Michael J. Fox | Tearing Down The House

Summary

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The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Michael J. Fox | Tearing Down The House
Date: October 22, 2025

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Overview

This engaging episode of The Late Show Pod Show is a two-part treat: a whip-smart, satirical breakdown of current political headlines, followed by a heartfelt, candid interview with Michael J. Fox. Marking the 40th anniversary of Back to the Future, Fox discusses his experiences making the film, his new memoir Future Boy, and his relentless work fighting Parkinson's Disease. The episode balances Colbert's signature comic insight with reflective moments, making it both entertaining and meaningful.

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Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Satirical Monologue: "Tearing Down The House"

(04:00–15:52)

Donald Trump's White House Ballroom Project

• Colbert lampoons President Trump’s controversial demolition of the East Wing for his "White House ballroom" project, referencing Trump’s earlier promises not to alter the existing building.
• Notable Quote:
  • "Give the man credit. Every so often, he takes the time attach the electrodes to our nipples." – Stephen Colbert (04:12)
• Covers the secrecy around the construction, Treasury Department instructions, and Trump's fantasy of lavish soirees.
• Memorable Mockery:
  • "Could just as easily end up being a combination Pizza Hut, Taco Bell. Nobody out pizzas the bell." – Stephen Colbert (05:56)

GOP & Scandals

• Mocks the Republican party for ongoing scandals, referencing Nazi imagery and racist group chats among staffers.
• Notable Quote:
  • "You got any Nazi in you? You a Nazi? Let me ask you before I dig in, is there any poop in this casserole? Oh, just a streak." – Stephen Colbert (09:16)
• Satirizes proposed immigration reforms favoring white Europeans, riffing on American vs. European cultural norms.

Protest Culture

• Colbert comments on massive national protests, comparing differing regional responses.
• Tells the humorous story of a 61-year-old woman arrested in a penis costume in Alabama.
• Quote:
  • "They can't call that obscene. You can clearly see in the picture, the penis is using a flag to cover its boobs." – Stephen Colbert (13:00)

2. Cultural Commentary: AI, Relationships, & Tech

(15:52–21:16)

AI Hype & Erotica

• Jokes about the AI industry's similarities to the dot-com bubble, and OpenAI's move to allow AI-generated erotica.
• Notable Quote:
  • "OpenAI will now allow verified adults to use ChatGPT to generate erotic content. No? Why do we need a robot to make our erotica? There are thousands upon thousands of randy humans writing the best smut you've ever seen." – Stephen Colbert (16:36)

Tech & Society

• Pokes fun at Elon Musk's anime-inspired erotic chatbots.
• Discusses a satirical legislative effort to ban human-AI marriages.
• Notable Quote:
  • "That headline again? Ohio lawmaker's wife left him for an AI chatbot. Whoa. Craig Snyderman." – Stephen Colbert (18:32)

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3. In-Depth Interview: Michael J. Fox

(21:16–31:20)

Reflections on Back to the Future

• Marks 40 years since the film's release.
• Stephen links DeLoreans more to the movie than their infamous history.
  • "When I look at DeLorean, I rarely think about cocaine deals anymore. I mostly think about your movie." – Stephen Colbert (21:21)
• Fox recalls joining the movie late, replacing Eric Stoltz after five weeks of filming had already occurred.
• Cast and crew had to reshoot or adapt pre-recorded scenes with Fox as Marty McFly.
• Explains the awkwardness and technical challenge of acting in pre-blocked scenes, and contrasts multi-cam sitcom rhythm with film precision.
• Quote:
  • "They couldn’t believe they had to do it again...their reaction shots existed. They were reacting to another guy. So it’s not fair. As an actor, that’s not an ideal situation." – Michael J. Fox (22:51)

Grueling Filming Schedule

• Fox worked days on "Family Ties" and nights on "Back to the Future," sometimes getting only 3–4 hours of sleep for three months.
• Quote:
  • “That’s how they break people at Gitmo, you realize.” – Stephen Colbert (25:15)
  • “Yeah, I was 23 years old and too stupid to know any better.” – Michael J. Fox (25:19)
• Details vivid memories: being shuttled between sets, taking showers and coffee on the fly, mentally transitioning from Alex P. Keaton to Marty McFly.

