'Love Story' has given fans an insight into the lives of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. It has also raised questions about certain incidents in their lives, including the brawl with Michael Berman.
Love Story follows the troubled marriage of John F Kennedy Jr. to Carolyn Bessette. However, it's not the only aspect the show is focused on. It also dives into the former's efforts to launch 'George', an idea inspired by the 1992 episode of The Arsenio Hall Show that combines politics and pop culture. Three years later, JFK Jr.'s idea came to life, with the help of his friend, Michael Berman.
Nonetheless, on the show, the relationship between 'JFK Jr.' (Paul Anthony Kelly) and 'Michael Berman' (Michael Nathanson) is fractious, plagued by disagreements. The simmering tensions between the pair boiled over in episode 7, resulting in a bitter fight and 'Michael's' exit from the magazine. However, the question now is: did the brawl really happen, and was it really the reason Michael quit?
Several publications, including Time and Esquire, reported a "physical altercation" between JFK Jr. and Michael Berman behind the scenes of George. The Esquire at the time reported that the January 1997 fight between the two left Michael's shirt sleeve torn, and led to JFK Jr. changing the locks on his office door. The incident was further elaborated in Steven M. Gillon's 2019 biography, America's Reluctant Prince: The Life of John F. Kennedy Jr. It noted that the fight took place after Michael allegedly tried to use a letter opener to pick the lock on JFK Jr.'s office. The quote from the book could be read as:
"Of all the fierce arguments that Michael and John had had in the past, this one was by far the loudest and most intense. To those who witnessed the scene, Berman appeared out of control. John managed to get his lock changed with a simple phone call; his co-founder was told he needed to submit a work order."
According to reports, the tension between the two stemmed from JFK Jr.'s status, which gave him preferential treatment that Michael never received. However, the inequality sensed by the latter was not the only source of clash between them. The duo also disagreed on where they wanted to take the magazine. Steven M. Gillen's book cites that the actual reason for the brawl was the idea of a George TV Show. While Hatchette wanted to use JFK's fame to grow the magazine, the latter was not as enthusiastic about the same.
JFK Jr. was eventually offered to play a small role in the show. Michael talked about it to Steven and said, "He would say hello and goodbye. He had full approval of everything he would say. His name would not appear in the title. He would not be asked to promote it." However, somewhere along the way, the wires got crossed, and JFK Jr. believed he would be the host. According to Gillon, this led him to storm into Michael's office, and a physical struggle ensued over the files related to the show. "We are not doing any of this," JFK Jr. is reported to have said. "I'll be the editor, and you can be the publisher. That's the way it's going to be."
However, things escalated when Michael brought up JFK Jr.'s "problems at home," pointing at his relationship to his wife, Carolyn. JFK Jr. claimed that Michael was jealous that the staff liked Carolyn more than him. To which Michael allegedly retorted, "Her behaviour is deplorable!" According to Steven, this remark led JFK Jr. to leave Michael's office and the latter to follow him. In 2003, a source told Vanity Fair that Carolyn's 'meddling' was the reason behind Michael and JFK's eventual falling out. They were quoted as saying:
"She thought Michael wasn’t on the up-and-up, and that he had a vested interest in her husband. She poisoned John’s relationship with Michael. I heard her tell John, 'I don’t believe Michael’s your real friend. The only reason he’s close to you is that you’re John F. Kennedy Jr.'"
According to Steven, the fight ended Michael and JFK Jr.'s friendship for good and led him to exit George. Despite the latter's apology with a new shirt, Michael departed to work at another division of Hatchette. Publisher, Elinore Carmody-Gibbons told Steven, "You cannot underestimate the impact of Michael leaving." Jean-Louis Ginibre, an editorial director for Hatchette, added, "When Berman left, something was lost in the mix." Not only were the ad sales impacted by the ordeal, but JFK Jr.'s demise in the 1999 plane crash acted as the final nail in its coffin. Its last issue was published in January 2001.
After years of silence, Michael Berman opened up about his exit from George and his fallout with JFK Jr. He spoke to Steven two decades later and admitted he regretted what happened, and they both knew better. He revealed that JFK Jr. reached out to him several times, but he was too angry to respond. Michael, who later became an investor and president of a private equity firm, looks back fondly on his former partner. He was quoted as saying:
"John started out as a good partner. He intuitively understood the intersection of politics and pop culture better than anyone I have ever known. He worked hard and challenged the status quo. He provided tremendous value well beyond his name. George foresaw what now constitutes an inherent aspect of 21st-century American culture. It's sad he's not here to see it, but even though the magazine did not survive, the original premise ultimately came true. For John, that is a powerful legacy. Having allowed that to be our final interaction haunts me to this day."
What are your thoughts on Michael Berman's fight with JFK Jr.? Let us know.
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