AN INTERESTING EVENING AND AFTERNOON

Last night we got all glammed up and went to the Carousel of Hope Ball, a star-studded event that benefits the cause of curing Juvenile Diabetes. Marvin and Barbara Davis began this charity many decades ago and the indefatigable Barbara has continued it since Marvin’s passing. One year it takes place in L.A. and the following year in Denver, where the Davis’s were from. We sat with Rod Stewart, his wife Penny and other friends. Jay Leno was the very fun host, Jennifer Lopez and Mark Anthony performed as did Gladys Knight. Jennifer looked fantastic and we waved at each other but I never got a chance to give her a Monster-in-Law-style hug. First Lady Maria Shriver was honored and gave a stunningly beautiful speech. I saw many old friends who I hadn’t seen in ages and wore a dress I hadn’t worn in ages. I bought it 30 years ago in Toronto and wore it the year Alan Alda and I hosted (along with Robin Williams) the Oscars. It was painfully tight but still looks good.

About to leave for the Carousel of Hope Ball with our pal, Kathy Griffin

...but here they are.


This afternoon, I drove down to Long Beach where Maria Shriver had a huge march to end Alzheimers.

Jane Lynch from 'Glee' and Leeza Gibbons, who emcee'd the march

With Jane and Peter Gallagher, event co-chair

some of the 1000s of marchers that I photographed through the fence

With my long time pal, Jake (as in Body By Jake) and the Amazing 1st lady, Maria Shriver

Elizabeth Lesser, Sally Field, me, Maria Shriver and Jane Lynch

I'm hugging Jane Lynch after we went onstage together to warming up the crowd. She made it very funny.

Sally Field with author Gail Sheehy

...and Gail with my dear friend, Carol Gilligan

drummers and dancers along the march route

What? They were going in different directions?!

Tomorrow, begins the two-day Women’s Conference, Maria Shriver’s last as first lady. The day is titled “A Day of Health, Wellness and Transformation.” I will do a speech in the evening in what’s called “The Village”, an informal setting where many 1000s of women gather to network and listen to various speakers, buy books and network. During the day I plan on attending the workshops of Sally Field and Elizabeth Lesser and, later, Carol Gilligan and Donna Karan.

I look forward to whatever the First Lady decides to do with her next chapter. She is the most effective, charming, astute, kind, thoughtful woman imaginable and, whatever she does, you can be sure she will make a difference—for all of us

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27 Comments

  1. Yes, the dress still looks good – you look lovely Jane.

  2. I absolutley LOVE that dress! It is just beautiful and looks beautiful on you.

  3. this just reminded me that i should be tuning into the Women’s Conference stream. looks like a great day!

  4. Jane, as I was reading that you attended a benefit for Juvenile Diabetes, tears came to my eyes. I have two daughters with Type One. They are aged 8 & 10 and have both been diabetic for over 4 years. We have our good days and our bad days…today, unfortunately, is a not so great day. So, as I sat down to read your blog and drink my coffee, it was nice to read something positive. To remind myself that there are people, such as yourself, that do care. That there is hope for a cure.

    Thanks for all that you do!
    Jenn

  5. hello Jane…. waouuh your dress is beautiful and …elle vous va très bien !!
    J’admire toutes ces actions que vous soutenez. it’s really beautiful. Alzheimer is truly a terrible disease, and so many people are affected.
    Je trouve super l’entraide et le soutien qu’il y a dans votre pays, beaucoup plus qu’en France!
    Sorry, I write also in french.. I’m not very good +++

  6. Wow, Jane, you look FABULOUS!

  7. Jane, you look stunning in your gorgeous gown. What a beautiful dress! And, of course, you are still slim and awesome to look at. Thanks for posting the photos.

  8. You look so so beautiful.

  9. You look fantastic! I can’t imagine fitting into a dress like that EVER.

    I am so enjoying your photos …I love Sally Field too …

    I told my Mother (she’s 83) I was commenting on Jane Fondá’s blog and she didn’t believe me!

    xx

  10. I haven’t checked your blog for a couple of weeks! YOU’VE been busy! Loved seeing the pic of you in the formal dress! You look great! The dress is lovely!! You and Richard look very distinguished together!:)

    The march looks like it went well! I think Maria Shriver has done a wonderful job as First Lady of California! I know she will continue to do good things whatever she does next!

    The Women’s Conference will be a big success, I know! Can’t wait to hear about that!