Memorable Scenes & Behind-the-Scenes

• Fox learned guitar for the "Johnny B. Goode" performance, persuaded production to film his handwork for authenticity.
• Recalls high school bands (notably “Helix”) and feeling relief at not having to sing live on the film tracks.
• Did most of his skateboarding stunts, often spontaneously.
  • “My body was not a temple, it was there to be ravage...I just throw myself into slide over a car.” – Michael J. Fox (26:46)

Cultural Impact and Influence

• Marty McFly inspired real-life musicians: John Mayer, Chris Martin (Coldplay).
• Fox reminisces performing with Coldplay at Glastonbury, playing “Fix You” (28:40).

Parkinson’s Advocacy & Personal Resilience

• Marks the 25th anniversary of the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which has raised over $2.5 billion for Parkinson’s research.
• Fox talks about the initial years post-diagnosis, the process of going public, and the positive response from the community.
• Quotes:
  • “It was a tremendous privilege...the overwhelming force of all that energy I could turn as an opportunity to take that and turn it into something positive.” – Michael J. Fox (29:23)
  • “People that have Parkinson’s for years were stigmatized...so now to represent something to them, to be a marker and be a place marker in society, claim this ground for us.” – Michael J. Fox (30:01)
  • “The attention goes on me, but it’s not about me. It’s about all these families and people that want to change things, get better and want to be healthy.” – Michael J. Fox (30:55)

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4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (w/ Timestamps)

• “Give the man credit. Every so often, he takes the time attach the electrodes to our nipples.” – Stephen Colbert (04:12)
• “My body was not a temple, it was there to be ravage...I just throw myself into slide over a car.” – Michael J. Fox (26:46)
• “It was a tremendous privilege...I could turn as an opportunity to take that and turn it into something positive.” – Michael J. Fox (29:23)

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5. Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:00 — Start of satirical monologue on Trump and current GOP
• 15:52 — Transition to AI, technology, and cultural segment
• 21:16 — Interview with Michael J. Fox begins
• 28:21 — Second half of interview: Fox’s cultural impact and Parkinson’s Foundation
• 31:06 — Interview concludes

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Tone & Style

Stephen Colbert’s narration is sharp, witty, and bursting with smart-aside humor, frequently using hyperbole, playful references, and quick-turn punchlines. Michael J. Fox brings warmth, humility, and self-deprecating humor, giving an honest, open look into both his creative process and his advocacy.

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Wrap-Up

This episode balances Colbert’s scathing political satire with the heart of Michael J. Fox’s legacy in film and advocacy. Whether you’re in for the headlines, the laughs, or the inspiring life stories, the episode offers a dynamic snapshot of pop culture and resilience.

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Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, everybody. Stephen Colbert here about to read the copy for our sponsor. This is from our friends at Wonderful Pistachios. And I was the wonderful pistachio spokesman for years. Yeah, I have a real close association with nut meat. Okay. You know what they say when they reach for a snack? Don't hold back. And that's exactly the approach with Wonderful Pistachios. The don't hold back snack. These little wonders are so tasty, it feels like getting away with something. But surprise. Each serving has 6 grams of protein and 0 grams of regret. That's right. No guilt. Just glory, glory in our nuts. Whether it's a satisfying crack of in shell pistachios, and that's capitalized in shell, or the smooth, instant gratification of no shells. No judgment. That's just it. Just eat. No judgment. I take issue with one thing. It's instant gratification. It's super tasty smooth.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

It's a hard nut smooth.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly. I mean, even out of the shell, it's still a nut.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

We can't disparage the nuts.

[Michael J. Fox]

You.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm not disparaging the nut. I'm describing the nut.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

Don't disparage any flavors.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm not. I am celebrating the pistachio right now. I'm on board. I love pistachios.

[Michael J. Fox]

I love.

[Stephen Colbert]

I love crushed pistachio. Like a pistachio crusted trout. Oh, unbelievable. Instead of a trout amandine, a trout pistachio. Fantastic. Enough butter?

[Michael J. Fox]

Who cares?

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

Very good.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I love pistachio ice cream.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

Have you had the sea salt and vinegar? Wonderful pistachio. It's delicious. I get em.

