Summary

• Michael J. Fox's role on Curb Your Enthusiasm was his most hilarious in decades, showcasing his comedic genius.
• The feud between Larry David and Michael J. Fox in Curb Your Enthusiasm highlighted Larry's insensitivity and misplaced anger, with Fox becoming the hero by standing up for himself and others with Parkinson's.
• Fox's role on Curb Your Enthusiasm inspired him to return to TV acting, leading to his performances in shows like The Good Wife and Designated Survivor.

Curb Your Enthusiasm. Though he's best known for playing Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy, Fox made his name as a child star on TV. He showed off his comedic abilities playing Alex P. Keaton on the sitcom Family Ties, skills he used again in The Secret of My Success, Doc Hollywood, and Spin City. Unfortunately, Fox decreased his acting roles because his Parkinson's Disease made it too difficult to continue (via The Guardian).

After making his diagnosis public, he changed the way he approached roles, only taking on ones he felt enthusiastic about. Additionally, he took on more voice acting roles, such as Stuart Little in the eponymous movie series and Milo in Atlantis: The Lost Empire. In 2013, he released The Michael J. Fox Show, one of the most memorable comedic performances of his career. Despite this, the most hilarious role is a two-episode arc in the cast of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Michael J. Fox Plays A Guest Role As Himself In Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 8

In Curb Your Enthusiasm, Michael J. Fox plays a parody version of himself who is Larry’s upstairs neighbor. When Larry goes out to listen to his girlfriend play piano at a bar, he gets upset at people talking, including the fictional Michael J. Fox. This creates a feud between the two characters that lasts the entire episode. The character incorporates Fox’s Parkinson’s Disease while exaggerating other traits. This comes together to make one of Michael J. Fox’s greatest comedy roles since Spin City ended in 2002. It’s funny and lighthearted while not forcing Fox to mask his Parkinson’s for the role.

This fits in with the other celebrities – like Ricky Gervais, Meg Ryan, and Lin-Manuel Miranda – who have played parody versions of themselves and become one of Larry’s biggest enemies on Curb Your Enthusiasm. The fact that so many people have become Larry’s nemesis shows just how inept he is at basic decency and emotional regulation.

Larry David & Michael J. Fox's Feud Is One Of Curb Your Enthusiasm's Greatest Storylines

Larry frequently gets into fights with others, but one of the most memorable is his feud with Michael J. Fox in Curb Your Enthusiasm season 8, episode 10, “Larry vs. Michael J. Fox.” This incredible storyline includes boundary-pushing comedy that incorporates Fox’s Parkinson’s Disease without making it the butt of the joke. The story clearly places Larry in the wrong as he continually ignores the effects of his neighbor’s disability. Additionally, Fox becomes the hero by standing up for himself and others with Parkinson’s, pointing once again to Larry’s misplaced anger and insensitivity.

Fox’s character was so beloved that he even returns in Curb Your Appetite season 9, episode 8, “Never Wait For Seconds!” This one-minute-long cameo is just as hilarious as the full-length episode and offers a different perspective on the feud. When Morsi asks Michael J. Fox’s fictional counterpart about what went down, he questions whether the actor exaggerated the clomping and intentionally shook up the soda. Hilariously, he its that he did some of it intentionally, acknowledging that people with disabilities are people first and foremost. Fox’s character isn’t exempt from being a jerk just because he has Parkinson’s Disease.

Then, the last 10 seconds offer the funniest part of Michael J. Fox’s role on Curb Your Enthusiasm. After itting that he shook up Larry’s soda, he offers a can of Coca-Cola to Morsi in a complete power move. When he refuses, the fictional Fox takes the can back and calls the investigator a p*ssy. This moment is already hilarious as is, but it gets better knowing that Fox came up with the idea himself, showing off his comedic genius (via Hollywood Reporter).

Curb Your Enthusiasm is available to stream on Max.

Michael J. Fox's Curb Your Enthusiasm Role Helped Inspire His Major TV Acting Return

On top of being his most hilarious role in decades, Curb Your Enthusiasm played another significant role for Michael J. Fox. According to the actor’s interview with The Guardian, Denis Leary told Fox that he should get back to work after recording his first episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. This gave him a push to reflect on the reasons he wanted to get back into acting. Ultimately, it pushed him to start back up in Hollywood. Without this moment, he might not have gone on to perform in phenomenal shows like The Good Wife or Designated Survivor.

Sources: The Guardian and Hollywood Reporter