Jane Fonda Criticizes Corporations, Government at First Amendment Event
Actress Jane Fonda spoke at the "Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert For the First Amendment" event in New York City on Sunday, June 14. She criticized what she called "cowardly corporations" and government efforts to suppress free speech, specifically mentioning the Paramount-WBD mega-merger. The event, which Fonda revived, featured performances and speeches from artists including Bette Midler, Robert De Niro, Rufus Wainwright, and Patti Smith, who gathered to advocate for freedom of expression.
On Sunday, June 14, actress Jane Fonda addressed attendees at the "Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert For the First Amendment" event held at New York's Town Hall. Fonda, who revived the Committee For the First Amendment in October, spoke out against what she described as government actions and "cowardly corporations" that she believes are violating the First Amendment and silencing artists.
Fonda specifically targeted the blockbuster Paramount-WBD mega-merger, warning that such consolidations could lead to a "very thinned-out kind of culture" where freedom of expression, independence, and diverse viewpoints are diminished. She enumerated a list of actions she attributed to the Trump administration and its supporters, including the alleged shuttering of institutions like the Kennedy Center, defunding of museums and the National Endowment of the Arts, banning books, and canceling TV hosts. Fonda emphasized the need for the entertainment industry to be unified and activated in defense of free expression, stating, "They come for one of us, by God, they come for all of us."
The event featured a lineup of notable artists. Bette Midler performed a fiddle-flecked cover of Woody Guthrie's "All You Fascists," incorporating her own topical lyrics that addressed immigration enforcement actions. Rufus Wainwright performed "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and Patti Smith also contributed to the concert.
Actor Robert De Niro also spoke, reiterating his devotion to the First Amendment and identifying as a "free speech absolutist." He used his platform to criticize former President Trump, referencing a specific statement about Americans' financial situations.
The Committee For the First Amendment was originally formed in 1947 during the McCarthy Red-scare era, with Fonda's father, Henry Fonda, among its original members. Jane Fonda stated she revived the group to bring entertainment industry peers together, believing "our democracy is in peril."
(Source: Billboard)
