Charlie Rose

Hearigo  07/17/2012 03:30 AM Report

At long last a role model for women my age - 74!

fourusul  05/11/2012 05:26 PM Report

I really love and admire Jane Fonda, because she does not give up. She, like all of us, has made mistakes in her life or misunderstood people. She didn’t have a full understanding of her father, because she didn’t know him. We don’t have all the information about someone to make judgments, but we do it all the time. Isn’t that true for most, if not, all of us. We don’t know fully the people in our lives, but we can form opinions about them readily. She was a child, so the ownership is on the parent, but nevertheless this is a common problem. Also we can’t fully know others if they don’t let us in.

This is the crucial thing. Once she realizes what’s gone wrong, she tries to make amends and that’s really all that anyone can do.

I’m a Christian and a Democrat. When are we going to forgive Jane about Vietnam? Every single time she’s on TV she’s asked about that. Seriously, let’s move on. I really don’t know how many times she’s apologized for that.

Jane Fonda is brave because she’s willing to bare all. The things most of us would not want to share with our co-workers let alone the entire world. And with her sharing she’s helped others. She’s helped me.

ShalomFreedman  09/12/2011 05:36 AM Report

It is commendable to work to make people healthier and happier in Old Age. Perhaps the book she is promoting will help many people and this sense her project is commendable.

But to speak of 'old age' as 'the happiest time of life' is an absurdity . Perhaps what she means to talk about are people in their sixties and early seventies, and this explains a certain 'optimism', if nonetheless exaggerated in regard to this demographic group also. But in fact and this is one of the most important social phenomena in the world , the increased numbers of people in their eighties nineties, and even beyond means a tremendous increase in human suffering. Being old means being debilitated physically and mentally. If one lives long enough one will not escape no matter how much exercise one does, physically or mentally.

No one goes on getting better and better as they live healthily and happily forever.

Rather the 'evil days come to us all'.

Activebz  08/29/2011 01:48 AM Report

A talented actress, Jane is seems a learner & survivor, an articulate and often very brave person who in her writing shares personal struggles, mistakes & triumphs honestly. Her curiosity and sense of wanting to help others, not just justify herself comes through. And yes, she also does seem to be selling the book too.

If one reads her earlier autobiographical book with its intimate portraits of her parents and early life, one can see how she needed to do a lot of healing before the more recent 'better times' could be enjoyed.

Yes, she is a celebrity and her frame of reference not always the same as the non-celebrity of limited means or contacts. Yet she writes and shares some of the bounty from that lifestyle and those contacts.

If there is at times narcissism and brittleness is detectable, I find that coming from Charlie's sometimes predictable questions as much as anything. And his inability to just listen & follow at times (even if it makes him slightly uncomfortable.)

And there is again (and again - note Jane's body language at one point crossing her arms) -- CR's habit of interruption and talking over strong women (like in the Gloria Steinem interview, like with Naomi Klein.) They may esteem him as I do, but there are places he doesn't get it or won't go because it challenges the privileged, life among the elite and powerful he enjoys, i.e. some of his rich friends, some of his access maybe.

I find Jane smart, brave, and relevant the way many artists can be - relating to what it means to be human and also, in this case, a woman. I was glad to see her on Charlie's roster of guests and intend to look at her new book.

stonderenched  08/21/2011 03:46 PM Report

Indeed yes, this is the very best time of life. Survived all that - heart broken etc. and let go of it all. Intimacy at the top of the mountain she describes is intimacy with the only one that IS - one's own bare and impersonal conscious being - which is reflected precisely in intimacy with others. As above, on the top of the mountain with no outside props, so below 'down in the village'.