  11. First, I wish I could fit in a dress I wore last year! That’s great you can fit in one from 30 years ago! Gee, I need to start really exercising before I end up having to sew two “last year” dresses together to make a new one to fit into!!! Second, the Women’s Conference sounds fascinating. Are these conferences for your average person? I’ll have to do more research on what they involve. As for the GCAPP, do they have organizations outside of Georgia? So many causes of importance, so much to research, so much to learn.

  12. Alz is a subject near and dear to my heart since losing my husband to Alz four years ago. Now I worry about the possibility of our two children inheriting it. I thank Maria Shriver for being a leader in combating this horrible illness. Thank you for letting us know that she has such fine qualities too. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow on Oprah!

  13. You look fantastic as always! Thanks for sharing these photos and giving us a look into such important events.

  14. The hands are always a dead give away non one’s age….gloves might help you!

  15. kudos ON the viral JANE, ur voice & kindness is a great story of change & redemption. the TED is a better man 4 being w/ U & vice VERSA i suspect..

    conGRATS on learning by living..

  16. Even without reading your text, you can just feel the ENERGY here. Awesome. Love the dress. Honestly? Hate the gloves. Distracting. I knew carol gilligan years ago when she lived next door to friends in west newton. She gave me hope sharing the same date as my birthday. The only other was william blake-not necessarily a cheerful icon! Xox

  17. You look positively fabulous in that dress.

  18. If I could look as youthful and beautiful as you do when I’m your age, I will be a very happy lady 🙂

    • Just saw you on Oprah. Loved the idea of becoming whole rather than perfect. Read a great book during my “Second Act” (which I am still in)titled “Forget Perfect”. It offers a very freeing and grace-giving perspective for wives and mothers (likely in their Second Act) who are caught up in the “what everybody else might think if…” I recommend it to others, particularly those I love very much, whom I see struggling with the idea of perfect. Thank you for sharing your wisdom. I look forward to my third act, my beginning, with a new perspective. My “second act” has been easy and hard, happy and sad, refreshing and exhausting, complacent and frustrating. Focusing on being real rather than perfect has been a major contributor to the shift in my being. Hearing you say “becoming whole rather than perfect” has reinforced my determination to continue my quest for wholeness. I am looking forward to reading your latest book.

  19. Jane,
    I am watching Oprah and you speak of how you went into hibernation while going thru peri-menopause and I am going thru this same exact thing, I moved away from all whom I knew and know and now it has been 10 months and I seem to not be able to leave my home, I feel so angry within and I have no dea why, what advice do you have for me? I sure could use some help with this and if what I experience is normal, I am on HRT and have been for almost three years but this is the worst I have felt, I snap at the drop of a hat and it is awful, please Jane if you could e mail me with some advice I would be deeply appreciative of any advice on this…~j

  20. Dear Jane, I saw you on Oprah today. You looked wonderful; SOoo happy, (you could see it in your eyes)! You are such a positive role model for young people & for all generations. You are still a “Trail Blazer!” I’m a 1960’s survivor too…seeing you so happy, healthy, confident & whole again really brightened my day! I even quoted you on my Susie Readreams facebook page!God Bless You Jane- Live, Love & Laugh! <3

  21. Hi Jane,
    Saw you on Oprah today. Your energy is truly from the light within. Thank you again for your courage to shine. Always makes me cry.

  22. I love Sally Field and Kathy Griffin. I think if there ever was a liberal talk show, since most of American media, outside of what Ted Turner still owns, is a subsidiary or property of Rupert Murdoch and therefore reflects his opinions and attacks the liberal opinion, I would love to see you, Sally, Kathy, Mo’Nique, Angela Davis, and Katie Couric chatting about things.

  23. You look wonderful and I’m glad to see your having so much fun.

  24. Saw you on Oprah, and it’s great to see someone make 72 look FABULOUS! One more comment–I bet you are the only woman that has ever made Ted Turner seem vulnerable! You and he clearly have a special relationship and it’s neat that you and his children do as well, in addition to having your own amazing chilren. Thank you for doing Oprah. It was inspiring to me.

  25. You look PHENOMENAL Jane! Wow. What a great energy I sense in these photos.
    After looking forward to your appearance on Oprah yesterday for a week, my dvr decided that very morning to ‘forget’ what it was supposed to record. Grrr! I’ve watched the 4 little two minute segments at Oprah.com but sure wish I could’ve seen the whole thing.
    btw, if Richard really does dance with you most nights (I won’t even hold him to EVERY night) then I know he’s a keeper without him even saying a word. 😉 Lucky lucky you.

  26. Jane, You look stunning.

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