Jane Fonda

[Deleted]

AM I the only one who could care less about Jane's Vietnam activies and more about what seems like her potential to be a real life monster in law?

[wilbert]

O/T Bonsai
My dad was in the Navy and fought in Viet Nam. I remember being with him in a store with him in his uniform and people spitting on him. Yeah.
anyway, I like Jane Fonda in the movie "Julia", I thought she was great.

[kafka]

I'm not a fan of hers as a person, but I rather like some of the films she's been in. I absolutely adore 9 to 5! The China Syndrome and On Golden Pond were good too.

That said, I think all these films were good because of someone else's performance. The only film she carried by herself was The Morning After where she received an Oscar nomination for her performance. (She was good, but the film itself.... meh, imo).

So, whatever her many (many!) faults, I can't deny she's a solid, talented actress.

[Deleted]

I've heard about the controversy over her having her pictures taken on the anti-aircraft battery and the radio broadcasts, but I've never heard of her spitting on troops. Can someone fill me in? Thanks.

[witiko]

I've heard about the controversy over her having her pictures taken on the anti-aircraft battery and the radio broadcasts, but I've never heard of her spitting on troops. Can someone fill me in? Thanks.

She didn't spit on troops, but she did call POWs who said they suffered at the hands of the Viet Cong "liars." And she served as a propaganda tool for the North Vietnamese. All of which makes her one dumb... well, I won't say it.

I typically take stories about the troops "being spit on" with a grain of salt since so many have nothing to back them up. Usually the person spit on is a "friend of a friend" or a distant relative. Not to say it didn't happen, but I have seen no evidence it was as widespread as claimed. There is even a book on the subject that looks into many of the claims, but I can't remember the title off the top of my head. Again, I reiterate, I'm not saying it didn't happen. I don't want it to seem like I'm calling anyone a liar or anything. I just don't think there is any compelling proof that it was a ubiquitous practice.

EDIT: I'm incredibly nervous about offending anyone because of how touchy a subject this is, so I feel the need to further clarify my statements. I do think there were troops who were spit on. I don't want it to seem like I am skeptical about that. I just doubt it happened as much as is claimed.

Getting back to the topic, I think Fonda is a good actress. Not as talented as her father, but still good.

[bauersbiatch]

Considering the different people I've been in my life, and the fact that I'm only 31, I can separate the Fonda of the past from the Fonda of the present.

She took her protest way too far, but I honestly can't hold that against her now. It's been a long long time and the world has changed. I assume she's changed also.

I think the Vietnam-era protesters taught us a valuable lesson about how to protest a war without protesting the troops. That said, there are times when the acts of the troops must be protested also. Nobody wants another My Lai. Nobody wants another Abu Ghraib.

ETA: I'll fucking love her forever as an actress because of Barefoot in the Park and Cat Ballou.

[Deleted]

I can't believe I'm the only one creeped out by the engagement ring sitch.

[boontown]

fangirl said:

I can't believe I'm the only one creeped out by the engagement ring sitch.

I'm totally creeped out by it too. it was a frigging weird thing to say.

[Deleted]

And why would you say it. If I was the girl marrying Jane' s son, I would have a serious talk with my fiancee, because her picking out the ring is a major, major red flag. Not only that, but Jane was referring to the girl as her "future daughter in law" and introducing her as "her son's fiancee" way before her son Troy was engaged. I see big problems for that marriage!

[Deleted]

witiko said:

I typically take stories about the troops "being spit on" with a grain of salt since so many have nothing to back them up.

You mean unless they actually saved the saliva that was spit upon them as concrete evidence, you've no choice but to doubt them? Listen, my vet friend is not a liar and neither am I. This happened. When he told me about it, he still had that stunned look about him, like even years and years later, he couldn't believe it actually happened.

But to keep it on topic, many vets despise her and although I acknowledge that she's a good actress, I can see how some people can't even bear to look at her because of her 1960's hate-mongering.

Don't call people liars, which you are essentially doing.