The History Channel’s cancellation of its planned airing of a mini-series on Jack and Jacquie kennedy is one of those gong-banging moments where adults choose fantasy over reality.
The much-anticipated ‘Kennedys’ miniseries was set to air this spring. That is, until History Channel abruptly canceled it today.
“We recognize historical fiction is an important medium for storytelling and commend all the hard work and passion that has gone into the making of the series, but ultimately deem this as the right programming decision for our network.” <source>
So what was the problem? This was apparently the problem:
Canadian media are reporting that family members were especially upset at the script’s portrayal of the former president as a philanderer, and of his father Joe as power hungry. <source>
Jack Kennedy was a philanderer?? I NEVER KNEW THAT! Joe Kennedy was power hungry?? NO WAY!
Do the History Channel executives actually believe that “CAMELOT” is the “real” history and that all of the undisputed evidence of Jack Kennedy’s revolving bedroom door is somehow not legitimate history. Really?
With several other White House staffers as always-willing sex partners, the President never had far to go for a fling. Aside from Mimi, there were: Pamela Turnure, Jackie Kennedy’s appointments secretary; White House press aide Priscilla Weiss, code named “Fiddle” by the Secret Service; and press aide Jill Cowan, code named “Faddle.” Jack frequently romped with Fiddle and Faddle—as a nude threesome—in the White House swimming pool.
The President could also ask his favorite Georgetown mistress, Mary Pinchot Meyer, to share his bed when the First Lady wasn’t around. Meyer made about 30 visits to the White House between the months of January 1962 and November 1963. <source>
Ellen Rometsch
And then there is the revelation about his security-breaching dalliance with an East German spy:
The most potentially damaging woman in the President’s stable of beautiful sex partners was Ellen Rometsch, a 27-year-old pricey Washington hooker and Elizabeth Taylor look-alike. Born in what had become East Germany, Rometsch was also a suspected spy. If exposed, the Kennedy-Rometsch affair could have become a major national security issue. For a steep price, J. Edgar Hoover kept the lid on it. <source>
And then there is poor Judith Campbell:
Though she lived in California, aspiring movie actress Judith Campbell—introduced to JFK by crooner Frank Sinatra—made at least 20 visits to the White House. Campbell was also the girlfriend of Chicago Mafia boss Sam Giancana. Campbell eventually confessed that the President’s persistent back pain eventually made their lovemaking rather perfunctory and one-dimensional. Writing in My Story, Campbell said Kennedy was always on his back, and “the feeling that I was there to service him began to really trouble me.” <source>
“…there to service him…” Nice.
My guess is that the mini-series was quite reserved in its material in spite of the bounty of ugliness that was the truth about the Kennedy administration. An honest portrayal would probably qualify as “Horror” on the DVD shelf once you start delving into the “Dr. Feelgood” material.
It is never easy to let go of the fantasy, but in our own time we at least have Barack Profane Obama laboring to destroy the artifice he concocted in 2008.
Reality is real, and let us keep it coming.
I read about this and to be honest I am disappointed in the History Channel as they are obviously not so interested in honest history. Camel Lot? lol Jack was not the dapper don and his brother Teddy was a spineless drunk guilty of at least vehicular homicide. I learned about the Kennedy’s deeds as I grew up and when Teddy passed and they drove through the country side with his hearse and stopped places to reflect on his life…I wondered why they did not stop at Chappaquiddick… You see that was the legacy, a family that thought and acted as if they were above or beyond the LAW.
President Kennedy was before my time, but I am a great admirer and still would not have been offended or surprised in the least with a supposedly more honest portrayal of his life.
That being said, however, is it not somewhat disrespectful to Jacklyn Kennedy, and arguably a disrespect to the Office? I can think hypothetically that if there was a film made about my father being a philanderer, I’d be worried less about how it portrayed him and more of how it inadvertently portrayed my mother (accepting, powerless, naive, ?) I’m reaching for a “positive” or a “good reason” here…
Nevertheless, I am surprised History would have buckled so easily (I hear it was the Governator’s wife that played a big role), but with all the books that are already out there to smash the Camelot myth to smithereens, I guess I’m not at a loss for not seeing it.
I’m also thinking:
a) how different the public reaction to Kennedy’s philandering would be if he were a sitting President today (and a Catholic one, I might add), and
b) would he get a chuckle that the only guy to come close to his numbers was a golfer rather than a former President?
Can you imagine a philanderers convention with JFK, Bill Clinton, and Tiger Woods? Who would be honorary Chairman?
I think it should be JFK. He’s the only one who cheated with anyone good-looking!
[...] those too young to realize that such a thing is actually possible, check out my quick recap of Jack Kennedy’s whoring in the 1960s and you’ll see that an East German spy made it all the way into the President’s bed, [...]