JFK’s grandson has criticizedAmerican Crime Storyproducer Ryan Murphy’s upcoming show,American Love Story, clarifying his family’s lack of involvement. Murphy is one of the biggest names in TV, creating big-name shows like American Horror Story and Glee. In 2021,Ryan Murphy’s TV show,American Love Story, was announced. It will follow the anthological format of his past shows, focusing on famous romantic relationships. The first season will follow the relationship of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy, has taken toInstagramto criticize Ryan Murphy’sAmerican Love Storyseries, which will focus on the romance between JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.He is unhappy that the show is being made and wants people to know that the Kennedy family is not involved with the show. In his video, Schlossberg said this:
Lately, my news feed has been filled with pictures of my uncle, John F. Kennedy Jr., a great man. For those wondering whether his family was ever consulted, or has anything to do with the new show being made about him, the answer is no, and there’s really not much we can do. the right to privacy, which includes the ability to control your own name, image, and likeness, doesn’t survive death in the state of New York. And for that matter, he’s considered a public figure, so there’s not much we can do. But, I hope those making this show about him take seriously what he stood for in his life, all that he achieved in it, and that they donate some of the profits from what they’re making to the John F. Kennedy Library. For the record, I think admiration for my uncle John is great. What I don’t think is great is profiting off of it in a grotesque way.
For those who know the names but not the story, JFK Jr. was considered America’s unofficial prince because he was the son of President John F. Kennedy. He married Bessette, a fashion icon, thrusting her into the spotlight. Their relationship in the 1990s was under a microscope because of the Kennedy family’s fame. The couple tragically died in a plane crash in 1999.
What Jack Schlossberg’s Comments About American Love Story Mean
Ryan Murphy is no stranger to criticism.The producer has a trend of makingdramas based on true stories, but not consulting the people who lived through it or are directly impacted by the story. Notable examples that drew criticism includeFeud: Bette and Joan, which resulted in a lawsuit from Olivia de Havilland (viaThe New York Times); theMonstersseries, which mishandled the Menendez brothers; and the O.J. Simpson season ofAmerican Crime Story, which didn’t consult the families of Ron Goldman or Nicole Brown.
Unless something changes,it seems thatAmerican Love Storywill follow suit by not consulting with the families of JFK Jr. or Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.The only positive news is that Murphy confirmed toVarietythat he would donate to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, following Schlossberg’s request. He didn’t specify how much of the proceeds from American Love Story would go to this, but something is certainly better than nothing when he’s profiting off of somebody else’s experiences and tragedies.
Our Take On Ryan Murphy’s American Love Story
The Kennedys Have A Right To Be Upset
Ryan Murphy’sAmerican Love Story,American Crime Story, andAmerican Sports Storyfall into the sticky area of true story dramatizations where the question comes up about whether there’s an ethical way to make them. Unfortunately, there’s no satisfactory answer because ethics are so subjective.
That being said, I personally think it’s incredibly insensitive to dramatize someone else’s trauma without consulting the people impacted. No matter how good a story he can craft, Murphy should be more considerate when it comes to these kinds of shows. Moreover, Jack Schlossberg has every right to share his opinion ofAmerican Love Story, as a member of the Kennedy family.
