It's been a day now since Jane Fonda blurted out the C-word on live morning television and, astonishingly, the sky hasn't fallen yet.
But still, Jane Fonda is mortified that she said 'cunt' live on the Today show, and she's done nothing but sincerely apologise with all her heart for corrupting a planet's moral sensibilities ever since.
OK, that's not strictly true. Jane Fonda hasn't apologised at all for saying 'cunt' on TV. But she has got her rep to apologise. Well, sort of apologise – the jist of the apology is that everyone should should shut up because Jane Fonda didn't invent the word 'cunt' – but, until someone builds some sort of cunt rehab for Jane Fonda to attend, that's probably as good as we'll get.
There's nothing we like more than a good shitstorm, be it one initiated by a chocolate Christ or a racist bounty hunter or a young girl not wearing a seatbelt once. So we should really stand up and applaud Jane Fonda for her sterling dedication to the cause yesterday.
In case you missed it, Jane Fonda said 'cunt' on live daytime TV yesterday. And it was glorious – like when the Sex Pistols appeared on Bill Grundy, only with a self-absorbed old lady in a powersuit instead of some dirty-looking boys with excessive saliva problems. In fact, it was better than that, because the Sex Pistols said 'fuck' and Jane Fonda said 'cunt'. And cunt beats fuck. Everyone knows that.
However, in the cold light of day things aren't so rosy. Chances are that the Today show broadcaster NBC is going to get slapped with a gigantic fine because of Jane Fonda's potty mouth. The Today show has already issued an apology for Cuntgate, and now it's Jane Fonda's turn, too.
Except that instead of Jane Fonda apologising, her rep Pat Kingsley did the apologising on Jane's behalf. And 'apology' seems like quite a strong word for what was actually said. The New York Daily News reports:
"She didn't say it to be shocking. She was just quoting the title of her scene in 'The Vagina Monologues,'" said Fonda's flack Pat Kingsley. "She didn't come up with the word." Kingsley said the "Barbarella" actress, who was scheduled to perform the play last night at Madison Square Garden, regretted using the word, insisting "it was a slip. "She certainly meant no disrespect," Kingsley said.
Of course, there's the argument that the word 'cunt' is an integral part of The Vagina Monologues – which Jane Fonda was ostensibly on air to discuss – so it's only natural that the word should crop up. Plus it's in The Canterbury Tales, and if it's good enough for Chaucer, it's probably good enough for the Monster In Law lady.
But, still, we expect that there's still more of this backlash (cuntlash?) to come from the offended majority. However, should Jane Fonda have the balls to ride it out without apologising properly, it could open up a brand new set of career opportunities for her.
And let's face it, that L'Oreal skincare advert that Jane Fonda does would be so much better if it ended with her saying "I'm 68, you fucking shitbags," wouldn't it. Wouldn't it? Hello?
Read more:
Jane Fonda apologizes for off-color slang on 'Today' show – NY Daily News