Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones Back Together -- and Doing 'Great'

ELIZABETH GONZALEZ via GOOD MORNING AMERICA

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas attend the 41st Annual Chaplin Award Gala dinner at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, April 28, 2014 in New York.

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Catherine-Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas are back together and doing better than ever.

Last August, the star couple announced they were taking a break, but now Douglas reveals the two are “very close and everything is going great”, according to a candid interview with CBS’ Gayle King.

Health issues in the past -– Douglas’ cancer battle in 2010 while Zeta-Jones dealt with bipolar II disorder -- seemed to have strained the relationship, and for a while each was seen walking red carpets solo.

Hugh Jackman Reveals 2nd Bout of Skin Cancer

It turns out some breaks do turnout to have happy endings, allowing for some personal growth in the meantime.

"Sometimes we spend more efforts with people that are strangers in terms of making an impression than the person that's closest to us," he told King. "And you just gotta remember not to take for granted that person that's closest to you."

They have recently been spotted together on several dates, and just last weekend had a lot of fun celebrating their son’s bar mitzvah.

Michael Douglas Gushes Over Catherine Zeta-Jones: ‘I Really Lucked Out’

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Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones enjoyed a date night in New York, hitting the town for “The Actors Fund for Everyone in Entertainment,” and talked only to “Extra’s” AJ Calloway.
 
Catherine raved about her Mother’s Day. “One of the best days I've had in many, many years, we were all together, I got spoiled rotten, I must be doing something right.” Michael revealed he spoiled Catherine with flowers and gifts, and, “lots of love and affection.”  Douglas continued to moon over his bride, “I lucked out, I really lucked out.”
 
The couple also dished to AJ on their summer plans, with Michael saying, “I've got to promote ‘Antman’ till I’m another year older, 'til I’m 78 or something, Catherine’s got a fun picture she’s looking forward to doing. We try for as much as much as we can for the summer to be with the kids.” Catherine added, “We like to be with the children.”

As for whether we'll ever see the two on the big screen together, Catherine said, “If he wasn’t my husband, I’d like to work with Michael Douglas, it’s true, he’s a great actor.”  Michael, jumped right in, “I would like to work with you any way I can get you, honey.”  He continued, “It’s a good question, I’ve been wondering myself, you’re not playing hard to get now, it’s too late.”
 
Michael, a sports fan, also weighed in on the news of the day regarding Tom Brady’s suspension. “It was fair, it was fair, they treated it as a second strike, could have been six games, million-dollar fine for the team. They left those two guys out there, the equipment guys who lost their jobs got fired, no pay, they’re sitting at home, so what do you do?” Michael added, “Of course, I’m a Jets fan, so…”

What Do You Think About the Controversial Revelations of Michael Douglas About His Cancer?

I've always liked Michael Douglas as an actor. Now I like him even more for doing a public service. It takes some guts to talk about this kind of thing. HPV infections and the related cancers it can cause are a big public health problem that most people know little about. 
 
Mr. Douglas was treated for a head and neck cancer that lots of people probably thought was related to smoking or drinking. But that's not necessarily the case.
 
Head and neck cancers related to HPV are on the rise. HPV related cancers can be confirmed by HPV testing on the biopsy.
 
So how does someone get HPV infection of the mouth and throat? It's most likely from oral sex. HPV is transmitted by direct contact. Most people that have HPV infection won't get cancer. But it's also associated with a number of other cancers including cancer of the cervix, vulva, and anus in women and penis and anus in men.
 
"HPV is a common virus that is easily spread by skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity with another person. It is possible to have HPV without knowing it, so it is possible to unknowingly spread HPV to another person."
 
"HPV vaccine is a strong weapon in prevention. These safe, effective vaccines are available to protect females and males against some of the most common HPV types and the health problems that the virus can cause."
 
