Michael Douglas Makes First Public Appearance at Mike Bloomberg Event Since Father Kirk's Death
Michael Douglas made a surprise trip to the Midwest to support his favorite presidential candidate.
A day after attending his father Kirk’s funeral in Los Angeles, the Oscar winner, 75, spoke at a campaign event for former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg in Madison, Wisconsin, on Saturday morning.
Douglas’ visit marks his first public appearance since the death of his father, legendary Hollywood star Kirk Douglas earlier this week. He was 103.
The Spartacus actor, who had been in good health since suffering a stroke in 1996, is survived by his wife of 65 years, Anne, and his sons Michael, Joel, and Peter.
Michael released a heartfelt statement to PEOPLE saying, “To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.
Michael Douglas in Madison, begins remarks with story about father Kirk Douglas, supports Bloomberg. pic.twitter.com/t5XvepYRNa
— Michelle Baik NBC15 (@michellebaik) February 8, 2020
”RELATED: Michael and Kirk Douglas’ Special Relationship: ‘I’m So Proud to Be Your Son’
Actor Michael Douglas speaking at the grand opening of Mike Bloomberg’s office.
Sharing a story about his father, who was buried yesterday. #News3Now pic.twitter.com/u47pp0DXBL— Gabriella Bachara (@GabbyBachara) February 8, 2020
“But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad,” he added.
Douglas joins several other celebrities endorsing Bloomberg in the 2020 election. musician John Mellencamp, fashion icon Tim Gunn and TV personality judge Judy Sheindlin (known as “Judge Judy”) have all voiced their support.
Last month, Douglas told PEOPLE he “hasn’t been this excited” about a presidential candidate since John F. Kennedy.
RELATED: Tim Gunn Jumps Into the 2020 Election: Why He’s Endorsing Mike Bloomberg — and Joining the Campaign
In his view, Bloomberg offers “a rare opportunity to coalesce and bring us back together, get rid of all this horrid, negative scare tactics that are going on, and the fact that he’s succeeded to the degree that he has is phenomenal.”
Bloomberg, 77, is the billionaire head of his eponymous media and financial company. He previously spent three terms as the mayor of N.Y.C., from 2002 to 2013.
The Democratic presidential candidate has avoided the earliest-voting primary states (where he polls weakly) in an effort to attract voters in larger states on “Super Tuesday” and beyond. He has spent increasingly more time and expanded his staff in key battleground states including Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, according to the Wall Street Journal.
