how do you feel about Michael J Fox's new... - Cure Parkinson's
how do you feel about Michael J Fox's new show - i don't know the name BUT it plays Parkinsons for laughs. does that make you uncomfortable?
I will not watch it and I will no longer support his foundation. Partly because a few weeks ago I was going to listen to a webinar with him and the first call was about his new program! What a set up! I was disgusted and turned it off! Maybe I should have continued listening. But I was so disgusted I thought, so this is all its about. Very disappointed in him right now!
Just my opinion!
Blessings,
Carol <><
Really? This man has raised more money for PD than anyone. If he can bring more attention to this disease, any way he chooses to is fine by me. and by the way...... laughing is better than crying and some days that's what I feel like doing. But I don't.
Sorry for coming on so strong, but I truly do not understand what the problem is.
He has PD and he continues to work in his field (making movies). He gives me HOPE. God bless him.
I'm just grateful to have such a well known person involved in my situation. I thought I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for many years and no one (or few ) people knew about it or seemed to care.
mY HTOUGHT IS THAT THERE IS A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PARKINSONS - AND ABIG STAR LIKE FOX CAN SHED SOME LIGHT ON IT. MAYBE ITS BECAUSE I HAVE IT, BUT IT SEEMS AS IF PARKINSONS IS IN THE NEWS AN AWFUL LOT. iM SURE MR. FOX WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ON PURPOSE TO RDICULE IT.
There are more ways than one to skin a cat!
(Not that I would. Skin a cat that it is.)
Put yourself in his shoes, he's a parky just like us. His career is effected just like us. He has an opportunity to combine his work, his fame and raise the profile of pd. I'm sure he'll play it as it is, sometimes you can laugh at yourself sometimes you can cry. I'm sure he'll do both and by showing the human funny side will make the bad side stand out. Hope it comes to the UK.
I think it's GREAT! i have no problem revealing the humorous side of having Parkinson's because he's a great example of how to live with PD with DIGNITY as well. Have you seen him on The Good Wife or Rescue Me? Brilliant.
It is great. I think most Parkies need to see the humorous side of Parkinson's. It would help them to cope with the disease we have. We did not ask for it but now that we have it, it is ours. We cannot give it away so we must learn to live with what we have. Being angry or upset about it will not help you so try to be happy and see the funny side. There is an amazing book out called "Parkinson's Humor" by Bev Ribaudo. I would recommend it to everyone to read. It tells of her story with Parkinson's. It will give you a better outlook on life.
Love Bev, her book, and her website.
I hope it comes to the uk. The one thing that makes us all amazing is our sense of humour. Its what keeps me going. Maybe ive just been lucky but ive not had anyone mock me for having parkinsons, maybe its just my warped sense of humour but im the first to laugh at myself. Or have my happy pills kicked in.
Parkinsons is a terrible condition i would never wish on anyone but life goes on. MJF is an actor and if he can highlite our cause i say bring it on xxx
I've just watched the trailer, can't wait to see the show.
I'm not sure I understand what the humerus side Parkinson's is. I don't think you would be laughing at Grandma's Alzheimer's, I don't think we can find humor in breast cancer, or Colan cancer.I'm not sure my wife finds that much humor in dealing with my Parkinson's.I saw the trailer for his show and I don't think it really has that much to do with Parkinson I think it's more about somebody who's driving his family nuts.someone who just happens to have Parkinson's.there are an awful lot of people that have had very big part of their life stole from tthem by Parkinson's. Michael J Fox is a funny man but I think that saying his show is going to do anything to raise the awareness of Parkinson's in any real way is wrong.I think Parkinson's is just going to be incidental to the show not the point of the show.everyone needs to find the humerus side of life to keep on going.but to think anybody is going to get a better understanding of Parkinson's from his show I think is wrong. personally I think Parkinson's is already too strongly associated with Michael J Fox as actor and a character and not the real side of the disease.I think it's already hard enough to convince people that there really is something wrong when many times it just doesn't show when the meds are working and everything else is working. It is not about sympathy, or poor me, it's about thetruth that when we say we can't, whether that be running and jumping, or swallowing a bite of food people realize this is a real disease and not some minor inconvenience.
