Let’s look at a contrast of two American Icons. Both in their final act of life. Jane Fonda is 80 years old. Bill Cosby is 81 years old. Both of them are in the news this week, but for very different reasons.
Today while Bill Cosby was being sentenced to prison, Jane Fonda is being celebrated in a terrific HBO special, “Jane Fonda in Five Acts”.
Growing up in West Philadelphia, I had a connection to Bill Cosby’s comedy. it resonated to the young people of Philadelphia, black and white alike. My older brother Fran had many of his comedy albums, and we often broke into his room to play them in secret. We usually got caught because we laughed too loudly. Me and my friends grew up on I-Spy, Fat Albert on Saturday mornings, Cosby as Chet Kinkaid in The Bill Cosby Show, and eventually, as adults, to The Cosby Show. There’s no doubt Cosby did a lot of good in his professional life through the years, and brought a lot of smiles and laughter to millions of fans. But what was happening in his private life, as it has been uncovered, was a situation in direct contrast to, “America’s Dad”.
Here is a man that truly had everything. But that wasn’t enough. He wanted to possess what was not his to possess, and in the process he broke apart many lives. And now, all the good he put out into the world a long time ago is ruined. We didn’t see at that time what was really there. We saw only what we wanted to see.
Growing up in the 1960’s and the 1970’s my opinion of Jane Fonda was very limited, as it might be to most boys going through puberty. She was one sexy woman. Barbarella? Oh my goodness. Klute? Rough around the edges, but oh, my. But again, for different reasons, I didn’t see what was really there. I saw only what I wanted to see.
If you have a fond opinion of Jane Fonda, watch the new HBO special. If you have a negative opinion of Jane Fonda, watch the HBO special. If you truly hated Jane Fonda, and still do, then watch the special twice.
Look behind the face and body and learn who she truly is and what she accomplished. A woman born to Hollywood royalty, who stumbled into acting, became a success and could have lived a life of money, fame and fortune. But instead she chose to become an activist. Yes, “Hanoi Jane”. And she does have regrets about much of what happened back then. But she was, ultimately, proven right. The Pentagon papers supported that. The Nixons of the world were proven wrong. The war was wrong. And we lost nearly 60,000 of our fighting forces because of it. A war our government knew could not be won. Watch, “Born of the Fourth of July”, or, “Coming Home” and try to understand. Or more recently, watch, “The Post”. And open your eyes, and your mind.
Jane Fonda could have kept her mouth shut and her pocketbook open but chose to speak up when many people around her were cautioning her to remain silent. Doesn’t this ring true for so much of what is happening today all around us?
Jane Fonda will turn 81 this December. And while Bill Cosby will be sitting in a prison cell, she’ll continue to entertain us in, “Grace and Frankie”. And continue to take to the streets in protest of a corrupt system. Long after she deserves a rest.
Jane acknowledges her many mistakes made throughout her personal life and listen till the very end about the dangers of seeking, “A Perfect Life”. it’s one of the best quotes I’ve ever heard. Four years ago, while making a toast at my daughter Jessica’s wedding, I cautioned she and her new husband Matt about not trying to be perfect or achieve the, “Perfect Life”. The irony was not lost on me.
For the longest time I didn’t want to believe the reports that came out, little by little, about Bill Cosby. Because I didn’t want to see another of my icons torn down. But down he is and down he’s gonna stay. I’ll never watch another rerun of The Cosby Show just like I’ll never watch another rerun of Roseanne. When our icons fall, it’s like a part of us falls. It’s the same reason so many people still refuse to abandon the Catholic Church.
And Jane Fonda is right, she’s not perfect. But if my own daughter, a budding activist, grows up to be even half of the woman she is, I’ll be a very proud Papa. Well, I already am.
I hate that we have to live in the shadow of a thug president. But as Joan Baez recently stated, what he has given us is a reason to share our voices. Louder than ever. It is such a difficult time, but also, such an uplifting time to see and hear people take to the streets.
We don’t need a King in this country. We already have a Court Jester.
Forget Bill Cosby to the past. And give Jane her due. And 2-1/2 hours of your time. You’ll be glad you did.
Trapped in a Happy Life 