I flew back from Cannes to Atlanta. A very nice couple is renting my gorgeous loft and so I stayed in a hotel. That is so weird: being in a hotel in a city that was your home for almost 20 years. But when I walked out the front of the hotel to walk Tulea (who I was reunited with the moment I got off the plane the first morning, I heard someone call, “Hi Jane!” and I looked up and there was a dear friend in a passing car. See, that’s one thing I love bout Atlanta: it is a big-ish city with all the culture and goings-on of a really big city, but you run into friends all the time. It’s manageable. You can wrap your heart and mind around it. I got a little home sick there for a few days. I also got real sick. Maybe it started with the pollen and turned into a major upper respiratory deal. Who knows. I was pretty tired and run down after Cannes and it is harder to get over jet lag at my age (wish I could remember that when I accept to fly places) so I was vulnerable. By the time I got back to L.A. I as feeling really rotten but I had these interviews and photo shoots and stuff to catch up on. I got onto antibiotics and got well and then I flew to San Francisco for a fundraiser for the First Annual Food Day in DC next Oct (more about that coming up!) and it was 50 degrees there and I got sick again. Then I had an amazing, high fashion photo shoot for Harpers Bazaar that will come out this fall, I think. OMG the clothes were spectacular. Especially a Stella McCartney dress, all black but with a wide, sheer panel up one side with large black polka dots on it. Wait till you see!

Speaking of McCartney, I can’t forget to tell you something truly special: Paul McCartney and his fiance, Nancy, came for dinner at Richard’s and we had the best time!!! The evening ended with Paul playing Richard’s Art Deco piano (from the Queen Mary Cruise ship in the 1930s). Richard fortunately had it tuned that very afternoon. It (and Paul) sounded terrific. In spite of being sick, I had a really great time and thoroughly enjoyed talking to Nancy.

The next day, I taped Oprah’s program, Master Class, for OWN which will air sometime this fall, I’m told. I so wanted it to be good. (You’ll tell me if it was good when the time comes!) The producer and director told me it was good. As you may (or may not) know, Master Class, is a program in which someone chosen by Oprah, who she feels has life lessons to pass on, talks for an hour, straight into the camera, in close-up. The conversation is interspersed with photos, film, home movies, things that illuminate what the person is saying. I watched a number of them to prepare myself. I was especially moved and illuminated by the ones done by Maya Angelou and Sidney Poitier. Needless to say, I felt honored that Oprah asked me. I did my best although I was not feeling well and then, straight from there, I went to the Beverly Hilton to receive the UCLA ICON Award. Jennifer Lopez presented it to me which really moved me as I know how busy that woman is. It meant the world to me that she took time to do that. At my table were (besides Richard) my BFF Paula Weinstein, her daughter, Hannah Rosenberg (my goddaughter), my brother Peter and his fiance, my step-mother, Shirlee Fonda, Jason Alexander (who was MC), George Segal and his wife (we did “Fun with Dick and Jane” together), a wonderful retrospective of my film clips was shown and a lot of money was raised for UCLA’s Longevity Center.

“Entertainment Tonight” Video Clip: Jennifer Lopez presented Jane Fonda with the UCLA Longevity Center Icon Award (click to play)

“Extra” video clip: Jane Fonda honored at UCLA’s Longevity Center event (click to play)

I was supposed to fly to New York today for Eve Ensler’s birthday party and a big V-Day event. Eve is one of my closest and fiercest friends and I am on the board of V-Day and the last thing I wanted to do was miss this. And the board meeting tomorrow. But I knew, and my doctor told me, I must not fly for awhile till I am all well. Well—that’s all for now. Sorry about my absence.

Oscar® winner Jane Fonda opens up about aging, motherhood, ex-husband Ted Turner and her new love. Plus, how she’s still feeling the burn.

• The “third act”: Why Jane says life is better than ever
• Jane on her co-stars…Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez and more!

In the corridor after the show. Whew!

Oprah is holding the new book, "No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change how We Think about Power." By my friend, Gloria Feldt I hope she'll read it!

Again, the show I did airs Oct 27th.

I just landed in Chicago. Tonight I do a fundraising event for The Women’s Media Center in this city. WMC has gotten some great press recently, especially in the New York Times article a week or so ago on the effects of sexism on female candidates. In partnership with several other polling and media-related organizations, we did research showing that calling female candidates ‘prostitutes’, for instance, or other sexist names, causes the women’s polling numbers to drop, especially if the candidate tries to ignore the slander thinking it will ‘go away’ instead of fighting back. The campaign we mounted to address sexism in campaigns is called “Name It. Change It..”

