Jane Fonda: still rabble-rousing after all these years

Yes, I watched this in real time this morning and it took a second to register. That being said, I'm not a fan of the word because of the context you usually hear it in. But Jane wasn't being ugly with it. Plus, I love Jane. She was my first celebrity crush and holds a special place in the cold hard lump that would be my heart.

"half-hearted" is right. go Meredith! I think the best thing she did was quit The View.

and way to go Jane Fonda for saying "the c word" in the first place!

 

I think the most interesting part of all of it is that, in her apology, Viera says "we would never to anything to offend the audience." A ridiculous statement, but what a perfect explanation for the watered-down schlock that ends up on network television. What it essentially means is "we would never do anything to challenge our audience." And the sad thing is that, because of the mega-corporate ownership of the few broadcast media companies that do exist, and because of the few ignorant complainants who like to write letters into the FCC allowing the broadcast media companies to claim reasonable grounds for such limiting programming, it has become necessary to eschew all suggestion of anything that contains any semblance of normal conversation or opinion. The Today Show is so far detached from the real world and the conversations that actually go on in this country, and yet it markets itself as a kind of "people's news program." All it does is perpetuate this fear of genuine discourse, so much so that Jane Fonda can't even make a specific reference to the play she's been asked to talk about on the show! It's a show about vaginas! It's a show about reclaiming vaginas! It's a show whose most famous segment repeats the unspeakable "c-word" in an inflammatory, yet educated way. A part of me wonders what the producers of The Today Show expected Ensler and Fonda to talk about.

"Today" and all other "news" organizations have, in part, the good folks at the FCC to thank for having to behave like total idiots, e.g. the "apology." Ms. Fonda did not call anyone a "c**t", which would be offensive, but simply telling the name of the play she was asked to be in. No apology=big ol fines under the current rules.

Jane, Jane: maybe it's time to get the heck outta Georgia ... I hear Vermont is lovely ;)

...where you have to appologies to the audience for swearing. I don't think it's necessary to be swearing on tv or on the internet or anywhere. But from my swedish perspective it seems a bit exaggerated to have to go on camera and make an appology for letting a little word slip. 

She wasn't sluring the word at anyone. Sheesh NBC 

I know Meredeth Viera thought it was funny. I thought it was funny.  I'm sure Jane Fonda did not apologize in real life.  She was probably back at the hotel filing her nails by the time Meredith stated the apology.

I don't consider the word "cunt" to be a cussword. As a feminist i use the word in the reclaimed sense. The fact that an apology was required for a four-letter word that refers to a bodypart that both Meredith and Jane posess, that just goes to show how misogynist and vagina-hating mainstream American culture is. People say the other four-letter word (fuck), which refers to genitalia too, on TV all day long and nobody has to apologize for it. Ugh! No one would have been offended if she had said DICK.

Wow, I can't believe Jane Fonda just dropped the c bomb like that. It's actually fairly shocking. It is one of the two words in the English language that I consider taboo. I have no desire to claim such a hateful, horrible word.

I like the fact that she just explained why she was initially nervous with a toss-off of the word. It's an interesting monologue, if you've seen the play or be in a performance. It's meant to be off-putting, I'm sure, but this monologue is also inspiring.

And scribegrrrl, I mostly love and respect the work that you do. Have for years! But I do take issue with the subhead on this one. I don't think Jane was rabble rousing this time around.

Happy VDay to all!

Ok- So Jane Fonda dropped the 'C' Bomb on the Today show this morning and everyone is now in a tizzy (*whisper whisper, murmur murmur)....and all I can say is:

Go Hanoi Jane! I mean, really folks. Whats the big deal? Um- don't most people have On Demand and watch Californication and Weeds? With the advent of PRIME TIME television NYPD Blue has brought not only bare asses and breasts to the boob tube(pardon the pun) but also severe potty mouth. How many shows do you turn on and hear 'tits' or even (heaven forbid) Pussy. Even some characters are identified by such a title (aka Big Pussy on the Sopranos)...

