Billie Eilish, Jane Fonda, Gracie Abrams and more resurrect Committee for the First Amendment

Over 550 entertainment industry luminaries have joined together to relaunch a McCarthy Era free speech committee called the Committee for the First Amendment.

The committee was originally founded by actors in 1947 during the hearings of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), an investigation lead by the United States House of Representatives to uncover disloyalty and possible communist activity amongst organisations and private citizens.

Amongst the committee members are big names in entertainment such as Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams, John Legend, Pedro Pascal, and led by actress Jane Fonda.

Fonda is recognised for her activism during the Vietnam and Iraq wars, as well as her continued efforts in support of women's rights and environmentalism. Her father, actor Henry Fonda served as a founding member of the original committee.

"This Committee was initially created during the McCarthy Era, a dark time when the federal government repressed and persecuted American citizens for their political beliefs. They targeted elected officials, government employees, academics, and artists," The new committee wrote in a statement.

"They were blacklisted, harassed, silenced, and even imprisoned. The McCarthy Era ended when Americans from across the political spectrum finally came together and stood up for the principles in the Constitution against the forces of repression. Those forces have returned. And it is our turn to stand together in defense of our constitutional rights."

This comes after several weeks of controversy surrounding the Jimmy Kimmel Live talk show, where host Jimmy Kimmel was  suspended over his comments on the assassination of conservative political commentator Charlie Kirk at the start of September. This came after threats made to the network by the The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a US government agency that regulates radio, television and internet content.

Though the show has now returned to air, audiences were outraged, with many individuals claiming the suspension was an infringement on free speech.

“I’m 87 years old. I’ve seen war, repression, protest, and backlash. I’ve been celebrated, and I’ve been branded an enemy of the state,” Jane Fonda said in an individual statement on Wednesday. “But I can tell you this: this is the most frightening moment of my life.”

The full list of musicians, actors, directors, and producers on the committee can be found here.

Read the Committee's full statement below:

 

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