celeb news Michael J. Fox slams instant Internet success: 'We Used to Bust Our A--' to be famous

[Tudors]

Michael J. Fox Slams Instant Internet Success: 'We Used to Bust Our A--' to Be Famous

 

 

 

"Now you've got people who just go like, 'Who's your sweater? What's your sweater you're wearing? And what's that dance step?' And you're the most famous person in the world."

Michael J. Fox isn't totally here for the overnight success some stars are experiencing these days.

In a new interview with People for the magazine's 50th anniversary special, Fox looked back on his rise to fame and the work he had to put in in the 1980s to achieve the success he's amassed today.

 

"There's an expression I referred to when they gave me an honorary Academy Award -- somebody said to me the day before, they were talking about getting this award and being famous and they said 'You're '80s famous,'" Fox told the outlet. "I thought, 'Wow, that's cool.' '80s famous. Right, we were different. We were tougher. We didn't have social media, we didn't have any of that crap. We were just famous. Left to our own resources. And it was an amazing time."

Fox's star rose thanks to roles in shows like Palmerstown U.S.A., Night Court and Family Ties, and cemented himself in the Hollywood zeitgeist as Marty McFly for the Back to the Future franchise, a series of films that became American '80s classics.

 

When asked if he thought that being famous during that time was harder, Fox had a pretty blunt answer: "Well, you had to be talented. That helped."

"We used to bust our a--, our acting muscles and watch other actors and sit around with other actors and talk about acting and talk about it," he continued. "And now you've got people who just go like, 'Who's your sweater? What's your sweater you're wearing? And what's that dance step?' And you're the most famous person in the world."

While Fox hasn't acted since 2020 because of his battle with Parkinson's disease, which has made it increasingly difficult to remember dialogue, he said he would consider coming back to acting if the role felt right.

"My biggest goal, I think, was to raise a family. We have four amazing kids, and that's been the big thing," Fox told Entertainment Tonight earlier this month. "And then the other is with the [Michael J. Fox] foundation…[however] if something came up that I could put my realities into it -- my challenges -- if I could figure it out."

He added, "If someone offers me a part and I do it and I have a good time, great."

 

https://toofab.com/2024/04/12/michael-j-fox-slams-instant-internet-success-we-used-to-bust-our-a-to-be-famous/?adid=social-fb&fbclid=IwAR1IgUQ38MTN_BJNlDfnIFIQ5mBUXiJQtLmjvhxKNxa453T-loMH05ecQc0

 

[Princess Aurora]

He's not completely wrong, to be honest with you. I think Social media also sacrificed quality over quantity 

[Apolonio ₃₄]

[Dula Peep]

why do I feel like its harder than ever to become famous though (and last, not just a 15 minutes) 

[barbiegrande]

I was watching the BTTF movies recently and I never noticed how cute he was back then. The scene in Part 3 with his butt

[LittleStarmen]

1 minute ago, Dula Peep said:

why do I feel like its harder than ever to become famous though (and last, not just a 15 minutes) 

Of course not. Its easier than ever... Look at that stupid tick tocker that sings bad to celebrities, or chris olsen... All you need is one dumb gimick that get the algorithm attention and you repeat 1000times

[Dula Peep]

3 minutes ago, LittleStarmen said:

Of course not. Its easier than ever... Look at that stupid tick tocker that sings bad to celebrities, or chris olsen... All you need is one dumb gimick that get the algorithm attention and you repeat 1000times

yeah but thats not real fame?  (I've never even heard of these people...)

[Trent W]

I get what he means, but fame isn't what is used to be

 

We don't really have super mega stars anymore unless they debuted in the 00s in any area, even the most famous athletes example Cristiano or Messi are older.

 

These days everyday people are famous and some creators that have millions of followers on tik tok are barely making decent money

 

And with everyone having a chance to be famous no one is really famous anymore

 

You are just huge in your niche and that's it

 

Edited April 12 by Trent W

[MALAMENTE]

11 minutes ago, barbiegrande said:

I was watching the BTTF movies recently and I never noticed how cute he was back then. The scene in Part 3 with his butt

Sis 

[MALAMENTE]

He's right! 