Tomorrow I tape The Oprah Show. I am very excited–and nervous! What a big deal! For the whole hour!! It will air October 27th.

10 years ago Oprah came to Atlanta to interview me for the 2nd issue of her magazine “O”. And that same year, she gave a breathtaking speech at the GCAPP annual conference–had the audience of 2000 in tears.

I appeared on her show a few years later, together with Eve Ensler, to talk about violence against women in Africa. But it was a shorter appearance.

I will meditate before I leave the hotel. That will calm and center me.

Wish me luck!

Flew to NY for a quick series of meetings and a fun photo cover shoot for “V” magazine where I was with Sigourney Weaver and Susan Sarandon. Dinner at Nobu with best pal Paula Weinstein, then stopped by a post screening party at the Soho Hotel. The film “Conviction” had been shown, and friends were there, including my son and daughter in law. Saw Hilary Swank and Juliette Lewis who everyone said were fantastic in the film.

Hillary Swank, me and Paula Weinstein

Then to Atlanta for a cocktail reception to honor the hosts of our up coming IKEA “It’s About Time” event coming up October 26th. I’ll go back for that. This will be the 3rd year and it’s always a lot of fun. We have many great clocks designed by artists of all kinds.. That will be auctioned off to benefit The Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (G-CAPP) which I founded 16 years ago.

“9 to 5” was playing during the reception.

Beautiful clock by Hans Frabel, the famed glass maker

Sidney Poitier did this wonderful clock!

I love this clock with me in my iconic workout gear from the first book and video

This clock was done by the quilters of Gees Bend

Michele Ozumba, President and CEO of The Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention with me and my friends the Reverend Bill and Kathy Stayton.

Matt Arnett and his friend. Matt works with the Gees Bend Quilters (among other vernacular artists of the south and is father of my grandchildren) HE will curate the clock exhibit Oct 26th.

Got back to L.A. At 1am this morning. Whew!

Tomorrow night I present Ted Turner with the Environmental Media Awards Lifetime Achievement Award which he so richly deserves. I am looking forward to that. Oprah’s sending a film crew to film us talking about why we have remained friends…duh! He’s brilliant and funny and life’s too short!!! My family will be there too cause they miss him. Ted and Richard get along great! We’ll all have dinner after with Cindy and Alan Horn. Cindy and Lynn Lear founded EMA many years ago.

I tape Oprah in Chicago on Wednesday and have been told it airs October 27th. I’ll be in Atlanta in a G-CAPP board retreat. Whew! Can’t wait for November when things’ll slow down.

Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe who played Precious—brilliantly!!

Queen Latifah, Me and Richard

Richard, Me and Lenny Kravitz

We saw “Precious“, the remarkable, powerful film directed by Lee Daniels. It opened the New York Film Festival. I read the book, “Push” —by Sapphire–more than a decade ago and felt it to be one of the most powerful, provocative books ever. The film is very good. I am grateful that it has been made and that Oprah and Tyler Perry have stepped up to help ensure it’s distribution. I wish everyone could see it. I’m thinking back over the years to the (white) men, usually business men, who asked me why my organization did “all these programs for those girls? You’re just rewarding them for their bad behavior.” It has taken time, patience and a great deal of faith to try and prove to them that most of the “girls” weren’t “bad.” They were victims who had been on the receiving end of so much dehumanizing, brutal, cruel behavior, then ignored, cast aside. They needed care and attention not more demonizing. The movie is wonderful in how it subtly shows that hope and confidence can bloom in someone when a little love and attention is sent their way. At least two Oscar worthy performances: Gabourey Sidibe is Precious and stand-up comedian, Mo’Nique, is jaw-dropping as her mother, Mary. Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz are excellent as well. Bravo to all!!!

The next night was went to the opening of Carrie Fisher’s “Wishful Drinking.” We had a big group—Troy, Simone, Harvey and Daphna Keitel, Pat Mitchell, Kenny Vance, Claudia Potempkin, Annette and Joe Allen, and more. I meant to take pictures but, as often happens when I’m having fun, I forgot to take any. Carrie was hysterical. I’ve seen an earlier version and was surprised to see how well she’s tightened it up and made it resonate for folks who aren’t of Hollywood. Given her uniquely dysfunctional childhood, one reviewer said it is amazing how she makes the audience feel she is just like them. It’s a must see. So is “Precious”.

