FOLKS, MY FIRST GUEST IS A TWO-TIME OSCAR WINNER, AN
ACTIVIST, AND A CULTURAL ICON.
SHE IS NOW THE SUBJECT OF THE NEW DOCUMENTARY, "JANE FONDA IN
FIVE ACTS."
>> I WAS AWARE THAT I WAS BEING FOLLOWED.
AND THERE WAS VERY LITTLE ATTEMPT TO DISGUISE IT.
THERE WOULD BE THESE GUYS IN TRENCH COATS WITH DARK GLASSES.
THE F.B.I. WOULD FOLLOW US TO SCHOOL.
THE MORE I SAW THEM, THE MORE MY ATTITUDE WAS YOU THINK I'M GOING
TO BACK DOWN?
I MEAN, THAT'S ONE THING.
YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME PEOPLE THINK THEY'RE GOING TO SCARE ME,
THAT'S THE WRONG WAY TO APPROACH IT, BECAUSE, NO.
>> Stephen: PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW," JANE FONDA!
♪ ♪ ♪
>> Stephen: HOW ARE YOU?
>> I LIKE YOUR BEARD!
>> Stephen: NOW, WAIT A SECOND.
I WANT YOU TO SAY THAT AGAIN SO MY WIFE CAN HEAR IT.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK WHAT SHE THINKS.
I LIKE THE BEARD.
>> Stephen: MY WIFE DOES NOT LIKE MY BEARD.
IT GIVES ME FACE A LITTLE HEFT.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> VERY GOOD.
>> Stephen: DON'T LET IT GO LONGER, THOUGH.
DON'T GO LETTERMAN.
>> Stephen: I'LL WAIT TILL I RETIRE.
I'LL WAIT TILL I RETIRE.
THEN I'LL GO BIBLICAL PROPHET.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: THE CLIP WE JUST SAW, "JANE FONDA IN FIVE ACTS,"
PREMIERED LAST WEEK.
IT'S THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE.
WHAT IS THAT LIKE TO SIT IN A ROOM WHILE OTHER PEOPLE SEE THIS
INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF YOUR LIFE, SOME OF WHICH I ASSUME MUST HAVE
COME AS SOME SURPRISE TO YOU.
>> WELL, I'D WRITTEN MY MEMOIR, YOU KNOW.
I'D TALKED ABOUT A LOT OF THE THINGS.
BUT IT'S DIFFERENTLY WHEN YOU ACTUALLY SEE IT ON THE SCREEN.
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HOW IT WAS EDITED OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I JUST-- SUSAN LACY, THE DIRECTOR, KNEW WHAT QUESTIONS TO
ASK AND SHE KNEW, KNEW HOW TO OR THE MATERIAL.
IT'S SCARY TO WATCH IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALL FLATTERING.
>> Stephen: IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SURPRISED YOU ABOUT YOUR
OWN LIFE.
>> SUSAN LACY CREATED AMERICAN MASTERS FOR PBS AND DID SUCH
GREAT WORK AND THEN SHE MOVED TO HBO, AND SHE'S REALLY TALENTED
AND SHE GOT FOOTAGE I HAD NEVER SEEN, ARCHIVAL-- HOME MOVIES,
ARCHIVAL STUFF.
>> Stephen: YOUR DAD MUST HAVE HAD A LOT OF MOVIES BECAUSE HE
WAS A SPOKESMAN FOR G.A.F., HOME MOVIES?
>> HE WAS.
>> Stephen: FOR THE PEOPLE AT HOME.
>> MAYBE AUDIENCES WILL RELATE, PEOPLE WHO SAW "ON GOLDEN PON"
KIND OF KNOW WHO HE IS.
HE WAS KIND OF LIKE NORMAN THAYER.
HE WAS LIKE, "YEAH, ALL RIGHT, OKAY."
HE DIDN'T TALK A LOT.
BUT HE LOVED CAMERAS BECAUSE THEY GAVE HIM A CHANCE TO HIDE
BEHIND THE CAMERA.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO TALK TO PEOPLE AT A PARTY BECAUSE YOU
WERE ALWAYS TAKING PICTURES.
DO YOU KNOW PEOPLE LIKE-- YOU KNOW PEOPLE LIKE THAT, RIGHT?
HE TOOK A LOT OF HOME MOVIES.
SOME OF THE THINGS AREN'T EVEN FROM HOME MOVIES.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE GOT THEM.
IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO WATCH, BUT IT'S ALSO REALLY
SCARY.
>> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND YOU HEARD NIXON TALKING ABOUT YOU
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
WHAT DID HE SAY ABOUT YOU?
( LAUGHTER )
MOVIE IS HIS VOICE SAYING, "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH JANE
FONDA?" >> Stephen: WOW.
>> WHICH I THINK IS A PERFECT WAY TO BEGIN THE SHOW.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH JANE FONDA?