I was serving US military in Vietnam when Jane Fonda made the publicized statements that she did about the misguided US policy. At that time I lived in a village in Danang and had several real friends among the Vietnamese people there. I felt that she represented my growing understanding of the situation at the time even though she has regretted her particular press about it since then. It is clear to me beyond doubt that she contributed to an earlier withdrawal from the war rather than to more deaths on either sides. Ideologues will insist otherwise, but I was there and I know that all except Oliver North personalities will agree with us. She ultimately reflected the understanding of JFK who was murdered for his efforts to reduce all actual involvement in war, that one and any others. I really liked the movie, "The Ugly American" to get a sense of the reality of Vietnam and the ideological stupidity that prevailed in US policy there then - and today, 2011. It is just not either possible or moral to destroy a village, culture, Constitution or planet in order to save it.

The neural pathways she describes which are affected by our choices and responses are described by Dr. Rick Hansen, an American Buddhist, who clarifies what I began to sense in Vietnam from those Buddhist Vietnamese friends over 40 some years ago. To be chased by 'demons', as Jane shows, is to allow the false self to be terrorized by it's own terrifying dream. Just get wise to it.

Jane Fonda is sheer soulfully engaged genius, incredibly articulate, today as yesterday. She should do Barbarella again, today! Yes, looking out from 70 years old, instead of looking in, is to be in the moment - and that is all there ever actually is. You may have to be very over 50 to get this.

csegrave  08/20/2011 10:33 PM Report

I am 69. This is the best part of my life so far. I totally agree with Jane. I thank her for her careful research and the affirmation it gives me. I work full time, President of my own consulting company, a triathlete, competitive Latin dancer, life long learner, mother, grandmother, single and free to be me on my own.

lightyears  08/19/2011 01:46 PM Report

Jane Fonda gets sadder and sadder as she gets older. If I had closed my eyes I would have thought it was Suzanne Somers the way she kept going back to hawking her book. This was less an interview than an infomercial. Does she need to money that bad or is it the notoriety? As ever, she is still working hard to prove herself interesting. Like the time she 'slipped' and said the c-word on TV. Pathetic. I thought that this would be an interesting in-depth conversation but it wasn't. It could have be done in half the time on The Daily Show. Tedious.

Siam  08/19/2011 01:41 PM Report

Wow! She looks great for 73! It definitely takes determination and discipline. And oh yes – free time, financial independence and plastic surgery don’t hurt toward achieving that goal. But then Jane lives in different world than most of us. As for her point of view that most people experience their greatest happiness after 50… I wanted to say, “REALLY?”. A lot of people I know that are 50+ are concerned with the state of the economy, employment, health benefits, delayed retirement, underwater mortgages, putting kids/grandkids through college, supporting their kids/grandkids and so on. The quest for intimacy isn’t probably among their top 10 issues – whether it should be or not. And that’s the point - Jane lives in a very nice naive celebrity bubble. The number one mistake celebrities make is thinking that they are just like the rest of us. That the intimate details of their life experience are compelling, their insights are profound. Jane’s revelation that after 70 years, she no longer feels that she needs to be validated by a man was rather embarrassing. To say that she needed to be a feminist to play the part of a prostitute was cringe-worthy. But she definitely looked good while saying it.

JohnGelles  08/19/2011 03:14 AM Report

Charlie Rose did this interview-conversation-show perfectly, IMO. Jane is very attractive -- she was so when she was young and remains so today.

She mentioned she's past 70, looking decades younger. The focus of the talk was her book and her knowledge of the life she's known and wants to know even more expertly.

It is self-analysis and coaching an audience of readers to do some of what she's done to understand how and why we feel as we do and do what we do.

I was interested in their talk from the beginning to the end. Ahead of listening I read all the comments from REMant thru karhu. They offered her less than she had given them.

I am older than she is -- let's say mid 80's versus early 70's. But I always considered her closer to my age than she is. At least I did when I was 45.

Her celebrity and success separate us by a very great distance. But her desire to know a lot, we share.

I think it's important to me that I did love to listen to Judy Garland sing -- and stole a kiss on the cheek from her in 1960 when I was 35. I had been a fan -- and celebrity was something I often admired.

