Michael Douglas on Letterman

Michael Douglas talked to David Letterman on Tuesday August 31, appearing in great spirits and very optimistic about his chances of recovery from Stage 4 throat cancer. Letterman noted that when Michael said he was at Stage 4, he heard “a gasp,” but the 65 year old actor said: “The big thing you’re always worried about is it spreading, so I am head and neck. I am above the neck, so nothing’s gone down, and the expectations are good.”

Mr. Douglas, 65, said he had completed the first week of an eight-week chemotherapy program. He told David Letterman that smoking and drinking causes the particular type of cancer that he has. While admitting to both, he indicated that he believed alcohol was the reason that he has cancer.

Douglas also made a reference to his legendary father, actor, Kirk Douglas, when Letterman asked: “I’m sorry to be dumb about this, but you look great and you don’t sound like you have throat cancer. Now, why is that?”

“Because I’m onstage,” Michael joked, “because Kirk would … say, ‘Son, you gotta look good. You never know when you might have cancer.’”

David Letterman also said he had just seen Michael Douglas’ latest movie “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” the sequel to his much earlier hit movie “Wall Street” (1987), and congratulated the actor on the film.

Michael Douglas first made his mark on TV in the 1970s series “The Streets of San Francisco” co-starring with veteran actor, Karl Malden.

Douglas went on to become a highly respected star in his own right in such films as Falling Down (1993), Basic Instinct (1992), The War of the Roses (1989) and Fatal Attraction (1987).

Michael Douglas was in the news earlier this year when his 31 year old son, Cameron, was sentenced to 5 years in prison for dealing drugs. Michael also has two young children, Dylan (10) and Carys (7), with his second wife, actress, Catherine Zeta-Jones.

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