Jane Fonda publicly slammed Bari Weiss, sounding the alarm over the MAGA-coded CBS boss’ potential leadership at CNN.
Fonda, 88, went after Weiss and the Warner Bros. Discovery-Paramount Skydance merger in a candid interview with USA Today. The Oscar-winning actress said her ex-husband, CNN founder Ted Turner, would have been devastated by the changes at his storied network. Turner died last month at age 87.
“That CNN could come under the control of Bari Weiss breaks my heart, especially now that Ted’s gone and can’t defend himself,” said Fonda.
“We have to try to slow (the merger deal) down, if not stop it. We have to at least throw sand in their gears. Media consolidation does not help democracy, for sure,” said the social justice advocate and Trump nemesis.
Much of the consolidation has been driven by billionaire Trump ally Larry Ellison and his son, David, who serves as Paramount Skydance CEO. Paramount became the parent company of CBS last year, installing Weiss at its top spot. Weiss has brought with her a series of controversies that have triggered internal dissent within the news network.
Weiss’ stint as head honcho has drawn fierce criticism from veteran journalists and CBS alums.
“Everything she’s touched has turned to s--t,” former 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft said. CBS News veteran Dan Rather similarly torched the Weiss-approved overhaul of 60 Minutes, saying, “For anyone who watches the next season of 60 Minutes this fall, understand this: It is not the 60 Minutes we have all come to trust and respect. It will be a diminished, Trump-approved version.”
The prospect of Weiss overseeing CNN has sparked panic within the company, with several employees and network stars, including Christiane Amanpour, voicing their concerns.
In February, Paramount inked a $111 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company. The merger is poised for clearance soon.
Fonda, a passionate defender of free speech and vocal critic of the Trump administration, said that the late Turner “would be so unhappy with what could be happening right now.”
Fonda and Turner were married for a decade. She described him as “her favorite ex-husband” at the time of his death, paying tribute to him in an emotional statement on Instagram. Fonda praised his “brilliant mind,” writing, “You are loved, and you will be remembered.”
The A-List star has been determined to drive change in the political ecosystem, pushing back against the current administration by re-establishing the McCarthy-era advocacy group, the Committee for the First Amendment. Fonda has urged resistance to authoritarianism, frequently warning against the 80-year-old president’s policies and rhetoric.
“I’m blessed to be able to use my voice and influence,” Fonda told USA Today of her activism. “I’d be depressed if I wasn’t getting the word out, knowing what I know.”