[Stephen Colbert]

I didn't even know I get them.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

Before the softball games.

[Stephen Colbert]

But that's. You see, it's been a while since I've been the spokesman for wonderful pistachios. I didn't realize we'd achieved new pistachio technology.

[Michael J. Fox]

Yeah.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

Yeah.

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

Wow.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wonderful pistachios has every snack style covered. Right now. There's an obsession with jalapeno lime. There is an obsession session. It's almost a disorder. It's spicy, it's zesty. It's basically a flavor roller coaster in a nut. Snacking on the go. Grab a bag of no shells. Feeling contemplative and want to work for it a little. So earning it, they're saying if you want to earn your nut, crack open those in shell beauties. Either way, it's snacking like a champ. So the next time hunger strikes, don't hold back. Unless it's a hunger strike. And then it's important that you do because whatever you're doing that for, I'm sure it's a worthwhile cause. Snack like you mean it with wonderful pistachios. Visit wonderfulpistachios.com to learn more.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

That was a wonderful.

[Stephen Colbert]

I wonder what more there is to learn. We just told them so much. We just told them so much about pistachios. But evidently there's a whole other world. There's an unexplored vista.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

They got a bunch of flavors. They got dill pickle, jalapeno lime, as we learned, smoky barbecue. There's a lot of different flavors.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. And I would not disparage any of them.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

No, no, no.

[Stephen Colbert]

Bring it on.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

Nothing bad to say.

[Stephen Colbert]

Nut me, nut, nut me with nut meat.

[Guest or Co-host (possibly a comedian or writer on The Late Show)]

We're nut.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, we got nothing but nut. Nutty, nutty, nutty, nutty. Talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about nutty good.

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[Michael J. Fox]

Welcome.

[Stephen Colbert]

Welcome to the Late Show. I'm your host, Stephen Colbert.

[Michael J. Fox]

Folks.

[Stephen Colbert]

Very kind. You know, at this point, after two terms, what are we, nine months into this? We think it would be impossible for us to be shocked by Donald Trump. But give the man credit. Every so often, he takes the time attach the electrodes to our nipples.

[Video Clip or Audio Clip of Donald Trump]

And.

[Stephen Colbert]

Then it feels like the first time. Case in point, yesterday, as part of his White House ballroom project, he sent out a backhoe to rip off a chunk of the east wing. That is it. We are not giving him the security deposit back. Yvonne, can we see that picture again? That is deeply. That is so deeply unsettling. It's like being a kid and seeing your teacher at the grocery store for sale in the meat department. As I said, we're just nine months into Trump's turn and he's going hulk smash on the White House. Last time, it took him at least four years to bring a demo crew to the Capitol. This is happening after Trump's specifically promised his ballroom construction wouldn't touch the existing White House. Here he is talking about it this summer.

[Video Clip or Audio Clip of Donald Trump]

It won't interfere with the current building. It won't be. It'll be near it but not touching it. And pays total respect to the existing building, which I'm the biggest fan of. It's my favorite. It's my favorite place. I love it.

[Stephen Colbert]

So that was a lie. At this point, should we even believe that this is going to end up being a ballroom? Could just as easily end up being a combination Pizza Hut, Taco Bell. Nobody.

[Video Clip or Audio Clip of Donald Trump]

Nobody.

[Stephen Colbert]

Nobody out pizzas the bell. Nobody out pizzas the bell. Now, someone in his administration is clearly smart enough to know how bad this looks, because the Treasury Department is right next door facing the demolition. And treasury has now told their employees not to share any photos of the construction. Not generally something you instruct when you're proud of what's going on. Hey, guys, remember, no photos at my wedding. And it's not because I'm marrying a body pillow of Mariah Carey. Yesterday at the White House, Trump talked about his wrecking ballroom. The one thing I don't think we make enough fun of is how his brain is filled with cotton candy fantasies of lavish, princely soirees.

[Video Clip or Audio Clip of Donald Trump]

So you'll have drinks, cocktails, everything on this floor. And then they'll say, welcome to dinner. You walk into the ballroom, Mr. Senators, and you're going to see a ballroom the likes of which I don't think will. I don't think it'll be topped.

