El Podcast

E87: The Kennedys: Power, Scandal, & Murder w/ Maureen Callahan

Episode Summary

The conversation with Maureen Callahan explores the dark side of the Kennedy dynasty, focusing on the mistreatment of women within the family. The discussion covers various scandals and tragedies, including the plane crash of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, the lobotomy of JFK's sister Rosemary, and the abusive behavior of JFK towards his mistresses. Maureen Callahan's book, 'Ask Not, The Kennedys and the Women They Destroyed,' sheds light on these stories and challenges the romanticized image of the Kennedy family. The conversation also touches on the media's role in perpetuating the myth of the Kennedy curse and the challenges faced by the author in publishing the book. The conversation explores various scandals and controversies surrounding the Kennedy family, focusing on the mistreatment and destruction of women associated with the family. Topics discussed include JFK Jr.'s relationship with Carolyn Bessette, Marilyn Monroe's alleged affairs with JFK and RFK, Ted Kennedy's involvement in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, and Jackie Kennedy's role in shaping the Camelot narrative. The conversation also touches on the media's complicity in covering up the Kennedy's misdeeds and the relevance of these stories in today's political climate.

Episode Notes

Maureen Callahan joins to expose the dark legacy of the Kennedy family through the lens of the women whose lives they damaged or destroyed.

Guest bio: Maureen Callahan is an award-winning investigative journalist and author. Her work spans pop culture and politics and has appeared in Vanity Fair, New York Magazine, Spin, and The New York Post. She currently writes for the Daily Mail and is the author of Ask Not: The Kennedys and the Women They Destroyed.

Discussed topics (in order):

• The 25th anniversary of JFK Jr.’s fatal plane crash
• JFK Jr.’s recklessness and death wish
• The failure of George magazine and his troubled personal life
• The mythmaking of the Kennedy dynasty beginning with Joe Kennedy Sr.
• Rosemary Kennedy’s lobotomy and hidden life in Wisconsin
• Challenges publishing the book and media complicity with the Kennedy myth
• The role of women like Jackie Kennedy and Carolyn Bessette
• The stories of interns and mistresses like Mimi Alford
• Marilyn Monroe’s entanglement with both JFK and RFK
• Ted Kennedy and the Chappaquiddick incident
• Media whitewashing of Kennedy scandals and parallels to current politics
• Pushback against the book and Callahan’s motivation for writing it
• The deaths and trauma inflicted on women like Martha Moxley, Mary Jo Kopechne, and Pam Kelley
• Final reflections on the women’s strength, historical amnesia, and reclaiming the narrative

📺Watch full episode on YouTube ➡️ https://youtu.be/RUBFMQGdfu8