A backslash before the asterisk makes it appear as an asterisk \*this\* becomes *this*. And before you ask, to show the backslash, you add another backslash.

A backslash before the asterisk makes it appear as an asterisk \*this\* becomes *this*. And before you ask, to show the backslash, you add another backslash. \\*this\\* becomes \*this\*