I Love This Ad!
Posted October 23rd, 2006 by RD Heldenfels
Michael J. Fox has weighed into a political race in this spot. It's very powerful and makes its point both in what Fox says and in how he looks.
It reminds me of some other forceful ads from bygone days, especially a couple of anti-smoking spots. One featured William Talman, who played Hamilton Burger on "Perry Mason." You can find it here, and it still packs a punch because Talman is so ravaged by his illness. Yul Brynner also arranged for one, which is on view here.
October 24th, 2006 at 5:12 am
Do you love those anti-abortion ads that show fetuses too?
October 24th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
Rich, did you hear Rush Limbaugh said Fox was faking?
October 24th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh today attacked actor
Michael J. Fox for inserting his halting voice into the U.S. Senate
campaign in Missouri, suggesting Fox was "acting" in a commercial where
he's shown shaking while endorsing the importance of stem cell
research.
"He is exaggerating the effects of the disease," Limbaugh told
listeners today, encouraging them to go online to watch Fox's
commercial, which first aired Oct. 21 in St. Louis during a World
Series game. "He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an
act."
In the commercial, Fox throws his support behind Democratic Missouri
Senate candidate Claire McCaskill, who supports stem cell research,
against Republican James M. Talent. Fox also taped similar ads for
other Democratic candidates, including Benjamin L. Cardin in his Senate
race against Republican Michael S. Steele in Maryland and Wisconsin
Gov. Jim Doyle (D), who is seeking reelection.
The ads bear witness to the actor's unmistakable decline from
Parkinson's, which the actor has suffered from for a long time, and
harnesses that physical degeneration into a political message.
"What you do in Missouri matters to millions of Americans, Americans
like me," Fox said in the television spot, which will continue airing
throughout Missouri this week.
"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."
Limbaugh said Fox could "control himself enough to stay in the frame of
the picture" and to keep "his eyes right on the . . . teleprompter. But
his head and shoulders are moving all over the place."
"He is acting like his disease is deteriorating because Jim Talent
opposes research that would help him get cured," Limbaugh said, adding
that Talent only opposes "fetal stem cell research, but not adult."
"This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox," Limbaugh said. "Either he
didn't take his medication or he's acting."
October 24th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
Limbaugh's attack just tells you how powerful the ad is. And when posting articles, please acknowledge the original source.