totally out of line for exploiting MJF the way he did. If he had a problem with the Ad he should've talked to the actor about it. Rush should not be critisizing anybody but himself for being an idiot, first for the NFL stint about "black quarterbacks" and then the incident with him being caught with the Viagra at the airport, oohhh and not to mention his own addictions with pain medications.
2006-10-25 21:39:49 · answer #8 · answered by Ruth R 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yea that was dumb thing he did. Nothing to brag about attacking disables which what he appears to be doing. Video of him immitating Fox is just horrible. If you've seen the video of him doing this its clear he was mocking Fox not just making point. Someone should take him off his viagra and other craps he's taking.
2006-10-25 07:16:18 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
The fact is everything rush said is correct. The whole point of his monologue was to show that the left is exploiting these victims for they're own political agenda for one reason, they can't be argued with. Take Cindy Shehan for excample, who is going to go against a grieving mother? However it's clear that when she took the side of radical liberal groups she had an agenda and should be put in place when she says such garbage.
Also Fox's Ad itself was misleading and incorrect. He made it seem like Tallant was making Stem Cell research illegal when really he is for Stem cell research just not Embryionic (Spelling) stem cell research. Stem Cell Research is LEGAL in Missori and Tallant is not trying to make it illegal. So all you leftys get your facts straight and try listening to what rush ACTUALLY said and not what you hear from the media.
2006-10-26 22:00:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 6⤋