[Stephen Colbert]

There'll be drinks. There'll be drinks. Cocktails like this. Drinks and cocktails. Drinks and cocktails, Mr. Senators. We'll have drinks and cocktails, Mr.

[Michael J. Fox]

Senators.

[Stephen Colbert]

You saw that? You see that? This is the cocktail shape of a glass.

[Michael J. Fox]

Mr.

[Stephen Colbert]

Senators. Penguin waiters with trays of tiny hot dogs and puff pastry and a horny candelabra trying to make time with a beautiful feather duster. Be my guest, Trump. Cocktails. Now, this is.

[Michael J. Fox]

Chris.

[Stephen Colbert]

Trump has plenty of time to build his Barbie Dream Ballroom because he sure don't have a government to run. It's been three weeks, and it turns out not having government is not good. With so many federal workers furloughed, there's a pause on national park tours and new drug reviews. So these days, you'll need to get your drug reviews from Yelp. Like this one. Meth. Helped me Bike from LA to Vegas, but lost all my teeth. Spiders. Spiders. 4 stars. 4 stars. If you have some method. It had been a tough PR week for the gop. Last week, Politico published a young Republican group chat loaded with horrible messages like I love Hitler. Then a Republican congressional staffer was seen on zoom with a Nazi swastika American flag hanging on the wall behind him. But folks, that's all in the past. Until yesterday, we found out that a Trump nominee boasted of having a Nazi streak. Alright, Ivan, let's reset the counter days since last Republican Nazi thing. There you go. According to osha, we have to have one of those. Tonight's Nazi der tag is Trump's pick to head the office of Special counsel and self lubricating butler Paul Engracio. I think that's what's on his head. According to a leaked Republican group chat in 2024, Ingrassi admitted. I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time. Folks, there's no such thing as a Nazi streak. You got any Nazi in you? You a Nazi? Hey, let me ask you, let me ask you, let me ask you before I dig in, is there any poop in this casserole? Oh, just a streak. Stick with the. I'll stick with the salad. Those are raisins in there, right? Seems that. Thank you very much. Thank you. Wasn't in the prompter. That one was free. That one was free. Threw that in there. It seemed that Engracia also had a racist streak. For instance, at one point in the chat, he used an Italian slur for black people while complaining about federal holidays, writing From Kwanzaa to MLK Jr Day to Black History Month to Juneteenth, every single one needs to be eviscerated.

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

Wow.

[Stephen Colbert]

What a weirdly violent way to talk about days. Ooh, give me 10 minutes alone with Memorial Day and I'll give it something to rem. The GOP is having a rough ride with all of this. And in their attempts to distance themselves from the Nazi. It's not being helped by the fact that we recently learned that Trump is considering an overhaul of the refugee system that would favor white people. Explains the new poem on the Statue of Liberty. Give me your Gwens, your Declans, your huddle chads. Yearning to J. Crew now. Quality products. Nothing against J. Crew. I love a khaki. I love a pleated khaki. Trump's proposal would give preference to English speakers, white South Africans and Europeans who oppose migration. That's right. We'll only let you migrate here if you oppose migration, which means as soon as we let you in, you're going to have to help us kick you right out. They specifically want to prioritize Europeans who have been targeted for support for populist political parties, which seems to be a direct reference to the European far right political party. Alternative for Germany and would also emphasize that these migrants assimilate into the United States and respect American cultural norms. They think Germans are gonna be interested in American cultural norms? Excuse me. I'm so excited to come to your beautiful land. Just checking. How many years of paid parental leave do you give? Oh, and just. I know. Momentum. How universal is health care, really? Okay, let's do an easy one. Easy 1. Leather BDSM overalls. Yay or super yay. I've got to polish mine up. I've got to oil mine up for holidays. With stuff like this, it's no wonder 7 million people took to the streets on Saturday to protect peacefully protest this administration.

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

Y'. All.

[Stephen Colbert]

Y' all down with it. You got any no Keynesies? You got some no Keynesies. Not that there were zero arrests. For instance, in Fairhope, Alabama, a woman was arrested for wearing this giant penis costume which the police deemed obscene.