[Gossip_Boy]

Anyone could always be famous but you still have to have talent and work hard to maintain it. That's why "viral sensations" are just that.

[KFC]

Yawn. Times change, get with it boomer

[barbiegrande]

20 minutes ago, Trent W said:

I get what he means, but fame isn't what is used to be

 

We don't really have super mega stars anymore unless they debuted in the 00s in any area, even the most famous athletes example Cristiano or Messi are older.

 

These days everyday people are famous and some creators that have millions of followers on tik tok are barely making decent money

 

And with everyone having a chance to be famous no one is really famous anymore

 

You are just huge in your niche and that's it

 

I disagree. I think the cream always rises to the top and we still have mega famous people developing. I consider Zendaya, Timothee, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Florence Pugh, petc to be the new Gen of super stars 

 

I think there's a difference between "fame" and having an audience. 

Edited April 12 by barbiegrande

[The7thStranger]

It's fascinating how so many people who do get instantly famous or famous on social media fail in taking their stardom offline. So many of them are stuck in that lane because they lack the ability to improve upon a craft they don't even know they're technically making use of.

[professor2000]

43 minutes ago, Dula Peep said:

why do I feel like its harder than ever to become famous though (and last, not just a 15 minutes) 

Exactly…this is the part he's omitting.  Sure, you can go viral and become famous…but can you be consistent? Industry is too saturated to consistently remain a star. Thats where "the struggle" comes in.  
 

Honestly, id rather people have the opportunity (ie, less gatekeeping) and try their best to maintain it…vs. having uber talented people who never get their foot in the door because some prick executive decides somebody's fate. 

 

 

[Onyxmage]

Celebrity has changed a lot since the 1930s. There are still Actors, singer and dancers but social media has expanded who can be famous and he clearly doesnt understand that. Maybe grandnpa can make another back to the future movie since he seems bored and bitter.  

[Trent W]

30 minutes ago, barbiegrande said:

I disagree. I think the cream always rises to the top and we still have mega famous people developing. I consider Zendaya, Timothee, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi, Florence Pugh, petc to be the new Gen of super stars 

 

I think there's a difference between "fame" and having an audience. 

I do agree they are more of "real famous" but the fact that they are not even comparable to stars from the 90s, 00s or even 2010s says a lot

 

I think that if they had debuted in an earlier decade they would be 3x more famous 

 

Now real celebs have to share attentions with people who have an "audience"

Edited April 12 by Trent W

[Arthoe]

It's endlessly fascinating that a veteran actor is so consumed by envy over TIKTOKERS

 

Like... mama, these people don't even have fifteen minutes of fame, they have 30 seconds until people forget about them. These people are on GMA once and then go back to their regular lives again because the new hot meme of the week has dropped. You have a film career of several decades that still pays you good residuals, because you came from a time where actors actually got good & fair residuals. The fact that he's so bothered and threatened over micro fads. 

[Gorjesspazze9]

But to be fair these tiktok influencers are only niche internet famous. They think they are Brad Pitt famous, but in reality they are kinda like memes. 

[Abracadabra]

1 hour ago, Dula Peep said:

yeah but thats not real fame?  (I've never even heard of these people...)

The definition of fame is changing though, like these people are just TikTokers but I've seen clips of people screaming and crying when they meet them like they are The Beatles in 1965

[Horizon Flame]

Kardashian garbage is what counts as celebrity today. A sex tape. 

[thequeenofpopmadonna]

He's so right Mr. Fox. I hope he's doing good 

[dumbsparce]

The thing is that his definition of "busting ass" leads to actual fame, not the kind of fame that is only relevant to a specific demographic like today. For example, youtubers, sm influencers and that Jojo girl are apparently huge deals and are considered celebrities but if they walked past me I wouldn't even notice bc I literally don't know them. Times have changed, it's that simple.

[Machete]

Okay?? And an actor from the 1920s can complain and compare about how easy he and other 80s stars got their fame vs. them having to sell their lives to the studio system. Times change

Edited April 13 by Machete

[45seconds]

3 hours ago, Dula Peep said:

why do I feel like its harder than ever to become famous though (and last, not just a 15 minutes) 

People literally got famous for being NPCs on tik tok.