Several men accused of sexual misconduct during the past year might be clamoring for their comebacks after mere months—but as far as Jane Fonda is concerned, they can keep on waiting. At an event in New York promoting a new HBO documentary about her life, Jane Fonda in Five Acts, the actress emphasized that while she does have compassion for men, she rejects the idea of letting anyone accused of sexual misconduct return to power before they’ve atoned.
Fonda has been one of Hollywood’s most visible activists for decades, famously opposing the Vietnam War and supporting civil rights. Eventually, she turned her focus to the women’s movement, which she once saw as a distraction from more important causes. “It took me 30 years to get it, but it’s O.K. to be a late bloomer, as long as you don’t miss the flower show,” Fonda once wrote in Lenny Letter. Today, Fonda is an outspoken feminist who at times uses her work to advance healing messages, including that sexual assault and rape are not the victim’s fault. Speaking at this week’s event about disgraced men attempting to come back, Fonda cited Charlie Rose as an example: “It doesn’t matter how much time [they’ve been out of work]. If they haven’t done the work, then why should they come back?”
Last November, CBS fired Rose following multiple claims of sexual misconduct; since then, 27 new accusers have come forward. Rose responded to the initial claims against him with an apology, but denied the accuracy of some of them. “I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I now realize I was mistaken,” Rose said at the time. Regarding the new allegations, Rose told The Washington Post that its story was “unfair and inaccurate”; in a recent filing, Rose also claimed his accusers were “exploiting” the #MeToo movement. Despite all this, someone was reportedly planning Rose’s TV comeback as early as April. Other disgraced men looking to return to the spotlight include Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari, Mario Batali, and Matt Lauer.
As for men who are actually trying to change their ways, Fonda has sympathy. “Men are trained not to be empathic, not to be emotional. So it’s not easy what they’re trying to do. But they have to try to do it! So it doesn’t matter if it’s been two weeks or two years. It just matters what kind of changes they’ve gone through,” she said, adding, “Why not do what the guys who lose their union jobs in Pennsylvania do? Work at Starbucks—fuck it!”
“Oh, poor top-paid executives who can’t get his job back,” Fonda said, dripping sarcasm. “Fuck it! Sweep the floor at Starbucks until you learn! If you can’t learn, you don’t belong in the boardroom. And there are plenty of women who do belong in the boardroom.”