If characters can even be identified by being called a Large Labia, I think people can get over the 'c' word. Let's bring Cunt back, folks. Eve Ensler thinks we are ready and I am inclined to agree. If the outraged people would actually do their homework and research the etimology of the word they would see that in sacred times cunt actually meant a spiritual goddess or a wise woman. Instead, over time (thank you Hammer of Witches-Malleus Maleficarum for teaching us that all women are witches, especially those who hold some sort of special recognition over the common man) women who challenged a mans ideals or thoughts were burned at the stake. Cunt became a dirty word instead of the gospel that it was.

Excuse my femininity, folks, but you have to see the uproar for what it really is: Frankly, people are ignorant. They only see that word as a negative and arent taking it in context.

Sure, I was a little shocked to hear that Jane Fonda used the word on a morning show-I envision many people choking on their Wheaties and spilling their coffee....-but kudos to Jane for trying to bring CUNT back. Hey- aren't we now just able to use the word vagina instead of euphamisms like'down there' and 'private area'...the polite delicate pc bullshit is ridiculous. Vagina, Vagina, Vagina, Cunt, Cunt, Cunt. Whoomp, there it is. And the world did not explode. Bitch is a horrible word, too, right? But the meaning is a female dog. People dont gasp and drop donuts when the American Dog Show uses that word, do they? Or, even morning and afternoon soap operas that use the word bitch. Come on you Bold and Beautiful women out there! How about you Young and Restless folks? Tired of people making a big deal out of nothing? A wardrobe malfunction that wasn't a big deal was a non issue that became an issue. Mountains out of molehills. Not that Janet Jacksons breast is neither a mountain nor a molehill (discuss)....sorry-channelled my inner Mike Meyers sat. nite live Coffee Talk Jewess there....but you see what I mean, right?

Cunt, Schmunt. Go Jane. You are my hero. Georgia, you rule.

I don't understand what the problem is. Jane was just referring to the name of the monologue in the show. Did people not realize that it was the name of a piece in The Vagina Monologues?? I don't get how it's offensive. It's not like Jane was using it to describe anyone. I really don't understand. Was it just a slow news day? Is the viewing public really that sensitive??? I mean really, don't get your delicates in a twist over that. There's far far worse on television these days. I don't get it.

...that there's a lot of folks who'd consider vagina an inappropriate word.

Americans are just weirdly puritanical about sex, having a national maturity level set at about jr. high school level.

yay! it's one of my favorite vag words. the book is super. check it out!

http://www.ingalagringa.com/cunt/index.html

 

I saw this post earlier today and I was deciding what I would write. I watched the Today show on the "west coast" feed--which meant that when Jane said "cunt" the sound was cut off. Of course, I blamed Comcast...[fucking digital cable!] It always cuts out at the best parts. Now I know it was NBC that muted "cunt." Sick and wrong! This is Eve and Jane! V-fucking-day! What did these jerks expect? It's part of the play--raising money to fight sexual violence against women! Apologies...I think not!

I think every woman with a free morning in NYC should take a giant sign that reads "CUNT" and stand in that idiotic Today show street crowd with Al, and Matt, and Meridith and show them what cunts we can be! FUN! :D

Agree with Gypsywee. I would LOVE to use cunt casually, as in: Gosh, my cunt needs a workout! Or words to that effect :)

I remember we reclaimed DYKE when it was only ever used as an insult. Now, even when idiots throw it as an insult, it doesn't work anymore. I'm totally fine with being a dyke.

btw, I'm also in favour of using 'woman' instead of 'girl' for any female over the age of 16 (except in the context of friends, as in: "girl, I'm so with you on that!")

 

Its quite interesting to see VM with a diverse audience, even if (like me) you've been through a Conscousness Raising Group in your youth (sic!) and have heard a lot of it before :)

I honestly don't get what the big deal is here.

*Shakes head*

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-It's called sarcasm.

Who doesn't blog these days?