His Foundation raises Parkinson's awareness not his sitcom.I think this will just blur the lines between reality and fantasy. and I think in the long run it maybe even hurt his foundation s fund-raising ability. after all who needs a cure for comedy.
just one thing to add is we find drunks and their behavior sometimes to be funny, but alcoholism is nothing to laugh at, it to is a very serious disease.
We are all so different because i!m sure i would see moments of humour in any condition, it helps to lighten the load. Most of your opinions on MJFox that you have written olpilot I see completely differently. Guess thats just how it is.
Yes we are all so different, for everyone with Pd theirs is different from every other person wi th Pd. Mine is different I have no visible tremor so many don't believe I even have it, but I assure you I do. We can't be lumped into a stereotypical form of Pd. That increases no ones understanding, and make it difficult for others to understand. Like I said what I got from the trailor is he plays a guy driving his family crazy, who happens to have Pd. I think the only thing it's going to show is pwp are otherwise normal people. No big public revelation, no real incite. Just a sitcom, entertainment, not enlightenment. If we get more hurray, if its just entertainment sit back and enjoy.
Hi olpilot
Reading your post again and others you have written elsewhere i think we really agree on many things. I must learn to stop responding to posts in the early hours when half asleep! I remember you writing before of your personal efforts helping others in your area and being touched by what you wrote.
I think in general "there is no such thing as bad publicity" so that is what I see differently. i have had long debates on this topic with other people on other sites over the years.
Do hope you enjoy the show when it comes on air, I feel sure I will. Best wishes.
I agree and disagree with olpilot. Will it lead to a big break out of this disease - no. Will it raise awareness of Parkinson's - I think it will and even if it only reaches out to a few people, it is a start. I use public transportation and see so many people that do not have a clue what Parkinson's is or what some of the symptoms look like. If they did and I hope the show will help in this way then we will perhaps be seen in a different light than we are now.
As for his foundation is to make people aware - I do not believe for a moment that there are that many people who do not have Parkinson's or know of someone with it even know about his foundation.
I think each and every one of us with PD can help people to be aware of Parkinsons.
I used to try to hide the fact that I have it now I tell everybody. I try to have a sense of humor about it and answer any questions people may ask. I just had the first surgery for DBS lasr Tues. and I tell all about it. The people in my church are waiting and praying for a good outcome and most of them know what has to be done. They are veey supportive and now I am sure many of them will contribute to MJFox Parkinson Foundation because they have more knowledge.about this awful disease. Knowledge is power:! We have to keep fighting for a cure. God Bless MJ Fox.
I agree with you 100%. We really do have to let people know about our PD. This is not only how we learn as people about different things but also it makes people aware of what this disease is and how it affects us. I also tell them that how it is affecting me at the moment is not how it affects all of us or even how it will be in 10 minutes or 2 hours from now. For me it is a very strange disease as we never know from one moment to the next just how we are going to be. We go day by day and hope that some magic cure will show up. Until that time we live with it and at least for myself, I try to stay happy as there is not much I can do about it anyway.
My wife and I try to do our part to make people aware, we sell some of my woodworking at a local farmers market. I always put Parkinson's Foundation pamphlets out with my own, i never use my Pd to try and sell my work. I never say made by someone with Pd, i donate my work to silent auctions. However if someone asks I'll answer all the questoons and more. We formed a support group where their was none. I think getting out and telling the real story is the way to get the word out. Like I have said I wish MJF only the best and I plan on watching his show, but as for Parkinson's awareness coming from it.......... We will see I guess.
I guess we can all agree to wait and see what MJF has in store. .As an aside to MJF, I am a comedy writer with PD, I've written 2 TV shows and would love to write for you.
Get in touch,
Gary Sorkin
PD is far too important to be taken seriously.
If you disapprove of using PD as a backdrop for humour (or any important thing for that matter) then that disapproval is detected even at a subliminal level and people are likely to slink away feeling that they have been chastised for darng to bring humour into the discussion. You would be stifling debate. Humour is the oil that lubricates comunication, Like the elephant in the room you have to break the ice and humour can do that.