VPD-VAC/HPV/Vaccine FAQ
 
This stuff is all preventable by vaccination. It's recommended for the following:
 
"Cervarix and Gardasil are licensed, safe, and effective for females ages 9 through 26 years. CDC recommends that all 11 or 12 year old girls get the 3 doses (shots) of either brand of HPV vaccine to protect against cervical cancer. Gardasil also protects against most genital warts, as well as some cancers of the vulva, vagina, and anus. Girls and young women ages 13 through 26 should get HPV vaccine if they have not received any or all doses when they were younger."
 
"Gardasil is also licensed, safe, and effective for males ages 9 through 26 years. CDC recommends Gardasil for all boys aged 11 or 12 years, and for males aged 13 through 21 years, who did not get any or all of the three recommended doses when they were younger. All men may receive the vaccine through age 26, and should speak with their doctor to find out if getting vaccinated is right for them."
 
So what's the problem? Only about 30% of girls in America are getting vaccinated. And for boys, it's even lower than that. The vaccination seems to be more effective when given younger rather than waiting to late teens or twenties.
 
Why don't kids get the vaccine? For some, it's the expense. For others, parents have expressed concern that it could promote sexual activity. That's puzzling. 
 
We have a vaccine that can prevent cancer and some parents won't get their kid vaccinated because getting the vaccine could promote sexual activity? We give vaccines for all sorts of infections without discussion about the social implications. HPV should be no different. We don't discuss the social implications of getting a tetanus shot or MMR. HPV should be no different.
 
STUDY: The HPV Vaccine Is 33 Percent More Effective When Given To Younger Girls

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Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones: Against All Odds?

Hollywood's own Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones announced their separation this week. Since then, rumors have been swirling over whether or not it is true, and how far they might take it. So far, neither has filed for divorce or even legal separation but they are reported to be living apart after 13 years of marriage. The couple made headlines in 2000 when they exchanged rings, despite a 25-year age difference, in a lavish ceremony at Manhattan's Plaza Hotel. They went on to have two children together.

Marriage is hard under the best of circumstances. The constant push and pull of each partner's needs demands work on a daily basis in an effort to make sure nobody feels they are getting the short end of the stick. Couples find themselves trying to accept each other's differences and figuring out how to navigate them in order to find compatibility and compromise without becoming angry or resentful. All of that takes an inordinate amount of energy. Throw in a big gap in your ages, or a difference of religion or economic status as other couples might encounter, and there are even more challenges. But Michael and Catherine seemed determined to not be dragged down by it.

The past few years have brought even bigger hurdles and hardship to the couple. Michael, now 68, received six months of grueling medical treatment for throat cancer between August 2010 and January 2011. Soon after, Catherine, now 43, went public with her diagnosis of Bipolar II Disorder. In addition, Michael's oldest son from his previous marriage to Diandra Luker battled substance abuse and was arrested and jailed for selling drugs in April 2010. He is now in prison and is scheduled to be released in 2018.

It is because Michael and Catherine have endured all these obstacles that they may have just the stamina, coupled with the coping skills, to soldier through yet another tough time. The love they share propelled them to steer their way beyond the troubles they have already faced. Both have experienced illnesses, his physical fight with a potentially deadly cancer, and her emotional fight with Bipolar disorder. When you are dealing with illness of this magnitude, the uncertainly and precariousness is like being under a Damocles sword and you never know when it's going to drop. This anxiety can totally drain you. Additionally, your ordinary roles get challenged. The sick partner is not him or herself, and the healthy partner must become the caretaker, not sure when or if their loved one will come back to them. This can place a tremendous burden on the individual and the marriage as a unit. When the ill person isn't available the way he or she usually is, the other person might feel unsupported, angry, overwhelmed, frightened, and even alone. It is easy to reach a point where one or both partners feels so overwhelmed that it seems the only avenue to relief is an exit.

Perhaps all Michael and Catherine need now is to take a break and regroup. It might be that they have each reached a point where they have run out of not love, just gas. Time apart might allow them the opportunity they need to refuel their tanks in order to carry on their commitment to each other and move forward. What enabled them to make it this far in the face of all they have dealt with may help them get through these difficult times.