You could say watching this conversation was no more than being at a book promoting session. But it was far more than that too. I thought Charlie and Jane made a genuine effort to tell us a few things about being Jane Fonda and being ourselves.

She said she was lucky -- but had regrets. I feel that I have been lucky and have regrets. So if we are far apart on the celebrity meter, we are close in other respects. I'm glad the two of them talked and invited me to listen.

SharkswithfrikingLazers  08/19/2011 02:08 AM Report

She says her motivation for the book is: 'When you're outside of oldness and looking in, oldness seems so scary. But when you're inside it (oldness) it is not scary at all.'

Becoming feeble can be scary and perhaps that is why the Buddha's father kept him from it. The scariest part is a long, painful death that makes you dependent on others for a long period before the death.

She says, 'Most people are happy after 50 than before 50.' Sorry not buying this.

The Saga Populus Panel is the largest monthly survey of over 50s opinion in the UK. A list of subjects, by month are listed at this link: http://www.saga.co.uk/media-centre/populus-panel/. Seems that those over 50 in the UK have a few issues.

In December they reported: The vast majority of respondents (76%) are concerned about how they will any fund long-term care they may require in older age, with 28% somewhat concerned and 13% very concerned. Unsurprisingly perhaps, the funding of long-term care is of greatest concern for those respondents over 70. http://www.saga.co.uk/media-centre/populus-panel/pdf/2010/Saga%20December%202010%20Survey%20Summary.p df

Yes, 11 (or 12, or 5, or whatever) essential things you need to do for the third act--the last three decades of your life--are first to have good genes. With bad genes you will have a very, very difficult time.

Personally, my third act means I have rigamortis in the morning, my eyes require bifocals and my memory drops things. My new smell is 7.5% menthol from Icy Hot. My anxiety level is actually higher because I have a mother and teenagers squeezing me in a pressure cooker.

But yes, I do feel pretty good looking in the rear view mirror about making it through some of the hazards of life.

karhu  08/18/2011 06:23 PM Report

In Jane Fonda's introduction Charlie Rose forgot to mention that MS. Fonda gave aid and comfort to our enemies during the Viet Nam war.

DaniSF  08/18/2011 05:05 PM Report

I enjoyed this. I think books like these are most welcome: it's about learning from your elders (as jane is 20 years my senior) and the intimacy of sharing real stories from one's life and transmitting helpful information. I too had a very remote parent, and was very much affected by it. I think women's voices are needed in our culture, because women tend to have a natural affinity for healing and presence and health and our society can only benefit. (men can and do too), but women--having been "oppressed" in our culture unlike men, have the benefit of what it takes to overcome and so it's inspiring to hear jane's story. i'm a firm believer in knowing how to transform yourself/listen to yourself/heal yourself is the first step towards transforming this world into a better place. so thank you jane, thanks for this interview and can't wait to read the book! I really appreciated your last one and got quite a lot out of it.

laupan  08/18/2011 04:04 AM Report

Geee... a whole hour wasted on listening to this woman? Good thing I turned it off after finding out. Charlie there are more important interviews out there.

SharkswithfrikingLazers  08/18/2011 02:14 AM Report

Having dealt with man-i-fi-ca-tion, sorry menopause, and also read that a man's age usually indicates how many men at his age are on Erectile Dysfunction medication (ex: age 51, 51% of men on ED medication), this quote brings it home.

It is Alan Arkin as Grandpa in "Little Miss Sunshine":

Grandpa: Are you gettin' any?

Richard: Dad!

Grandpa: You can tell me, Dwayne. Are you gettin' any?

Richard: Come on, please.

Grandpa: [Dwayne shakes his head] No? Jesus. You're what? Fifteen? My God, man!

Richard: Dad!

Grandpa: You should be gettin' that young stuff.

Richard: Dad!

Grandpa: That young stuff is the best stuff in the whole world.

Richard: Hey! Hey! Dad! That's enough! Stop it!

Grandpa: Will you kindly not interrupt me, Richard! See, right now you're jailbait, they're jailbait. It's perfect. I mean, you hit 18, man! You're talkin' about three to five.

