Fox dismisses criticism, but mom is not amused

Michael J. Fox laughed off criticism of his appearance in recent political ads in support of embryonic stem cell research but said his mother was not as amused.

"She was not happy," Fox said during an interview aired Sunday's on ABC's "This Week."

Fox, who has Parkinson's disease, said his mother, Phyllis, was with him when he shot the ads and knew that he "was struggling to stay still. Because I truly wanted to stay still. It's more comfortable. It's not comfortable to be moving around."

Fox, who supports embryonic stem cell research as a possible cure for Parkinson's, drew some conservative criticism after a Missouri ad began running during the World Series. It showed Fox visibly shaking while urging viewers to vote yes for stem-cell research and for a Democratic Senate candidate over the Republican incumbent.