Being There With Jane Fonda (VIDEO)

I met Jane Fonda when I escorted her to her car after a taping at WCVB in Boston back in the 70’s. She was sporting her Klute shag & I was in awe. Last night watching her accept her Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sag Awards & listening to her brave & bold acceptance speech was inspirational. Fonda began her speech stating “I made my first movie in 1958. It was at the tail end of McCarthyism, when so many careers were destroyed. Today, it’s helpful to remember, though, that Hollywood resisted.” Then Fonda brought it home stating, "Make no mistake, empathy is not weak or woke & by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people. A whole lot of people are going to be really hurt by what is happening, what is coming our way. So, let’s be brave. This is a good time for a little Norma Rae or Karen Silkwood or Tom Joad. We must not isolate. We must stay in community. We must help the vulnerable. We must find ways to project & inspire a vision for the future, one that is beckoning & welcoming… Have any of you ever watched a documentary of one of the great social movements — apartheid or civil rights or Stonewall & ask yourself, would you have been brave enough to walk the bridge? We don’t have to wonder anymore. We are in our documentary moment. This is it & it’s not a rehearsal!” So let’s all come together at this moment & stand with brave Americans who are willing to speak up & fight for love, democracy & our country. Watch Fonda’s Speech...