[Michael J. Fox]

What?

[Stephen Colbert]

They can't call that obscene. You can clearly see in the picture, the penis is using a flag to cover its boobs. The cops. The cops demanded the woman remove the costume. She refused. So three of them pinned her to the ground, then arrested and then handcuffed handcuffed the penis. Oh, sure, those cuffs fit now, but just wait till that penis is in a cold prison cell. They're gonna slip right off. The woman in the costume is 61 now. You might think, good for her.

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

Good for her.

[Stephen Colbert]

You might think, it's pretty bad. Look for three cops to tackle an older woman. But remember, they couldn't tell she was 61 because every penis looks like it's 102 years old. We got a great show for you tonight.

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[Stephen Colbert]

Folks, despite the fact that every AI company is telling us that AI is going to be great for everybody and wouldn't we like to use AI, Many experts are worried about an AI bubble in the stock market, which would be a disaster because presently the AI industry is 17 times the size of the dot com frenzy. Okay, that was 25 years ago and that crash was so bad a lot of us had to take our pets.com to a farmupstate.org Some of you are old enough to remember so so with the threat of a bubble, it's not surprising that big AI firms out there are trying to raise cash by getting dirty. For instance, OpenAI will now allow verified adults to use ChatGPT to generate erotic content. No? Why do we need a robot to make our erotica? There are thousands upon thousands of randy humans writing the best smut you've ever seen. I mean, anything you can think of. Anything you can think of. AI can't get weirder than this. Like these real erotic novels. Barbarian's a sci fi alien romance, Morning Glory Milking a monster bait romance. Or the classic taken by the Haunted HDMI cable. That one was even hard to say. Yes, taken by the Haunted HDMI cable. It may not sound sexy, but there is graphic depiction of frontal dongle. OpenAI says this is part of their mission to treat adult users like adults, but some have pointed out that the move could boost OpenAI as it seeks to sign up consumers for paid subscriptions. This is clearly just to boost sales, and it's just as desperate as when McDonald's changed their slogan to we do porn now. OpenAI is not alone on the road to techno filth. Elon Musk just debuted new sexually explicit chatbot companions that resemble anime characters and do things like Strip down to lacy lingerie. So the greatest computational achievement of our lifetime is going to be used for anime porn. I guess that's nothing new. I mean, we all remember Neil Armstrong's famous words. That's one small step for man. Now that I'm up here, I'm gonna crank one to Sailor Moon. Reactions to Musk's bots are mixed with one user saying, the bot says my name constantly. It also moans randomly and loudly. What's not to like about that? Hey, big boy named Craig Schneiderman. Oh, what? Craig Schneiderman. Are you wearing Craig? Oh, Schneiderman. Craig. Craig Sniderman. Craig Schneiderman. Craig. I gotta go to bed, man. I'm done. Of course, some traditional folks might not be interested in more than a one night stand with a horny chatbot. They may want a deeper relationship, but they may never happen. Because an Ohio lawmaker wants to ban marriage between humans and AI chatbots. That headline again? Ohio lawmaker's wife left him for an AI chatbot. Whoa. Craig Snyderman. Schneiderman. Fun fact. This piece of legislation comes from Ohio representative Thaddeus Clagett. No wonder he's against technology. His name is 200 years old. You know his campaign slogan? Thaddeus Claggett, Gold darn prairie dog. Sole Mahatigan. Yvonne, can we actually see a picture of Thaddeus Clagett? That does not look right. Can we run that through AI? Much better. We'll be right back with Michael J. Fox. Welcome back to the show. It's hard to believe, but it's been 40 years since back to the Future arrived in the theaters. The film, directed by Robert Zemeckis and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, starred a young Michael J. Fox who travels back in time to 1955. It was massive success, earning nearly $400 million in 1985 worldwide and made Fox a movie star. In 1991, Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and after forming the Michael J. Fox foundation, has become a tireless advocate for those living with Parkinson's. Today he has written a new memoir, Future Boy, about his Back to the Future years. And we recently sat down together here at the Ed Sullivan Theater. Michael, thanks so much for talking to me today.

