John F. Kennedy Jr., once at the helm of the bold political magazine George, made a striking choice in the late 1990s to downplay the biggest story of the era. The Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal, ripe for the pages of his publication, barely got a mention, and a new documentary suggests this was no accident.
According to Daily Mail, the documentary "American Prince: JFK Jr.," premiering on CNN on August 9, reveals that Kennedy's decision stemmed from the shadow of his own father’s well-known infidelities. Friends and colleagues note he grew up surrounded by whispers of those personal betrayals and had no stomach to dive into similar territory with a sitting Democratic president.
Gary Ginsberg, a close friend and senior editor at George, is quoted in the film saying, “Having to grow up with all the suggestions about his father and fidelity, I don’t think John wanted to re-examine it.” This hesitation, while understandable on a human level, left readers of a magazine built on edgy political commentary feeling shortchanged.
Tina Brown, a veteran editor featured in the documentary, points out that the Lewinsky affair was “the biggest story” in the country at the time. Yet Kennedy, described as “too much of a gentleman,” couldn’t bring himself to exploit it for headlines.
Graydon Carter, former Vanity Fair editor, adds a sharp observation: “If that had been a Republican president with a 22-year-old intern, they would have covered it like crazy.” This double standard raises questions about whether personal loyalty or political allegiance played a larger role in silencing George on an issue that dominated every other newsstand.
The decision wasn’t just a missed opportunity; it clashed with the very identity of George, launched in 1995 as a groundbreaking blend of pop culture and politics. A magazine that debuted with Cyndi Crawford dressed as George Washington on its cover seemed tailor-made for such a salacious political firestorm, yet it faltered when it mattered most.
Kurt Anderson, another media heavyweight, questions why Kennedy drew the line at this particular scandal, asking in the film, “Why do you draw the line now?” He suggests the changing media landscape, with its graphic coverage of Lewinsky, may have felt too undignified for Kennedy’s vision, despite George’s focus on the messier side of celebrity and power.
Founded on the idea of challenging norms, George sold 400,000 copies monthly but never turned a profit, adding pressure to Kennedy’s leadership. Sidestepping the Lewinsky story likely didn’t help its financial struggles or its reputation for fearless reporting.
At the heart of this choice was a man wrestling with his own legacy, not just as a publisher but as the son of a president whose personal failings were public knowledge. Kennedy’s reluctance speaks to a deeper conflict between duty to his audience and loyalty to a family narrative he couldn’t escape.
The documentary also paints a vivid picture of Kennedy’s personal life, particularly the intense media scrutiny faced by his wife, Carolyn Bessette, after their marriage. Described as the Meghan Markle of her era, Bessette craved the glamour of being part of America’s unofficial royal family but crumbled under the relentless press attention.
Carole Radziwill, who married Kennedy’s cousin, recalls Bessette’s visceral reaction to paparazzi, likening it to the tragic fate of Princess Diana in 1997. The parallel struck a deep chord, with Bessette seeing Diana’s death as a warning of what unchecked media hounding could unleash.
Friends like Hamilton South note Bessette’s struggle to control her public image, a stark contrast to her prior role managing optics for Calvin Klein. Kennedy, hardened by a lifetime in the spotlight, sometimes snapped under the strain too, once dousing a photographer with water in frustration.
The weight of these personal and professional burdens culminated in tragedy in July 1999, when Kennedy, Bessette, and her sister Lauren perished in a plane crash off Martha’s Vineyard. Flying the light aircraft himself, Kennedy sought escape in the solitude of the skies, a poignant detail Ginsberg shares in the film as a reason for his love of piloting.
Looking back, Kennedy’s choice to mute coverage of the Clinton-Lewinsky affair reflects a man caught between the brash demands of modern journalism and the ghosts of a painful past. It’s a reminder that even icons of boldness can falter when the story cuts too close to the bone.
“American Prince: JFK Jr.” offers a window into a life marked by privilege, pressure, and profound loss, leaving us to ponder what might have been if Kennedy had leaned into the controversy rather than away from it. In an era where personal scandals fuel public discourse, his restraint stands as both a noble anomaly and a journalistic misstep.
