Actor Michael J. Fox spoke candidly about his decadeslong battle with Parkinson's disease, which he said presents challenges to maintaining a sense of humor.
Speaking with People at the Michael J. Fox Foundation's annual "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson's" gala Saturday in New York, Fox, 63, said it was "hard for me" to remain humorous amid the battle, adding, "I gotta keep it intact."
Fox said having a dark sense of humor can have benefits, and can help break down barriers and bypass taboos during conversations.
"That's true. And it's OK," he said. "Let's embrace that and make a difference."
Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1991 and went public with the news in 1998. Two years later, he established the foundation to support research efforts.
The "Back to the Future" star has been vocal about his condition. In a 2023 interview with Town & Country, Fox shared that he had a "very complicated" view of the disease.
"I've said Parkinson's is a gift," he said. "It's the gift that keeps on taking, but it has changed my life in so many positive ways."
Speaking with CBS News Sunday Morning, he admitted he can't envision living to 80.
"It's banging on the door," he said at the time. "All these subtle ways that get you ... You don't die from Parkinson's. You die with Parkinson's. So I've been thinking about the mortality of it ... I'm not going to be 80."
In the Town & Country interview, Fox said he's not afraid to die, saying, "One day I'll run out of gas."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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