[Michael J. Fox]

My pleasure to be here.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's been 40 years since back to the Future came out and changed forever how we feel about DeLoreans. When I look at DeLorean, I rarely think about cocaine deals anymore. I mostly think about your movie. When you look back to starting that film, did you have any idea the cultural impact it was going to make no.

[Michael J. Fox]

No concept at all. I was just going with the physical impact it would have on my body. And I'd do two things at once. It was. I didn't have time because they shot for six weeks with another actor. I came on and just hit the ground running and just wanted to survive it. And so I had no concept of it being a big movie.

[Stephen Colbert]

You hit on a couple of things there that I want to get into. They're all in the new book, Future Boy, A Journey through the Space Time Continuum. Your experience with Back to the Future, what people might not know that you mentioned there, you alluded to just there, is that you had a very challenging schedule, which we'll get to. But you also replaced a great actor, Eric Stoltz, who had already shot five or six weeks on the film. When you showed up, and you're with a cast that has already been working with another actor. Were you intimidated to show up to the set when they already were used to another Marty McFly?

[Michael J. Fox]

Well, Leah cops says in the book that she was not too impressed that sitcom showed up.

[Stephen Colbert]

This is the time we have to remind people again, when TV people didn't do movies and movie peoples didn't do tv, you show up on the set like, what's the vibe?

[Michael J. Fox]

They couldn't believe that they had to do it again. They shoot these scenes again because they had to shoot their coverage again.

[Stephen Colbert]

Did they insert you into existing scenes.

[Michael J. Fox]

Or did they show they had existing coverage? They shot with Eric, and then I just came in and plopped in there. And so all their reaction shots existed. They were reacting to another guy. So it's not fair. As an actor, that's not an ideal situation. It was tough for me because during film, I was used to sitcoms. I was used to, like, shtick. I came up with jokes. I came up with stuff, and I did stuff. Bob, these shots are so intricate that you're locked in these shots. You can't stray. You can't do a little dance. You think it's funny, stay in the shot. And it was amazing that I survived it.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, barely, because it's an incredibly punishing schedule. You were playing Alex P. Keaton by day on Family Ties, A full day of shooting on one soundstage and then back to the Future at night.

[Video Clip or Audio Clip of Donald Trump]

How did.

[Stephen Colbert]

Literally. Was it just like a car idling outside the Family Ties studio for you to dive into and get to the other set?

[Michael J. Fox]

Yeah. Teamster's waiting. Teamsters on the ready. The Teamster would come pick me up. Get me Eddie got Along. Throw me in the shower, get me a cup of coffee.

[Stephen Colbert]

The teamster would literally come in and, like, wake you up and put you.

[Michael J. Fox]

In the shower, turn on the shower. And I would get in the shower. He'd go make coffee. He had me, the coffee in the shower. I finished. Get dressed, okay. Go to the studio, do my bit. And I get in the car. Teams are waiting. Get a milkshake or something. Go, go along the coinga pass to. From Paramount to Universal, straight shot. And, and, and I pull in and then I get to work. And, and, and, and I change into Marty. And, and on the trip there, I kind of like Marty. Ized myself. Marty was kind of a goofy kid. And just a lot of Alex was very intense, very. A sure and driven character. So there wasn't a transition making. There was a kind of adjustment to make.

[Stephen Colbert]

When did you sleep? How much sleep were you getting?

[Michael J. Fox]

Well, think of it as getting four hours, three hours. And it was for how long? For three months.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's how they break people at Gitmo, you realize.

[Michael J. Fox]

Yeah, I was 23 years old and I was too stupid to know any better.

[Stephen Colbert]

Was it legal? Like, were you having to sign waivers? Cause how could unions allow this to happen to you?

[Michael J. Fox]

Well, simpler time. Simple time.

[Stephen Colbert]

I understand one of your personal favorite scenes was when Marty performs Johnny Be Good, which is a fantastic scene in the movie. Did you actually learn to play that for the movie?

[Michael J. Fox]

Well, I played in bands in high school, and I was being a rock and roll guy, and that's what I wanted to do.

[Stephen Colbert]

Do you remember the names of any of the bands you were in?

[Michael J. Fox]

Yeah, my, my, the big band was, was Helix, called Helix.

[Stephen Colbert]

Helix.