There are some things we look back on after 50 and say "man" . . .

edgewoodfledge  08/17/2011 11:05 PM Report

Thank you for the Jane Fonda interview. I am sorry for her that she has been subjected to the right wing republican brainwashed Americans who have dubious opinions. She is a wonderful woman. The right winged idiots need to sit silently and reflect upon their lunacy. Cast that first stone....

charlizecourriers  08/17/2011 08:37 PM Report

Actor, Author, Narcissist...

Hellobarracuda  08/17/2011 08:08 PM Report

The quest for understanding is not so mysterious if you have the right tools.

CarolJ  08/17/2011 07:15 PM Report

My opinion for what it is worth: Jane Fonda is a lying nobody. Her entire attitude was despicable.

Ellen_Dibble  08/17/2011 04:30 PM Report

She wants to be a big sister, caring and useful, to people like me, a gesture that is of course appreciated (somewhat). Further, she has opportunities most 59-year-olds do not, in terms of having time to take stock, and plenty lack the time to even read the book, let alone follow along and redefine what it means to be an "embodied" self -- or merely a self in the Third Act.

"Be real" is a watchword for many emerging generations (teens separating from nuclear family, people divorcing and emerging to separate selfhood, the widowed, the shaken), whether these pull themselves out of the various shells 1960s fashion through drug-induced highs or by a sense of religion telling you there is more to life than the surface, or by gurus and wise ones of all stripes...

Could it be she has some inner censor that only lets her talk about herself? Curious as Charlie Rose points out she is, her use of the word "I" so broadly made her seem shut in. I want to say, It's okay; we're out here. We don't bite. We can learn from your example without demanding you be the perfect object. We learn from very imperfect objects, actually.

(Then again, look at these posts; plenty of people look at her carefully crafted self and the books she hopes will be helpful -- and find fault.)

robdverity  08/17/2011 03:36 PM Report

She came off pretty reasoned and reasonable to me. Don't think I could have pulled off the baggage of parental fame (and then my own) as well. One thoughtful lady.

doodah  08/17/2011 12:17 PM Report

... as I was saying, the Inflection in her Voice Never Changes no matter what Emotion is in the moment, it's always, that very professional, clinical kind of tone. She could be being eaten by a dinosaur and she would still have that 'matter-of-fact' tone in her voice. Why doesn't she just let go?!

REMant  08/17/2011 11:53 AM Report

I've always thought of Jane Fonda as a sort of representative woman of her generation, like Melanie Griffith, or Oprah Winfrey, more of a personality than actress. To me distinctly cold through most of her career, she would have made a better lead in Philip Barry's otherwise deeply flawed The Philadelphia Story than either Hepburn or Kelly. Despite their notoriety, however, she was cast in some really pretty terrible pictures. She seems to have cast herself with a similarly unlikely bunch of leading men. I can't imagine, BTW, remaining friends with exes. I think rather the same of her father, tho he was the better actor. To suppose those born in the Midwest lost souls tho is a rather obnoxious urban conceit.

She certainly has tried everything, in rather hyper, obsessive fashion, tho not unusual, it appears, for actors and actresses. I suppose as most ppl get older they also get wiser, therefore more reasonable, hence less emotional. But as desirable as that may be, I feel we fall into types, which lead us to behave in rather predictable ways, so we skip some things, and others are never understood.

I'm never sure why ppl write books like this. If not apologetics, I suspect it is one of those exercises in advice-giving that forms part of the learning process for many, a particular pestilence, which I imagine also infects a lot of academicians. I don't know that she has to either apologize for or justify her anti-war stance with many veterans. The trip to Hanoi took place well after the course of that conflict was decided anyway, tho I've always thought the pix looked especially idiotic. I have, in any case, for a long time considered Coming Home the best film made about Vietnam because it dealt exactly with this issue, and certainly far better than The Deer Hunter tho both of them came a decade too late.