United States of Kennedy – "George Magazine" (September 1, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this episode of United States of Kennedy, hosts Lyra Smith and George Civeris explore the rise and legacy of George magazine, the ambitious 1990s political and pop culture publication launched by John F. Kennedy Jr. The conversation delves deep into the magazine’s conception, how it reflected its era, JFK Jr.'s editorial vision, and how its legacy endures, especially in the context of today’s ever-blurring lines between politics and entertainment. Special guest Kate Storey (features editor at Rolling Stone and author of White House by the Sea and a seminal Esquire feature on George) joins to share expert insights.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Launch and Vision of George Magazine

• Founding of George

  • George was created by JFK Jr. and PR executive Michael Berman in 1995, aiming to fuse political reporting and pop culture in one glossy package.
    • "It was not hard politics, but definitely seemed like a Washington D.C. thing, which was weird to me because to me all media was New York based." (Megan Elizabeth, 02:17)
  • The first issue famously featured Cindy Crawford as George Washington.
    • *"The premiere issue of George looks Red Hot with supermodel Cindy Crawford on the COVID and a lot of big name advertisers inside." (ABC via Devin, 03:43)

• Editorial Distinction and Approach

  • Unlike Vanity Fair or Esquire, George made politics the central focus, but through the engaging lens of celebrity and style.
  • The magazine’s tagline, “Not politics as usual,” summed up JFK Jr.’s pitch: politics could be entertaining, accessible, and cool.

• Kennedy’s Hands-On Involvement

  • JFK Jr.’s vision drove the editorial tone; he was deeply involved in content, cover shoots, editorial meetings, and writing.
    • "He was in the office, at meetings, involved in editorial decisions. And not only that, but his interviews and editors letters were read apparently by 80 to 90% of the magazine's readers." (Noah, 05:07; Kate Storey paraphrased)
  • Despite skepticism from publishers (who advised against a politics-focused glossy), he eventually partnered with Hachette Filipacchi.

Media Landscape and Reception

• Initial Skepticism and Commercial Success

  • The industry doubted George could make money with a political focus; advertisers historically shied away from political content.
    • "There was just this belief that you couldn't make money from it." (Devin/Kate Storey, 11:06)
  • Yet, the first issue sold out and netted about half a million subscribers, vastly outpacing political titles like The New Republic.
    • "It had a lot of subscribers, about half a million…That was a really strong start." (Devin/Kate Storey, 18:34)

• Critical and Cultural Response

  • Press coverage was often dismissive, perceiving JFK Jr. as a dilettante; readers proved otherwise.
    • "It was all like, this is dumb, like he doesn't know what he's doing. Nobody's going to care about this." (Devin/Kate Storey, 18:34)
  • The magazine attracted high-profile writers (Norman Mailer, Ann Coulter, Jake Tapper, Chris Matthews) and a range of celebrities.

Editorial Content and Style

• Signature Columns and Features

  • “If I Were President,” where celebrities built fantasy platforms; Madonna once said she’d “kick out Howard Stern and welcome Roman Polanski back in.”
    • "You quote Madonna as saying if she were president, she would kick out Howard Stern from the country and welcome Roman Polanski back in..." (Noah, 20:39)
  • Persistent effort towards bipartisan content, inviting conservative voices like Ann Coulter and Kellyanne Conway.

• Tone and Limitations

  • The overall editorial tone leaned pop culture-centric (sometimes “middlebrow”), prioritizing personalities over deep policy analysis.
    • "Our readers care about the personalities." (Devin/Kate Storey, 29:55)
  • The magazine was criticized for covering politics in a non-political or overly light, bipartisan way.

• Iconic Covers and Photo Shoots

  • Most lasting contributions were the provocative covers:
    • Cindy Crawford as George Washington (First Issue)
    • Drew Barrymore as Marilyn Monroe (referencing Kennedy family lore)
  • Behind the scenes: Cindy’s cover included a prosthetic bulge that JFK Jr. insisted be airbrushed out. Originally, Madonna nearly posed as Jackie Kennedy.

• Kennedy Coverage (or Lack Thereof)

  • Seldom focused on Kennedy family affairs; when major family scandals arose, JFK Jr. addressed them in veiled, editorial letters.
    • "His mom, Jackie, really took him and his sister out of the spotlight...But then after he graduated and went to Brown, there was like this new kind of rush of attention on him." (Devin/Kate Storey, 09:12)

Challenges and Decline

• Market Forces and Editorial Tensions

  • Despite a strong launch, the late 1990s saw declining subscriptions, changing publisher relations, and tension between JFK Jr. and business partner David Pecker.
  • There was pressure for JFK Jr. to become the face of George through partnerships (e.g., prospective MTV show), which he resisted.

