Patricia Heaton: Not Everyone Loves Michael J. Fox [View All]

[Kadie]

Patricia Heaton: Not Everyone Loves Michael J. Fox
Thursday, October 26, 2006

By Roger Friedman

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Heaton is now appearing in a commercial intended to persuade Missouri voters to vote against Amendment 2 on their ballot.

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Heaton’s costars in the commercial are Jim Caviezel, who starred as Jesus in "The Passion of the Christ," and three Missouri sports stars — St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jeff Suppan, former St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner (now with the Arizona Cardinals) and Kansas City Royals designated hitter Mike Sweeney.

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But it’s what Fox has done with his illness that is most impressive. Since 2001, according to federal records, his Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research has raised an astonishing $80 million for research. Unlike most celebrity charities, the Fox Foundation has a Web site that even links to its most recent federal tax filing, and the filing is current.

This is an amazing achievement, considering how young the foundation is. Fox has turned his illness into something incredibly positive; the group even runs in the black, meaning its income is greater than its expenses. Last year the group finished with $7 million in the bank after giving away $17 million.

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Heaton has been a relatively unknown political ideologist to most of her fans. My guess is they will be surprised to learn about her as she attacks Fox and repudiates his claims.

Six months ago I reported that Heaton — who then was campaigning to join ABC’s talk show "The View" as a correspondent — was honorary chairwoman of the group Feminists for Life. Jane Roberts, wife of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, is a consultant. Their slogan is "Refuse to Choose."

more...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,225406,00.html