United States of Kennedy

Over the last 10 months, we’ve explored family drama, political scandal, unsolved mysteries, forgotten and misunderstood historical figures, and countless conspiracy theories. In the final episode of United States of Kennedy, we take stock of everything we’ve learned and attempt to answer the questions we still have about the most infamous American dynasty.

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We’re finally going back to where it all began. Joe Kennedy — father to the nine Kennedy children — was a banker, a real estate baron, a liquor magnate, a Hollywood producer, a Washington insider, the first ever chair of the SEC, and the disgraced ambassador to the UK during World War II. We dive into his not-so-humble beginnings, his monumental successes in business and finance, and his complicated legacy as a political figure and patriarch of one of the most prominent families in American history.

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RFK Jr., currently the Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Trump, has come up repeatedly on the podcast over the last year. We finally do a deep dive into his origin story and pre-Trump past, from family tragedy to environmental law to his turbulent personal life to his habit of… collecting roadkill? Plus: We check in on Jack Schlossberg’s congressional run. 

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Eunice was the fifth of Joseph and Rose Kennedy’s nine children. While she’s perhaps best known as the founder of the Special Olympics, that was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of her lifelong commitment to public service and disability rights. To unpack Eunice’s life and legacy, we’re joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Eunice: The Kennedy Who Changed the World, Eileen McNamara.

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Since we recapped the first three episodes of Ryan Murphy’s ‘Love Story’, it has become the most streamed limited series on FX — and TikTok’s favorite show to argue about. We discuss what’s behind the overwhelming popularity of the show, Daryl Hannah’s searing New York Times op-ed about her portrayal, past guest Glynnis MacNichol’s new essay about Carolyn Bessette’s New York, and what it all means for the Kennedy brand.

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The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts was a bipartisan project for the advancement of the performing arts conceptualized during the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations. When JFK was assassinated in 1964, it was established as a “living memorial” in his honor. For decades, the Center was an American cultural stalwart. Then, last year, President Trump dismissed its entire board of trustees, took over as chairman, and changed its name to the Trump Kennedy Center. We’re joined by New Yorker staff writer Katy Waldman to dive into the Center’s legacy and Trumpian transformation.

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Inspired by our recent episode about Marilyn Monroe’s relationship with the Kennedy family, we watched the most recent fictionalized account of Marilyn’s life to make a splash: Andrew Dominik’s 2022 Netflix film ‘Blonde,’ starring Ana de Armas and based on the 2001 Joyce Carol Oates novel of the same name. We’re joined by film writer Esther Zuckerman to talk about the film’s divisive legacy, recognition by both the Oscars and the Razzies — and the infamous JFK scene that gave it its NC-17 rating. A content warning for our listeners: This episode discusses sexual assault.

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We discuss the buzzy new FX series ‘Love Story: JFK Jr. & Carolyn Bessette.’

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Mary Pinchot Meyer was a D.C. socialite, artist, and mistress of President John F. Kennedy. While walking near her studio on October 12, 1964, she was murdered in broad daylight. The man initially accused of shooting her was acquitted, and the case has been unsolved ever since. To this day, conspiracy theories about her death abound. We’re joined by journalist Nina Burleigh, author of A Very Private Woman: The Life and Unsolved Murder of Presidential Mistress Mary Meyer, to talk about Meyer’s life and the many unanswered questions of her death.

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Marilyn Monroe has been associated with the Kennedy family for decades, from her memorable rendition of “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” to enduring rumors about a full-fledged affair with his brother Bobby. Most disturbingly, Kennedy-related conspiracy theories persist surrounding Monroe’s untimely death in 1962. Today we’re taking a look at how those theories relate to everything from the FBI to Norman Mailer. Lastly, we discuss the 2022 Netflix documentary “The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes,” and whether or not it complicates or clarifies the narrative.

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