[Michael J. Fox]

Because we're playing people, we're trying to think of a name. We're playing ping pong. Alex. Alex Tristar. Ping pong balls.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, wow.

[Michael J. Fox]

But when we did the movie, I, I, they already pre recorded the tracks and I like, recorded the guitar tracks and the vocal tracks. Fine with me because I couldn't sing, so I didn't mind that. But, but I wanted to. I knew I could play the bit and play the, the riff. So I said, shoot my hands. Did Dean Ken do that? I said, shoot my hands. You don't shoot my hands. A waste of time. And it looks stupid. My hands. People might buy it for a second. And they did, so it worked out okay. All right, guys, listen this to Blues Riff and B. Watch me for the changes and try and keep up, okay?

[Stephen Colbert]

Did you do any of your other stunts?

[Michael J. Fox]

I did a lot of skateboarding. I had a lot of, I would just throw myself at things. Like I say in the book, I said my body was not a temple, it was a, it was there to be ravage of ransacked and pillage. I was ready to wipe my, my energy and youth whatever I had to to get things done. So I just throw myself into slide over a car. Obviously. How did you know how to do that? I don't know.

[Stephen Colbert]

Did it, you had to do it. We'll be right back with some more Michael J. Fox. Everybody.

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[Stephen Colbert]

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[Stephen Colbert]

Welcome back everybody. And we now return to my conversation with Michael J.

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

Fox.

[Stephen Colbert]

Is it true that Marty McFly inspired some real life rock stars?

[Michael J. Fox]

That's right. Here. John Mayer told me that John Mayer, that's what he was going to play guitar and Chris Martin Nicole played famous back to future fan, big sport.

[Stephen Colbert]

He had me.

[Michael J. Fox]

I played with them and played time to be with them at MetLife Stadium and played fix you with them at Glastonbury in front of 300,000 people.

[Stephen Colbert]

Today, October 21 is universally recognized as Back to the Future day. It's one of the days in Back to the Future where Marty and Doc travel into the past. But there's another anniversary to celebrate. 2025 marks 25 years of the Michael J. Fox foundation which has raised over $2.5 billion for Parkinson's research. How does that feel to you to that is such a huge part of your legacy?

[Michael J. Fox]

Well, it's, it's tremendous privilege. And it was when this happened and I was diagnosed and took some time to try to solve it for myself. Seven years. And then I decided to go public with it and People's response was so good. And I realized the overwhelming force of all that energy focused on like I could turn as an opportunity to take that and turn it into something positive people admire.

[Stephen Colbert]

Not just the work you've done to raise these funds for research for Parkinson's, but your willingness to stay in the public and to be a face for Parkinson's and for the people who have the same disease. How are you feeling these days?

[Michael J. Fox]

Okay. It's really important that I don't. Don't show up and say nothing. If I have something to say, just show up and say it because it's. People that have Parkinson's for years were stigmatized and so. And so thought they were drunk. So. So now to. To represent something to them that to be a marker and be a place marker in society, claim this ground for us. I said we have this ground. We're trying to improve and we're here. And just. I think it's meant a lot to people only because they've expressed it to me. And I'm so flattered by it, so humbled by it. The tension goes on me, but it's not about me. It's about all these families and people that want to change things, get better and want to be healthy. So an aunt who you're talking about, It's a good thing.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, the book is Future Boy. It's out now. And the Michael J. Fox foundation is celebrating 25 years. Michael, thanks so much for talking to me today.

[Michael J. Fox]

My pleasure. Thank you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Thank you, Michael. Thank you for listening to the Late Show Pod show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives. Now streaming on Paramount. Plus, someone is trying to frame us. Until our names are cleared, we're fugitives from interval like Bonnie and Clyde with better snacks. Espionage. You still as good a shot as you used to be?

[Audience Member or Additional Guest]

Better.

[Stephen Colbert]

Is there love language? We like to walk that fine line between techno thriller and romantic comedy.

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[Stephen Colbert]

NCIS Tony and Ziva now streaming on Paramount. Plus this October, Pluto TV has all the scares all for free with fan favorite horror movies like Paranormal Activity, the ring, scream and 28 days later. Pluto TV stream now pay never.