Jane Fonda, who was married to the late CNN founder Ted Turner, urged the audience at a live event in New York City to “sign a petition to tell your state attorneys general to block the Paramount Warner Brothers merger. This is a direct attack on free speech, freedom of expression.”

“You’re going to get a very thinned out kind of culture. It’ll be flattened. Freedom of expression, independence, and diverse news. I have a personal stake in CNN. I don’t want to see it go that way. You know what I’m saying,” she said at Rise Up, Sing Out: A Concert For The First Amendment. It was held at The Town Hall on West 43^rd Street, a 1920 venue built as the headquarters for the League for Political Education, and also livestreamed.

The event, presented by the Committee For The First Amendment, unspooled as UCF fighters traded jabs on the White House lawn for Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. The mixed martial arts league has a sweeping rights deal with Paramount.

Julia Roberts, Robert De Niro. Bette Midler, Ayo Edebiri, Tessa Thompson, Joy Reid and more joined activists, civil rights and religious leaders to excoriate ICE and defend free speech and the separation of church and state. Patti Smith perforrmed People Have The Power. Rufus Wainright sang Somewhere Over The Rainbow, whose lyricist Yip Harburg was blacklisted from working in Hollywood during the McCarthy era.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Friday it had cleared Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent of CNN. Paramount owns CBS, whose news division has been in near constant turmoil since the Ellisons took the reins. The deal still requires approvals from the EU and UK.

Attorneys General can’t block a merger but they can sue to try to block it. California’s State AG has been investigating the combination and and is said to be preparing a case.

“Good evening everyone, and welcome to all of you who couldn’t get tickets to the White House cage fights,” said De Niro.

“I’m devoted to our Constitution’s First Amendment … I’m pretty close to being a free speech absolutist, even for speech I don’t like, and there’s plenty of that around. So when I hear something I don’t like, I use my own free speech to respond,” said the actor and outspoken Donald Trump critic.

“Let me give you an example. When I hear Trump say, as he did a few days ago, ‘I don’t think about Americans financial situation’ … I say, ‘Shut the f–k up!’” He repeated that several more times, winding up the crowd.

Even the phrase ‘we all love our country’ is “stuck in my throat, because our country isn’t so lovable right now … Loving our country is starting to sound like an abused spouse saying they love their abuser.”

“I can’t love a country that starts stupid and inhumane wars … that takes health care away from millions of people … that sends out masked militias to shoot citizens in the streets, torture our neighbors and separate families. I can’t love a country that’s led by a racist, misogynist, xenophobic tyrant. Let me just say it, I can’t love the country that’s led by Donald Trump and a sycophant Congress.

“For most of my life, I did love this country. The United States of America welcomed my immigrant ancestors, it gave me, my family, and my fellow citizens such rich opportunities and extraordinary freedoms. I want to love my country again. I want my country back. That’s why I stand with the Committee for the First Amendment.”

Anne Schedeen, the actress who starred as matriarch Kate Tanner on NBC’s ALF (1986-’90), has died. She was 77.

Deadline confirms the actress died after the family announced on Sunday that she “passed peacefully” with a heartfelt tribute posted on her Facebook. A cause of death was not immediately known.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share Annie has passed peacefully,” the family wrote in the post. “She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of creative energy, whip smart humor, delight in her family, adoration for little dogs, burning hatred for Trump, passion for second-hand thrifting, and love for a good story. We are bereft without her. We loved her so so much, as did all who met her.”

They continued, “She was a force. And it is unimaginable to think about life without her in it. But as she said, ‘I’m always with you.’ And she’s right. The memories, artwork, belly laughter, handmade jewelry, oil paintings, sculptures, costumes, and all around joie de vivre live on. Raise a margarita in her honor.”

The family asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to “one of Annie’s favorite causes,” Habitat for Humanity. “We all love you, Annie,” they added.

Schedeen’s longtime agent Tom Markley also confirmed the news to Deadline. “Annie meant the world to her family and this agency,” he said.

Born Jan. 8, 1949 in Portland, Oregon, Luanne Ruth Schedeen began drama classes as a child, studying and performing at Portland Civic Theatre. After performing dinner theater in Hawaii, she moved to New York City to pursue an acting career, getting her start in summer stock theater. She eventually moved to Los Angeles and signed a contract with Universal Pictures.

Schedeen made her onscreen debut in a 1974 episode of The Six Million Dollar Man, going on to appear in episodes of McCloud, The Bionic Woman, Emergency!, The Incredible Hulk, Three’s Company, Cheers, Magnum PI, Murder She Wrote and Judging Amy, as well as movies like Embryo (1976), Flight to Holocaust (1977), Exo-Man (1977), Champions: A Love Story (1979), Second Thoughts (1983), Slow Burn (1986) and Cast the First Stone (1989).

The actress was most know for her role as Kate Tanner, a mother who takes the titular alien into her home on the NBC sitcom ALF, which ran for four seasons from 1986 to 1990.

Schedeen is survived by her husband of 55 years, Christopher Barrett, daughter Tay Barrett, daughter-in-law Hilary Flynn, sister Sarabeth Schedeen, niece Minnie Land, brother Roland ‘Tony’ Schedeen, sister-in-law Julieanne Schedeen and her rescue dogs Roo and Red.