Kennedy Series Pulled In USA

[jobeterob]

'The Kennedys' pulled in U.S.

By Amber Dowling


2011-01-09

History Channel yanks controversial Canadian 'Kennedy' series under family pressure


The Kennedys, an eight-part Canadian miniseries set to debut in March, has been pulled from the U.S. History Channel after heavy controversy and pullback from the actual Kennedy family.

The series, which stars Katie Holmes as Jackie O, Greg Kinnear as John F. Kennedy, Tom Wilkinson as Joe Kennedy and Barry Pepper as Robert Kennedy, has been accused of portraying the popular American family in a negative light. Among some of the controversial areas is that it might have been JFK’s idea to build the Berlin wall and that the assassinated president was a sex fiend. At one point, the series even has Joe smashing a crucifix.

The original script was greenlit by History after it had been verified for accuracy, but last week the network reversed that decision citing inaccuracies. Now, the producers are pitching the completed series, which was shot in Toronto, to other networks.

Among those potentially interested is Showtime, which in 2002 aired a documentary about Ronald Reagan that was initially made by CBS, but was pulled under pressure from the Reagan family. Executives for Showtime still have to see the finished project before making a final decision.

The multi-million dollar project comes from Canadian-based Muse Entertainment [[Being Human, Durham County) and Asylum, and is produced by Joel Surnow [[24) — a conservative. Over the course of production, over 50,000 signed filmmaker Robert Greenwald’s petition to stop The Kennedys, while family members were vocal about their ill feelings.

History Channel stood by the project for months, but reportedly got cold feet under pressure from its owners, Disney, Hearst and NBC Universal. On Friday, it released the following statement:

“While the film is produced and acted with the highest quality, after viewing the final product in its totality, we have concluded this dramatic interpretation is not a fit for the History brand. 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.”

According to Canada’s History Television, a property of Shaw Media, The Kennedys will still air up north. It will debut on March 6.

Thoughts? Sound off below.

[stephanie]

After reading this it goes to show the Kennedys are still a powerful bunch.

[marv2]

After reading this it goes to show the Kennedys are still a powerful bunch.

But is their story still interesting enough to garner high television ratings? That's the big question.

[arrr&bee]

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,what's the big deal..jfk was a sex fiend and as for the old man,well the film should be shown.

[tamla617]

dont even mention eddie baby and mary jo kopechne,jfk and rfk's involvement with marylin monroe,their brother in law peter lawford being at her place before she died.
pro hitler father etc.etc.etc.

[arrr&bee]

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,it would've been worth it just to see the scene where the old man gives jackie a cool million not to divorce jkf before his run for president...you all did know about that tidbit didn't you??

[tamla617]

no, but guess what,i'm not suprised!

[olamaebarto]

Just for casting that brain dead stepford wife Katie Holmes as Jackie was enough to have this crap banned in the first place

[arrr&bee]

just for casting that brain dead stepford wife katie holmes as jackie was enough to have this crap banned in the first place

yeah,where's rosanne when we need her?

[marv2]

yeah,where's rosanne when we need her?

Hahahaaha ..........................LOL!!!

[tamla617]

cleaning the oval room

[arrr&bee]

cleaning the oval room

let those ovals clean their own room!!

[tamla617]

get an intern

[nomis]

I remember when the Monroe Kennedy 20/20 segment was pulled at the last moment in the 80s never to be aired..

[smark21]

If it had aired, I don't think it would have had many viewers and would have been forgotten. The Kennedys day has finally set.

[nomis]

...I dont know Smark the segment was made after the critically acclaimed documentary "Say Goodbye To The President" with Anthony Summers brilliant "Goddess" as a best seller..interest in the Monroe Kennedy affair was high..with Eunice Murray changing her statement after 20 odd years..I think the segment would have caused some waves...

[smark21]

...I dont know Smark the segment was made after the critically acclaimed documentary "Say Goodbye To The President" with Anthony Summers brilliant "Goddess" as a best seller..interest in the Monroe Kennedy affair was high..with Eunice Murray changing her statement after 20 odd years..I think the segment would have caused some waves...

I was referring to the cancelled miniseries, not the 20/20 show from the 80's. That would have received good ratings in its time, but I think the Kennedys are played out and the sun has set on their dynasty.

[marv2]

It was announced today that Showtime has also now refused to air it.

Personally I would much rather see a mini-series on LBJ , his life and his years in office.

[tamla617]

marv
lbj prog would be ace!i want to see his aids faces when he blurts out the USAF'S latest secret rs71 [[blackbird) mach 3+ recon 'plane.not only does he expose it on live tv,he gets it wrong,calls it sr71,the USAF/CIA had to change all the documents to read the new number to save POTUS and the administration embarrasment.and dont mention the leaked secret on live tv.

[jobeterob]

You never know what will interest people; I know we've got a fairly small group but I thought this would attract little attention and that it would be pro Kennedy. And pretty much all of the 7 people posting are tired of the Kennedys.

[arrr&bee]

It has been said that the kennedys are the closest thing that america has to royalty,and even though the last link to camelot died with teddy i think that interest is still there.

[tamla617]

jobeterob
i never tire of seeing kennedy documentries/films etc.it was an interesting time to look at.i think as a president he was good,in the way he got things done with rfk.cuban missile crisis,civil rights,mob control etc.have i got that right?the kennedy family is something completely different, kennedy senior's background is still interesting but not someone to like.
edward, how he got away with chappaquidick and mary jo kopechne[[guessed the spelling) was terrible but not supprising given the power of "camelot"
what's you take on LBJ?he always came accross as a sandwich short of a picnic on documenteries and films.he was only bought on board the kennedy ticket to "get texas on their side".which was still a "thorn" and the reason for that trip to dallas.he made so many errors in vietnam day after month after year hitting hanoi and ho chi min trail etc with fleets of B52's to no avail.

[marv2]

marv
lbj prog would be ace!i want to see his aids faces when he blurts out the USAF'S latest secret rs71 [[blackbird) mach 3+ recon 'plane.not only does he expose it on live tv,he gets it wrong,calls it sr71,the USAF/CIA had to change all the documents to read the new number to save POTUS and the administration embarrasment.and dont mention the leaked secret on live tv.

Tamla, it would be a most interesting program focusing on that and many other events in the life of LBJ, such as signing the 1964 Civil Rights Act. I'd love to see all of the drama surrounding the Voting Rights Act.

[tamla617]

marv
obviously being a brit i dont remember or know the voting rights act.was that when everyone got the vote?i wasnt sure if that was covered by the civil rights act,but after reading the above post i'm guessing it wasnt.
without the civil rights act there couldnt have been a voting rights act is that about right?

[stephanie]

Slap the name Kennedy on it and there is still an audience. Remember Grey Gardens with Drew Barrymore that was a hit on cable. It doesnt have to be JFK Jr or any of the brothers it could be their cousins people 60 and over watch stuff about this family.

[marv2]

marv
obviously being a brit i dont remember or know the voting rights act.was that when everyone got the vote?i wasnt sure if that was covered by the civil rights act,but after reading the above post i'm guessing it wasnt.
without the civil rights act there couldnt have been a voting rights act is that about right?

Yes you are pretty much right Tamla.

[marv2]

Slap the name Kennedy on it and there is still an audience. Remember Grey Gardens with Drew Barrymore that was a hit on cable. It doesnt have to be JFK Jr or any of the brothers it could be their cousins people 60 and over watch stuff about this family.

Stephanie, if they added some sort of new twist to their story such as "The Kennedy Curse", then maybe I would be more inclined to watch. As it stands now, we pretty know their story beginning with the fathers' bootlegging days.