Michael J. Fox: Small Fortunes Are Worth Looking Up To
Memoirs are ultimately fluid journeys structured as life 'chapters' to fit the modicum of book publishing. Then again, the 'life as an open book' metaphor endures, and exists ostensibly to allow people to comprehend, structure, and make sense of their journeys. Most people can map out their lives according to various 'stages', often identifying particular events which mark the beginning or end of these periods in life. These events are only recognised, as with most great observations, with the wisdom of hindsight. For Michael J. Fox, this moment came one morning in 1990 when he 'woke up with a hangover and a twitching left pinky finger'.
Any 80's child would remember just how famous Michael J. Fox was in his halcyon days as a star ofFamily Ties and the Back to the Future Trilogy. His next significant acting move was as actor and producer of Spin City, which also launched the career of producer/director Bill Lawrence (Scrubs,Cougar Town). Fox was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 1991 and since publicly stating his condition in 1998, he has become a lobbyist for policy changes on stem cell research and an advocate for scientific breakthroughs towards finding a cure. The Michael J. Fox Foundation has raised almost $179 million and aided countless patients and their families to boost the profile and awareness of this oft-misunderstood condition. During this phase of life (he mentions advocacy as his 'true calling') he has authored 3 books including Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist (2009).
Always Looking Up follows from the authors first book, Lucky Man, while linking back to his debut in various recollections, most notably regarding expansive road trips taken across Canada with his father. Journeys, whether physical (e.g. road-trips, the well orchestrated wake up routine of a Parkinson's patient) or psychological, are a recurring theme across Fox's recollections and future plans. This book focuses on the journey of his 'post-acting' life, how he came to develop the hugely successful foundation bearing his name, and becoming a knowledgeable and involved advocate for a broader cause than (arguably) most in Hollywood can lay claim to, beside donating money and then forgetting about the issue at hand after leaving the relevant black-tie event.
Fox manages a great balance for general readers between describing his journey from Parkinson's patient to active member of the 'Parkinson's community', anecdotes of his youth and family life, and enough glamorous (yet always relevant) celebrity stories to sustain interest amongst fans and the celeb-voyeur in all of us. A particular highlight involves Robin Williams, Eric Idle (of Monty Python fame) and Fox riding chauffeured toward the Arc De Triomphe at the Apex of Tour De France 2000, an episode set within his journey as Parkinsons advocate, detailing how Lance Armstrong inspired Fox to pursue his own fundraising and research goals. Similar highlights include his meeting with evangelist Bishop Pearson who assists Fox in defining his own spiritual outlook, and an encounter with his childhood hero Muhammad Ali, who arguably remains the world's most famous boxer...oh and Parkinsons patient, by the way.
Politically, the authors activism succeeds largely from a keen sense of reaching people through media 'airtime', and positively channeling the 'trust' audiences have in him. Fox himself notes that on the Davie Brown Index, which rates celebrities according to how much trust the public have in them (utilised by advertisers and marketers), he rates easily in the top 5, ahead of Michael Jordan. Understandably, Michael J. Fox treads a fine line between using his public status to leverage political action on PD and stem cell research, and appearing to align that trust with the broader political support for a particular party. Certainly this 'conflict' has been misconstrued by anti-stem cell groups and other opposition in Fox's journey as PD advocate, culminating in a ludicrous misrepresentation (and eventual 'apology') by Rush Limbaugh, of Fox personally as well as Parkinsons Disease generally. Fox takes a more philosophical stance, arguing that the potential advantages of stem-cell research make this a politically neutral issue. With his boundless spirit, positive outlook on life and the journeys he and his family have partaken through his increasing symptoms, it's hard to disagree.
Michael J. Fox recognises his own fortune despite the onset of PD, and has clearly found the direction his post-acting journey will take him. The constant presence of his family (particularly his wife, and his father as a young boy) are a reminder that all of our successes, failures and non-events couldn't happen without (sometimes under appreciated) strong social networks, and not the online type. No matter your disposition toward our celebrity-age, it is refreshing to hear a Hollywood star with a strong sense of the small things, a maintenance of which are ultimately life's biggest priorities. Fox's common touch accentuate his accessibility from those who have a debilitating illness, to their support networks, and even those facing any of the many difficulties life can throw up. As such, Always Looking Up is a worthy yet unsurprising member of the New York Times' best-seller list.