>> WELL, IT'S-- I'VE GOTTEN-- I DON'T KNOW.
I-- I DON'T KNOW.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ANOTHER-- LOOK AT THOSE BEES UP THERE!
( LAUGHTER )
>> Stephen: UH-HUH.
AND YOU SAY--
I DON'T REMEMBER -- >> Stephen: AND YOU WERE
SAYING YOUR FATHER LIKED TO HIDE.
INTERESTING.
LET'SINGLY FOLLOW THAT FEELING.
>> UH-OH.
>> Stephen: NOW, YOU TWEETED THIS OUT THE OTHER DAY.
I-- I-- "I SURE NEVER DID EXPECT TO SEE MY MUGSHOT ON TIMES
SQUARE."
THERE YOU ARE RIGHT THERE.
WHAT WERE YOU BEING ARREST.
ED FOR?
>> THE LIGHTING WAS SO GOOD.
WHO KNEW.
>> Stephen: AND YOU HELD YOUR FIST UP IN YOUR MUG SHOT.
>> DOESN'T EVERYBODY?
EVERYBODY DOESN'T DO THAT?
>> Stephen: IT DEPENDS WHAT YOU'RE BEING ARRESTED FOR.
WHAT WERE YOU BEING ARRESTED FOR BACK IN THE DAY?
>> NIXON SET ME UP-- I WAS TRAVELING FROM CANADA AND I HAD
A SUITCASE FILLED WITH VITAMIN PILLS IN LITTLE ENVELOPES AND
THEY BUSTED ME FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING.
>> Stephen: NOW, WAIT A SECOND, DID YOU PUT THOSE
VITAMIN PILLS IN THE ENVELOPES TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THEY WERE
DRUGS TO GET THEM BACK, OR WERE YOU REALLY JUST SMUGGLING
VITAMINS IN?
>> I WAS ON A SPEAKING TOUR.
I HAD VITAMINS!
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
IN RED NAIL POLISH I PUT ONE THING, "B" FOR BREAKFAST, "L"
FOR LUNCH, "D" FOR DIFFERENT-- I WAS REALLY OUT THERE IN THOSE
DAYS.
THE ARRESTED OFFICER SAID TO ME, "I'M WORKING ON ORDERS FROM THE
WHITE HOUSE.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS."
>> Stephen: THAT'S SORT OF FLATTERING.
>> AND THERE WERE HEADLINES, "FONDA SMUGGLING DRUGS."
AND THEY SENT THEM TO A LAB IN SOMETHING AND IT TURNED OUT THEY
WERE VITAMINS.
AND THERE WAS LIKE, THIS MUCH-- "SORRY, THEY WEREN'T DRUGS.
THEY WERE VITAMINS."
THAT'S JUST A LITTLE PART OF WHAT GOES ON WITH ACTIVIST S.
>> Stephen: HOW DID IT FEEL TO KNOW THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES WAS TARGETING YOU PERSONALLY?
>> IT DIDN'T FEEL GOOD.
HE HAD BETTER THINGS HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON.
AS WHEN THEY--
THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, HE WANTED TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY COULD GET ME FOR
TREASON.
AND SO HE ASSIGNED TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO FIND A
WAY, AND THEY ENDED UP, THE INVESTIGATORS ENDED UP COMING
BACK TO HIM AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, SHE DIDN'T COMMIT TREASON.
ALL SHE DID WAS MAKE THE SOLDIERS THINK.
YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON SOMEBODY WHO IS REALLY A DANGER."
SO I FELT PRETTY GOOD.
I WAS EXONERATED.
AND THE A.C.L.U. TOOK MY CASE AND SUED AND WE WERE RIGHT AND
WE WON.
YEAH.
( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: ONE SECTION OF THE FILM FOCUSES ON YOUR ACTIVISM
AGAINST THE WAR IN VIETNAM.
HAVE WHAT WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT THAT WAR IN THE DECADES SINCE
CHANGED YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD THAT WAR OR CHANGED YOUR
ATTITUDE ABOUT WHAT YOU DID AT THE TIME?
>> NO, I HAVE-- FROM THE MOMENT THAT I DID THE BAD THING I DID,
WHICH WAS I SAT ON AN ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN IN NORTH
VIETNAM.
I WASN'T EVEN THINKING WHAT I WAS DOING.
AND PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN.
AND THAT IMAGE WENT OUT.
AND THE IMAGE MAKES IT LOOK LIKE I WAS AGAINST OUR SOLDIERS,
WHICH WAS NEVER THE CASE.
I HAD BEEN WORKING WITH SOLDIERS PRIOR TO THAT AND FOR YEARS
AFTER THAT.
IT'S WHY I MADE THE MOVIE "COMING HOME."
BUT THAT IMAGE IS THERE.
AND I WILL GO TO MY GRAVE REGREGHT THAT.
