Golden Globes 2014: E! apologises to Michael J Fox for Parkinson's disease 'fun fact'

The entertainment channel included the actor's disease in a 'fun fact' information box during its live online stream from the Golden Globe awards

Christopher Hooton
Monday 13 January 2014 12:11 GMT
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E! Entertainment has apologised for their 'fun fact' about Michael J Fox's Parkinson's diagnosis
E! Entertainment has apologised for their 'fun fact' about Michael J Fox's Parkinson's diagnosis

E! Entertainment has been forced to say sorry to actor Michael J.Fox after it ran a ‘fun fact’ about his Parkinson’s diagnosis during its Golden Globes coverage.

The network was attempting to liven up the often dreary live footage of celebrities walking down a carpet that forms its pre-ceremony coverage by peppering it with fun facts about actors in attendance.

A cursory look at Wikipedia would have unearthed such fun Fox factoids as him adopting the initial in his name as an homage to Bonnie and Clyde actor Michael J. Pollard, but E! instead went with the snappy but somewhat insensitive: "Michael J Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991".

E! expressed regret over the remark, which aired during its online live stream but not on TV, saying in a statement: “We understand the serious nature of the disease and sincerely apologize.”

Fox, who runs a foundation for Parkinson’s disease research, was nominated at the awards for best actor in a comedy for his new TV series The Michael J Fox Show.

E! Entertainment has apologised for their 'fun fact' about Robert Redford suffering from Polio

Oddly it was not E!’s only disease-based fun fact of the night, with the network later apparently informing viewers: "Robert Redford was stricken with polio as a child."

Elsewhere at the Los Angeles ceremony, British director Steve McQueen’s searing slavery epic 12 Years A Slave won the coveted best film award, though David O. Russell’s Abscam drama  American Hustle was the most decorated film of the night, winning three awards.

Video: Golden Globes 2014 arrivals

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