There is also the effect upon yourself. If you take the attitude that humour has no part to play in the PD areana then you run the risk of appearing to be a pompous person.
Anyway it is not the PD or its symptoms that provide fertile ground for humour it is the circumstanaces surrounding it. Obviously there is nothing funny in falling and breaking your wriist but I am confident that a person who is good and inventive with humour could think of a way to lighten the burdon by makeing evryone laugh.at that broken wrist.
Humour is one of the best tools in the anti-PD toolbox, please don't take it away.
Good for him, and for us parkies.I am very respectful of all illnesses, but I really don't want Parkinson's shut in a cupboard never to be discussed.
My attitude might be different if he were suffering from something like syphilis or a sexually transmitted disease, as thst illness may have been caused by a lifestyle that I would never want to encourage. But you cannot 'catch' Parkinson's.
I'll wait judgment until I see the show.
I think that if you can laugh about anything having PD you should go for it... Ever notice on the worst dismal day possible, if you put on your favourite music or watch a very funny DVD (Steel Magnolia's for me) somehow you come out of the funk and the world is ok one more time.
MJ Fox would never exploit PD, I think. He has done so much for PD Research, etc...and his show may be able to just give you a laugh at what you can't control. Remember to see more laughter and humor around you. Never allow PD to rob you of that.
I just watched his trailer and found it funny and to the point. PD is not funny but when I explain it to other I get the nodding heads but they realize me and my out look on life when I make fun of PD they do the same but when I get serious they understand also. WE talk about it openly and frankly PD makes things harder to do than but not impossible to do I think we will all get a kick out id theb=mnew show
because I haven't seen the show I can't really answer it from that perspective however I believe he has done a great deal for Parkinson's in fact I wouldn't have known what it was I had not shone a bright light on Parkinson's.
I understand comedy can be gone in poor taste when it comes to portraying any disability. however one of the first things I learned after being diagnosed with Parkinson's I had to learn to laugh at myself. if not I think I'd be crying all the time. As my first story goesday 1 of physical therapyIpark my car in a garage with no elevator had to walk 5 stores downand by then I was a half a block away from the building. walking up a slight incline I was now 20 feet away from the front door and my left foot stopped needless to say I fell. there was a group of medical studentswho graciously help me up well asking me where I was goingand we all left what I said the first day of physical therapy I guess with Parkinson's I'm grateful I can still drive but I need a helmet to walk.
I think that anything that brings PD into peoples everyday life is a gr8 thing. Plus I feel it is extremely important for us to have a gr8 sense of humor about our PD. I will not hide my head in the sand.....I joke about it, so why can't Michael ?????? He put Parkinson's on the map, which will in time help us all..... don't be so darn sensitive........!!!
Michael J. Fox has on his own raised millions for US !!!!!!!!!!! How can you possible say that you won't watch his show????? How can you turn your back on our most important leader to maybe someday, finding a cure for PD.??? Do you think Michael would do anything detramental to hurt any of us??? or hurt PD??????
I heard a joke the other day, that went this way........ would you rather have dementia or PD?? and the answer is, I would rather spill some wine then not know where I put the bottle !!!!
laughter is by far the best medicine.....don't be so sensitive. and if "Laughter is the best medicine, " at least I can afford that medicine....................!!!!!!
This question does not ask if you approve of humor about your condition, but whether you feel uncomfortable with the humor. Being on TV opens up a lot of doors, behind one of those doors can be embarrassment. Behind another door is sympathy. There is absolutely nothing about PD that gives me joy. I love MJF and I know that his foundation will have a hand in finding a cure. But laughing at it...nah...not me.
humour never makes me uncomfortable. it better not - i'm a comedy writer. i'll reserve judgement on how much laughter i'll invest. When my toes hurt and when i'm told i "look out of it," laughing won't come easy. MJF would have to get hit with 10 cream pies before I smile at something that gives me pain. MJF has a huge audience and is widely loved - make it 10 chocolate cream pies too and we'll see. He'll get his laughs, just not mine. But unconfortable, NO.
