Video: Michael J. Fox Shows Off Nike Air Mag Sneakers on Letterman

Previouse night Nike unveiled the Nike Air Mags, replicas of the shoes that Michael J. Fox wore in Back to the Future Part II, at an even in Los Angeles. The shoes are being actioned off on eBay to raise funds for Fox’s charity, and he appeared on the Late Show With David Letterman last night to promote them.

As you may have heard, the sneakers light up but don’t actually have self-tying laces like they do in the movie. Nike made 1,500 pairs and is auctioning them off on eBay. Bids for some of the first pairs have already topped $11,000. You can see all the current auctions for the Air Mags on Nike’s dedicated eBay page for them.

Fox came calling with a pair to David Letterman’s show last night, showing them off (though not actually wearing them) to promote the campaign. He was excited that the sneakers will appeal to three distinct groups: sneaker afficianados (if you doubt their existence of influence, check out the site Nice Kicks), Back to the Future fans, whom Fox describes as "out of their minds, but in the best way," and people motivated in the fight against Parkinson’s disease. Fox is afflicted with Parkinson’s, and he set up the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000 to advance research in improving treatment and help work on a cure.

Funds from the eBay sales will go directly to the Foundation. Fox said Google co-founder Sergey Brin and wife Anne Wojcicki, founder of genetics company 23andMe, have pledged to match the money collected from the auctions with donations up to $50 million.

The LEDs in the Air Mags light up both the bottom of the shoe and the Nike logo up front. The battery is said to keep them lit for five hours before recharging, and it’s rated for a 30,000-hour life. Nike’s putting up 150 pairs of the shoes each day for 10 days, in men’s sizes from 7 to 13. Shipping is free, though the auctions are only open to U.S. residents.