Michael J. Fox Delivers Showstopping Emmys Speech

Michael J. Fox was honored at the Emmys with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, recognizing his decades of advocacy through the Michael J. Fox Foundation. The organization has become the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research, helping direct billions of dollars toward research and treatments with an ambitious goal: To ultimately put Parkinson’s out of business.

Brought out in a wheelchair, the Family Ties and Back to the Future actor received a standing ovation.

“First of all, thank you to Julianna,” he said of Julianna Margulies, his The Good Wife costar. “You’re so kind. You’re such a great acting partner, and had a great time on that show. And I’m glad I don’t have any frigging legalities ever again in my life. It’s hard to remember those words.

Despite the spasms caused by the disease, of which he was diagnosed in 1991, the icon was still quick with the quips as he gave his speech for his award.

“First, a few words about Bob Hope,” said Fox. “My parents were born during the Great Depression, campaigns during World War II. To them, Bob was more than an entertainer; he was a selfless champion of soldiers and military families like mine for decades. Christmases, Thanksgivings, other holidays where he could have been celebrating with his family, he was showing up for the troops in Berlin, Saigon, the Middle East, with a turkey leg and a golf club, and maybe if you’re lucky, Lola Falana.”

“He embodied everything I came to believe in years later. I learned from his example. When it starts to get tough, you show up, you help, and if you add a little joy while you’re doing it, that’s so you know it’s even better,” explained Fox. “I couldn’t have known how these lessons would resonate in my own life till my late 30s, my late 20s, when my wife handed me a role that I was looking for. Initially, I kept my Parkinson’s diagnosis a secret. I worried it would affect my work and relationships with audiences. Would they laugh if they knew I was sick?”

“Then I was stunned by the support from all of you, so uplifting…and I hadn’t lost what I do. They couldn’t take it away from me,” continued Fox.

“I understood that accepting Parkinson’s didn’t mean I had to surrender to it. It just meant doing whatever I could for people living with this disease. So I set out to advocate for patients’ needs.”

“I found brilliant people to lead the effort with me and vowed to fund the best science in the world. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made to benefit Parkinson’s patients and families as we move closer to eradicating this disease forever. I’m deeply grateful to our staff, donors, researchers, and most of all, the patient community who make our work at Michael J. Fox Foundation possible,” said Fox.

“Now the part where I thank Tracy and our kids for their sacrifices, for their patience, and for their love — you have no idea — and of course, my mom and dad, and my sisters and brother in Canada,” said a sincere and heartfelt Fox. “Now where’s Lola Falana?”