An old schoolmate of mine who usually stays out of politics recently heard about the controversy concerning Michael J. Fox and his political ads.
Having worked one on one with Michael J. Fox for hours on end, he knows firsthand what the truth about his condition is. Despite his tendency to avoid all things political, he asked me to help tell his story so that the truth can come out.
The following is an email I recieved from an old schoolmate of mine relating his first-hand experience with Michael J. Fox:
"I am not a political person. The only reason I am writing is that I
want people to know the truth as I do, from first-hand experience.
There has been a huge reaction, as well as some controversy, about the
recent political ads featuring Michael J. Fox. I have heard Rush
Limbaugh's, and others', attacks on the truthfulness of these ads, and
I felt the need to relate my direct, first-hand experience concerning
Michael J. Fox.
About two years ago, through my job as an assistant recording engineer
at a studio in New York City, I had the singular experience of sitting
next to Michael J. Fox for more than four hours. I was thrilled when I
found out he would be coming in, along with the cast of the new
sit-com, of which he was the Executive Producer. They were to spend a
few hours doing voice over-dubs to their half-hour pilot show.
Before Michael J. Fox arrived, his co-producer and some others came
first, to get everything in working order. The first thing this
co-producer said to me was, "We need a chair without any wheels on the
bottom for Mr. Fox." At this point, I had only seen Michael J. Fox on
his various tv and movie appearances. I did not know to what state his
Parkinson's had developed. Even his recent Spin City betrayed very
little lack of motor control on his part. So when he walked in, I was
shocked to see his condition. And this, I remind you, was two years
ago.
Every muscle in body seemed to be contracting in a rhythmless pulse,
making him look like he was trying to move in all directions at once.
I quietly asked the co-producer what else he would need, and she
replied, "Just a chair that doesn't squeak when he moves. Over the
course of a day, he has his good moments and his bad moments." This, I
was told, was one of his good moments. It was obvious that his good
moments were unnervingly bad.
I sat next to him, no more than two feet away, for the next four hours
in that small studio control room. During that time, he was
continuously moving, at least as intensely as he does in the new
political ads. It was very awkward to have to witness such total
discomfort, especially in someone who I had looked up to when I was
young. Despite his clearly dire physical state, he was the height of
professionalism during those long hours, directing the actors in the
recording studio with a warm enthusiasm and an acting veteran's comic
timing.
Again, I have no political agenda here. I just feel the need to tell
people what I know to be true: that the attacks on Michael J. Fox are
completely wrong. He is not acting. That is him as he really is at any
given moment.
I hope this will help quell the controversy in some way, so that
people may pay more attention to his message rather than his physical
state, which he can do nothing about."