Michael and Catherine are clearly fighters. The fact that they have been together this long, and dealt with so much, illustrates how resilient they are as a couple. Hopefully the love they have will allow them to continue to fight the fight for their marriage. Sometimes taking a breather enables you to reboot. Stress may have taken its toll, but if anyone's got what it takes to surmount it, it is Michael and Catherine.

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Michael Douglas Admits He Had Tongue Cancer, Not Throat Cancer

Michael Douglas is coming clean.

In an interview with Samuel L. Jackson on the U.K. talk show "This Morning," the 69-year-old admitted that the type of cancer he battled in 2010 was not stage four throat cancer -- he was actually diagnosed with tongue cancer.

"We kind of said, 'There’s no way we can cancel a worldwide European tour, junket thing and say we don’t feel well,'" he explained of being diagnosed while promoting his movie "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps." "So you know, I said, 'You've just got to come out and just tell them I've got cancer and that’s that.'"

Douglas revealed his diagnosis in August 2010, but decided to keep his tongue cancer a secret after his doctor, who'd found a walnut-size tumor at the base of his tongue, revealed the surgery could impact his appearance in a major way.

"The surgeon said, 'Let's just say it's throat cancer,'" Douglas said, explaining that the doctor told him that if they had to do surgery for tongue cancer "it's not going to be pretty" and that he faced losing part of his jaw and tongue. So Douglas kept his secret, just in case he had to go under the knife.

The actor, who's currently separated from his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, underwent aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatment and was declared tumor-free in January 2011.

CORRECTION: In a previous version of this article, HuffPost Celebrity quotes Michael Douglas as saying, "This was right before I had to go on a big tour for 'Wall Street,' so we kind of said, 'There’s no way we can cancel the tour and say we don’t feel well." But actually, Douglas never references "Wall Street" in his interview on "This Morning." He tells Samuel L. Jackson, "You can't cancel a worldwide European tour, junket thing and say I don't feel well ... whats the problem?" Still, he was promoting "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" during the time of his diagnosis.

A Bachelorette, Michael Douglas and HPV

Former ABC Bachelorette hopeful and pediatric dentist Dr. Misee Harris was simply researching HPV online and was shocked to see the news surrounding Michael Douglas and his oral cancer revelation. People see a big time mega movie star like Michael Douglas and feel so far removed from his reality, that they don't think it could happen to them. So the news that oral sex ultimately caused his cancer is huge Hollywood gossip and likely doesn't seem true for average everyday Americans. Of course this is far from the truth, according to Dr. Harris, as she had just diagnosed a patient who had unknowingly contracted HPV -- a teen patient.

As a medical professional who often treats patients in underserved communities, Dr. Harris quotes the CDC. Black and Hispanic women get cervical cancer more than women of other races, possibly because of decreased access to Pap testing and follow-up treatment. As a dentist, Dr. Harris is extremely disturbed to diagnose teens with oral HPV and has to then break the news to a teen who's oblivious to the danger they have put themselves in and has to further tell the parent who is usually in denial about their children's sexual activities. It is not a pretty scene but with the rise in oral HPV cases, Dr. Harris finds herself having to explain sexually transmitted diseases to patients and their parents.

Dr. Harris is adamant that teens should be getting the HPV vaccine. "Kids today absolutely must get the Gardasil vaccine!" Dr. Harris reports that parents may be the biggest obstacle to children obtaining the vaccine and preventing HPV in most cases. "Parent's I'm telling you, your children need to be protected and it is your obligation to protect them -- especially against a disease that is preventable. In the southern US where Dr. Harris practices dentistry, studies show that percentages of black and other minority girls protected by all three doses of Gardasil are significantly lower than in other parts of the country.

"It does Michael Douglas no good to backtrack from the original statement regarding his oral cancer. He should be using his celebrity to and shout from the rooftops for parents to protect their children!" exclaims Dr. Harris. CTV News reports that HPV is linked to the Western's world fastest emerging cancer. Dr. Harris further explains: "This is the tip of the iceberg and America better heed this wake up call. Our children deserve better than this."