Jane Fonda Revives Father’s Free Speech Group Amid Kimmel Controversy, Warns of ’Most Frightening Moment’
LOS ANGELES – Actress Jane Fonda on Wednesday announced teh relaunch of the Committee for the First Amendment, originally founded by her father, actor Henry fonda, in 1947 during the height of the “Second Red Scare.” The move comes after a recent controversy involving the brief suspension of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and has prompted Fonda to voice concerns about the current climate for free speech in the United States.
The original Committee for the First amendment was formed in response to growing fears of communist infiltration and Soviet influence in American life, particularly in Washington and Hollywood. Henry Fonda’s initiative drew support from a constellation of stars including Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland.
The recent catalyst for the group’s revival was the temporary suspension of Jimmy kimmel’s talk show following criticism from the chairman of the Federal Communications committee regarding Kimmel’s on-air comments about a man accused of attempting to assassinate conservative activist charlie Kirk. More than 400 celebrities, backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, subsequently decried the suspension as a threat to free speech. kimmel has since returned to the air.
“I’m 87 years old. I’ve seen war, repression, protest, and backlash. I’ve been celebrated, and I’ve been branded an enemy of the state,” Fonda said in a statement. “But I can tell you this: this is the most frightening moment of my life.”
Fonda, a longtime advocate for progressive causes including environmentalism, civil rights, women’s liberation, and LGBTQ rights, has a history of public protest against conflicts like the Vietnam and Iraq Wars. She warned that those seeking to suppress speech are “betting on our fear and our silence,” but expressed confidence in the entertainment industry’s historical resistance to censorship.
The White House has not yet commented on the matter.