• Missed News Moments

  • The magazine failed to fully capitalize on major stories like the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, often taking a light or tangential approach.
    • "They covered it in a way that was clearly like we covered it, you know, we kind of checked the box..." (Devin/Kate Storey, 35:31)

• JFK Jr.'s Death and Aftermath

  • After JFK Jr.’s fatal plane crash in 1999, Hachette bought out the Kennedy family’s stake, installed a new editor-in-chief (Frank Lalli), and staff and editorial direction shifted.
  • First cover post-JFK Jr.: Donald Trump (pre-Apprentice era), seen as off-brand; magazine folded quickly thereafter.
    • "The first person he put on the COVID was Donald Trump, which...people who knew John said he just never would have done that." (Devin, 37:17)
    • "If you look back at the coverage, it's definitely not making fun of him. It's more celebratory than the other side...trying to present this bipartisan picture of, like, here's this New York personality, and can you imagine if he wants to be president one day?" (Devin/Kate Storey, 39:05)

The Kennedy Name, Media, and Legacy

• Pop Culture, Politics, and the Dynastic Burden

  • George magazine anticipated the intertwining of politics and celebrity (think: Obamas + Netflix, Trump era).
    • "John was right about his instincts – that politics and pop culture would continue to kind of merge." (Devin/Kate Storey, 42:24)
  • Modern equivalents were discussed (Pod Save America, social media platforms).
  • The Kennedy legacy endures—Jack Schlossberg, JFK Jr.’s nephew, is seen as inheriting that “cheeky, trickster” public persona, now reinvented through social media rather than print.

• Media Trends and the Fate of Magazines

  • Kate Storey shares that “magazine storytelling” endures as a valuable format, even if physical magazines fade, with content often living on as documentaries, films, or digital narratives.
    • "My hope is that kind of storytelling will exist with these incredible legacy brands in some capacity...if these stories are existing in various other ways than a hard copy of the magazine, that's okay." (Devin/Kate Storey, 46:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Cindy Crawford’s George Washington Cover:
  "To get her to book her. John called her directly and she told me, like, how do you say no to that?" (Devin/Kate Storey, 25:28)

• On George’s Bipartisanship:
  "Some of the criticism...was that it was a politics magazine that wasn't particularly political. They were really trying to be bipartisan, which I think...is such a product of the 90s in that period of idealism." (Devin/Kate Storey, 23:59)

• On the Kennedy Legacy:
  "The ones who want to engage with politics or engage with the national conversation...kind of echoes what John was doing with George." (Devin/Kate Storey, 44:10)

• On Magazine Evolution:
  "The best way to exist in magazines today is to be very grateful that I’m in magazines while they still exist, but to also be sort of flexible in terms of what that will be in the next 10 or 20 years." (Devin/Kate Storey, 46:11)

• Jack Schlossberg’s Humor (echoing JFK Jr.):
  "He had one tweet where he asked, who does everyone think is hotter? Usha Vance or Jackie Kennedy? Which is of course his grandmother." (Noah, 44:10)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:17] Megan remembers George’s launch and personal impact
• [03:43] ABC on the iconic Cindy Crawford cover
• [05:07] JFK Jr.’s hands-on editorial work
• [09:12] Kate Storey on JFK Jr.’s media presence and transition to publisher
• [11:06] Skepticism from the magazine industry
• [18:34] Initial sales and skepticism
• [20:39] Notable features, e.g., Madonna’s provocative answer
• [23:59] Bipartisan editorial stance critique
• [25:28] The story behind Cindy Crawford as George Washington
• [35:31] Clinton-Lewinsky scandal coverage missed opportunity
• [37:17] Aftermath of JFK Jr.'s death; Trump covers
• [42:24] George Magazine’s legacy in today’s media
• [44:10] Jack Schlossberg as new generation's Kennedy media presence
• [46:11] Future of magazines and narrative journalism

Episode Takeaways

• George magazine was an audacious and influential, if short-lived, experiment in fusing celebrity, politics, and glossy media.
• While George was sometimes dismissed as superficial, it captured a "bipartisan," personality-centric style that prefigured the 21st-century media climate.
• Its DNA can be traced to today’s political podcasts, influencer-driven content, and the omnipresence of political celebrities.
• The Kennedy legacy continues to grapple with media and fame with each generation, changing formats but echoing many of the same themes.

For Next Week

• Teaser: The next episode will cover Carole Radziwill, the former Real Housewife of New York who was married to JFK Jr.’s cousin Anthony Radziwill ([47:10]).

This summary covers all major content sections and skips intro/outro and advertisements per instructions. For anyone new to the podcast or the story of George magazine, this episode offers a nuanced look at the intersections of American celebrity, media, and dynastic politics.