AND I KNEW RIGHT AWAY THAT THAT WAS-- THAT WAS-- THAT WAS WRONG.
BUT I-- I HAD REALLY STUDIED THE WAR.
I KNEW A LOT.
I LEARNED FROM SOLDIERS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
SO I DON'T REGRET GOING TO NORTH VIETNAM.
I LEARNED A LOT WHILE I WAS THERE.
ACCORDING TO-- YOU KNOW, IN THE DOCUMENTARY, MY SECOND HUSBAND,
WHO I REALLY MISS, TOM HAYDEN, YOU KNOW, HE SAYS THE BOMBING OF
THE DIKES OF NORTH VIETNAM STOPPED BECAUSE JANE FONDA WENT
THERE AND EXPOSED IT, AND I'M PROUD OF THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT
SAVED A LOT OF LIVES.
>> Stephen: SOME PEOPLE
A LOT OF PEOPLE-- >> AND THEN THERE'S THIS.
>> Stephen: A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT TO KNOW YOU AS THE JANE
FONDA'S ORIGINAL WORKOUT.
PEOPLE WERE SORT OF SURPRISED WHEN THEY SAW THIS BECAUSE THEY
KNEW SORT OF ACTIVIST JANE FONDA, THE VERY SOCIALLY
CONSCIOUS ACTRESS, AND THEN SUDDENLY THIS.
WHAT ACTUALLY WAS GOING ON HERE?
>> WELL, I-- I-- TOM HAYDEN, MY SECOND HUSBAND AND I-- HAD
STARTED AN ORGANIZATION IN CALIFORNIA.
IT WAS A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION CALLED THE CAMPAIGN FOR ECONOMIC
DEMOCRACY.
CALIFORNIA IS HUGE.
IT TOOK A LOT OF NONE HAVE THIS ORGANIZATION, WHICH DID
ABSOLUTELY GREAT THINGS.
AND IT WAS DURING A RECESSION, AND I HAD TO FIGURE OUT, I GOTTA
START A BUSINESS THAT CAN MAKE MONEY FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
AND IT WAS THE WORKOUT, AND ALL THE MONEY FROM THE WORKOUT WENT
TO CAMPAIGN FOR -- >> Stephen: ALL OF THIS WAS TO
RAISE MONEY?
>> YEAH, FOR THE CAMPAIGN FOR ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY.
>> Stephen: YOU MUST HAVE RAISED SOME SERIOUS COIN.
>> YEAH, I DID.
YEAH.
( APPLAUSE )
YOU'RE STILL-- YOU'RE STILL-- YOU'RE STILL-- YOU ARE STILL AN
ACTIVIST.
YOU STILL WORK TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE AS YOU SEE IT.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES WEIGHING HEAVIEST ON YOUR MIND RIGHT NOW?
>> EVERYTHING.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: "ALL OF THE ABOVE."
>> WHAT I DO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE ELECTION HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER
2016, YOU KNOW, LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, I THOUGHT WHAT CAN I DO?
AND I DECIDED THAT I NEEDED TO PUT MY FOCUS ON ORGANIZATIONS
THAT WERE ON THE GROUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY IN THOSE
PLACE WHERE'S PEOPLE HAVE-- THEY'VE-- THOSE UNION JOBS THAT
PAID WELL AND ALLOWED THEM TO HAVE A PIECE OF THE AMERICAN PIE
DISAPPEARED, AND THEY ARE SCARED AND ANGRY AND THEY'RE HURTING.
AND PEOPLE AREN'T PAYING ENOUGH ATTENTION TO THAT.
SO I DECIDED THATTENTED TO THROW MYSELF IN--
( APPLAUSE )
WORKING ON THE GROUND.
I DON'T TALK SO MUCH ABOUT CANDIDATES OR PARTIES.
BUT, LIKE, IN MICHIGAN-- AND I GRABBED LILY TOMLIN WITH ME
BECAUSE SHE COMES FROM MICHIGAN AND WE WENT TO MICHIGAN TO FIGHT
FOR ONE FAIR WAGE.
DO YOU KNOW THE FEDERAL MANDATE FOR RESTAURANT WORKERS IS $2.13.
YOU CAN'T LIVE ON $2.13.
IT ALL GOES TO TAXES.
IN MICHIGAN I THINK IT'S $3.28, OR SOMETHING.
SO YOU'RE TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON TIPS.
AND THE STUFF THEY HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IS THE WORST SEXUAL
ABUSE OF ALMOST ANY INDUSTRY.
AND SO LILY AND I HAVE TRAVELED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS ALL
THROUGH MICHIGAN TALKING TO PEOPLE, KNOCKING ON DOORS,
RAISING MONEY FOR ONE FAIR WAGE TO GET THAT ON THE BALLOT.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: JANE, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
LOVELY TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: "JANE FONDA IN FIVE ACTS" PREMIERES MONDAY ON HBO.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH WILLIE NELSON.