Daphna, Harvey, Daphna’s mother, Richard, me and Eve Ensler

Daphna and Harvey Keitel

Then two more glorious days of great food and much fun with Richard’s friends and mine—we had a reunion party with the cast of “33 Variations” and Moises, the author and director. I’m very moved by the fact that Richard’s friends from childhood, High school and college still love him and stay in touch…same with old girlfriends.

33 Variations cast reunion

33 Variations cast reunion

Richard signing doo wop with Kenny Vance. Kenny had long been Richard’s friend. They both had singing groups back in the late fifties...Richard’s was The Escorts, Kenny’s was the Planetones...still is...still sounding like dream

Cannot believe that, except for the photo of Richard singing with Kenny Vance, I forgot to take any pictures. Shame on me.

See You Next TIme

It was fun having Oprah sitting right next to us-Samantha Mathis, Susan Kellerman and me. Gayle King and her daughter were with Oprah. Both of us were sobbing at the end and I had to pass her tissues. It’s a truly powerful and important play about the war in the Congo and what it has done/is doing to women. This is what Eve Ensler’s organization, V-Day: Until the Violence Stops, is focusing on. In fact, Eve is in east Congo now, at the hospital where Dr. Mugwege receives the raped and brutalized women and sews them up. V-Day has recently broken ground on the ‘village’ we are erecting to house 100 women. There are so many women flooding into the hospital they aren’t able to stay and completely heal, so the village will provide a safe place next to the hospital for further physical and emotional healing. They will receive therapy and learn microentreprenurial skills. Some of the actors in “Ruined” saw Eve when she testified about the Congo in Washington D.C. recently.

Phylicia Rashad’s daughter is in the play, her Broadway debut. She is brilliant-beautiful and talented (as is her mother). She can sing like a dream, too. This is a must see play! Derek McLane, who did sets for “33 Variations” and is nominated for a Tony for them also did “Ruined”-again, brilliantly

I asked Oprah to follow my tweets and she said she would. I follow her. I was the second person she interviewed for her “O” magazine. It was during that interview that I realized I had to write my memoirs. I told Oprah that last night.

Oprah and fabulous actor in “Ruined” Simon Shabantu Kashama

Back stage after “Ruined” with the cast, Samantha, Susan, Oprah, and I am there, behind somewhere.

Samatha, Susan and I had dinner after at Trattoria del Arte and closed the place down.

Don’t we look happy?

I am discombobulated today. Partly because I took a pain pill last night cause my knee hurts so bad. The pill has thrown me for a loop. Went to see “Reasons to Be Pretty” by myself this afternoon. Unfortunately Thomas Sadoski, who was nominated for a Tony, was replaced by his (very good) understudy. I was hoping to see him but I was told his wife fell and cut her head and he was with her in the emergency room. Good priorities. Still, I found the play riveting. Strange. Not easy. But riveting.

I took pictures of people taking pictures of me in front of my Times Square hotel as I waited for my friend, Lisa Birnbach to arrive and pick me up. It’s funny cause normally I go around anonymously. Then I went with Lisa to the Tony cocktail party at which Phyllis Newman was honored. The Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Care Center is one of the beneficiaries of Broadway Cares. I’ve known Phyllis from decades ago. She and Adolph Greene were close friends of my fathers. Zach Grenier (my beloved Beethoven, also a Tony nominee) was there, and Moises Kaufman, our writer/director, and Roger Friedman and Michelle Lee and Lucy Arnez and Oscar Eustis, Director of the Joe Papp Public Theatre and many other friends. It was fun and, once again, I felt embraced by this wonderful Broadway community.

After that, Lisa and I saw “The Norman Conquests: Round and Round the Garden,” the third in the trilogy. I loved it and wished I had seen all three. Scott Peacock and Alice Waters sat right behind us. Scott’s going to be at the Tonys tomorrow. A cheering section.

To end the day we had dinner with Jeff Daniels, his wife Kathleen whom I had not met before and who is smart and lovely as I would have expected and Jeff’s manager and friend, Paul Martino. We’re all looking forward to the swag tomorrow at the Tony rehearsal. It was Jeff who first told me about swag. Jeff and the others in “God of Carnage” have all re-upped for continuing the play in the fall after a 6 week break. I wasn’t sure they would but, clearly, having a good, reliable and fun job to count on till the year’s end is not to be sneezed at-not in these times.

Rehearsal is fairly early so I’m off to bed. I still dream about the play and still feel the Galapagos ship rolling under me. I’ve probably forgotten a lot of stuff from today but too bad. I’m pooped.

See you next time.