Marlo Thomas Interviews Michael J. Fox

That Girl! and Marty McFly! Image from HuffPo.

I've always had a special place in my full-of-pop-culture heart for Michael J. Fox. My grandmother always thought I looked like him. He played Alex P. Keaton from Columbus, Ohio on Family Ties. I was from Columbus, and was the same age as the character at the same time. Fox is actually five years older than his character, so though he is almost 51, Alex P. Keaton will always be my age (currently nearing 46), assuming he didn't die in an unaired "very special episode."

When Fox announced that he'd been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, that also had resonance, as The Other Half's* father also had the disease. But Fox was in his early 30s at the time, and his announcement made me think that I was lucky to not be afflicted with any major ailments. Yet. See, I was following him by five years. It was one of my first real "mortality moments," as odd as that sounds. There's not any particular reason that I should identify with Fox, maybe it's just that his celebrity occurred at the same time I was soaking it up--Family Ties, Back to the Future (I, II & III), etc.--and that grandma thing. Oddly enough, my mother had a That Girl hair cut and my first step mother sounded almost exactly like Marlo Thomas. . .who interviews Michael J. Fox in the article excerpted here. And I'll just shut up now, and share my favorite part of the interview.

[Excerpt]


"The Givers": Who Inspires Michael J. Fox? A Very Personal Interview

Marlo: . . .I stumbled on that video clip of Rush Limbaugh doing his unspeakably cruel imitation of what he said you look like when you speak. People everywhere were enraged by that clip, but you remained calm. How do you rise above this kind of thing? Do you have some sort of Zen secret that we can learn from?
Michael: No, no -- really I'm five-foot-four, I've dealt with bullies my whole life. He came after me when I was speaking out in support of stem cell research, and the candidates who supported it. . .At the time, I was actually more than just symptomatic -- I was dyskinetic, as a result of the medication I was taking. And Limbaugh decided that I was faking.

Marlo: So his agenda was political, as well. Did that make his offense even more irritating to you?

Michael: It honestly didn't bother me to have my integrity questioned by someone who doesn't have integrity. And it didn't threaten me. So I just blew it off, because I knew it wasn't going to change what I was doing. . .Frankly, I was more offended by Limbaugh's recent attack on [Georgetown law student] Sandra Fluke, calling her a slut and a prostitute after she testified in Congress about contraceptives. . .But remember, the bully always appeals to the lowest common denominator. And he won't prevail. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post


*And apropos of absolutely nothing, in researching this article, I found out that my husband is one day older than Michael J. Fox.

DeLorean Makes a Comeback: Heavy!

This is a great idea, as long as they aren't too faithful. Automobile interiors and exteriors have improved since the early eighties, after all. We're not expecting a flux capacitor, but we'd appreciate an MP3-ready audio system, and a bluetooth-ready communications system. And an interior slightly ahead of a 1984 Dodge Omni. Other than that, this is the coolest thing that has happened in America since Pixar. McFly!

[Excerpt]


DeLorean Goes Electric 

Gas? Where we’re going, we don’t need gas.

Back to the Future, the movie to most prominently feature John DeLorean’s gull-winged icon of 1980s cool, ends with the future version of the DeLorean time machine running on household garbage. Well, folks, the future is now, and the new DeLorean doesn’t need gas or rubbish. The DMCEV, which will go into production by 2013, will run entirely on electricity. The expected starting price for the electric DeLorean is $90,000.

Read more at: CNBC

Texas Governor's Mansion Up in Flames: Arson

Image from source, KXAN

I don't have a huge affinity for Texas (after having spent a sweltering summer in San Antonio; yuck), but it is always sad to see a chunk of history wiped out. OK, yeah, I was a bit more broken up about Universal Studios losing the Back to the Future set, but still. . .

[Excerpt]

Fire destroys Governor's Mansion: Intentionally Set

The smell of heavy smoke blankets downtown Austin, TX as firefighters manage hot-spots from a fire that has completely gutted the Governor's Mansion.

The Texas Fire Marshall's Office says it has evidence that arson may be the cause of an overnight fire which has gutted the state's Governor's Office.

Paul Maldanado from the state Fire Marshall's Office says agency is reviewing eyewitness reports and surveillance video. Maldanado says there is "evidence that somebody was here" and possibly started the fire, but declined to offer any further details. . .

Read more at: KXAN

Universal Studios in Flames

Top photo by Editor
Bottom photo from source, AOL News

Wow. I was so steeped in Democratic Presidential primary politics (picked a peck of pickled peppers, anyone?), I was flabbergasted to see the reports of Universal Studios on fire. Like lots of other pop culture fans, I've been to Universal on vacation, a few times in fact. And honestly, one of my favorite sites is the "Clock Tower"--actually more of a courthouse--from the Back to the Future movies.

The shot at the top of this post is from my visit in 1991. On a previous visit, the building and its grounds were still decked out as "future Hill Valley" from Back to the Future Part II. Obviously, by the time of the photo, they redressed it to appear normal, so that it could be used in other films and TV shows. Part of the "magic" of Universal has always been being able to see sets and buildings from famous movies and shows, so losing this building (and whatever else has been consumed) is kind of sad. Sure, they can rebuild it, but then it won't be "real." Oh, you know what I mean. . .

Hopefully, they got some enterprising cameramen there stat to capture it for Backdraft II.

[Excerpt]

Blaze Erupts on Universal Studios Lot

King Kong's roar was silenced, and Marty McFly won't be going back to the future anytime soon.

A raging fire ripped through a lot at Universal Studios on Sunday and destroyed some of Hollywood's most familiar backdrops, including the courthouse square from "Back to the Future" and a streetscape featured in "Bruce Almighty," ''Spiderman 2" and "Transformers. . ."

Read more at: AOL News