Throughout her illustrious run in the realm of music, Taylor Swift has cemented herself as one of, if not the biggest pop icon of the 21st century and has amassed an enormous following. But like every massive fandom, a part of the Swifties community is toxic as well, who often go out of their way to retaliate against anyone who dares to speak ill of the Cats star.

Michael J. Fox, whose opinion of Swift has changed drastically over the years, once found himself amidst heavy fire from the Swifties in 2013 following his initial remarks on the pop icon.

Michael J. Fox Was Against the Idea of Taylor Swift Dating His Son

Michael J. Fox | Credit: Back to The Future (via Universal Pictures)

While by 2013, Taylor Swift was already a huge icon in the music industry, Michael J. Fox had little knowledge about her. Fox was only aware of the fact that The Tortured Poets Department singer’s works revolved around her past break-ups.

So, when the actor was asked about his stance on the possibility of Swift dating his son after Tina Fey jokingly warned her to stay away from Sam Michael Fox at the Golden Globes, he didn’t entertain the idea.

Taylor Swift | Wikimedia Commons

He told Vulture:

“No. No … Just back off. I don’t keep up with it all. But Taylor Swift writes songs about everybody she goes out with, right?” Right! What a way to build a career.”

Unsurprisingly, this didn’t sit well with the Swifties and all hell broke loose, and during his recent visit to the Late Show with David Letterman, Fox recalled being bombarded by the fandom on Twitter.

Michael J. Fox’s Statements Came to Bite Him Later

Although initially indifferent to Taylor’s achievements, the Back to the Future star has gone on to become a huge admirer of her work following the singer’s impact on her fans and the world.

Speaking to People Magazine, the actor even referenced her impact on the global economics, stating,

 “I think she’s going to be a really important person. I think she moves economies, she changes the way the world works, and that’s amazing,”

But before his opinion on the pop icon changed, the actor recalled facing the wrath of Swifties online following his statements back in 2013, even joking that his daughter was in it too. However, things did cool down after the Family Ties star apologized to Swift, with Fox advising “Don’t piss off Taylor Swift”.

Michael J. Fox | Wikimedia Commons

He said:

“Hellfire rained down upon me, I had… every teen in America was twittering me and tweeting me and were really angry… And then I apologized profusely to Taylor… and she forgave me and she called off the pack”

Such a toxic portion of fandom isn’t just exclusive to Taylor Swift, as both sports and showbiz suffer from the same issue, with Snydervse and Star Wars being some major examples. But often they’re the vocal minority, and the entire fanbase shouldn’t be judged because of them.