Michael J. Fox Mocks CNN After Erroneous Death Tribute

CNN published an erroneous video tribute titled “Remembering the life of actor Michael J. Fox,” mistakenly reporting his death. The network shared a video package that paid tribute to Fox’s acting career and his work fighting Parkinson’s disease, according to HuffPost. However, the 64-year-old actor is very much alive and well.

Fox responded humorously on Threads, questioning how one would react to seeing their own death announced on TV. “How do you react when you turn on the TV and CNN is reporting your death?” he asked, before providing possible options: switching to MSNBC, pouring scalding hot water on his lap, calling his wife for reassurance, relaxing as it happens once a year, or asking himself 'wtf?' He concluded with a lighthearted message: “I thought the world was ending, but apparently it’s just me and I’m ok. Love, Mike.”

CNN swiftly removed the video package and issued an apology to Fox and his family. A CNN spokesperson told multiple outlets that “the package was published in error; we have removed it from our platforms” and extended apologies for the mistake.

Fox has been living with Parkinson’s disease for over 30 years and continues to be active in both his career and advocacy work. He recently appeared at PaleyFest in Los Angeles to promote the third season of the Apple TV series “Shrinking,” where he plays a character with Parkinson’s who bonds with Harrison Ford, whose character also has the disease.