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Monday, January 10, 2011

History Channel Won't Air Kennedy Series

The Hollywood Reporter and other sources are relating the role of members of the Kennedy clan in squelching the History Channel's miniseries, The Kennedy's. On January 7th, AETV networks announced the long-awaited and not inexpensive 8 part show was not appropriate for the network. The official statement from AETV was, "after viewing the final product in its totality, we have concluded this dramatic interpretation is not a fit for the History brand."

As opposed to Ice Road Truckers, Pawn Stars, Ax Men, MonsterQuest, Top Gear, and American Pickers.

The series stars Greg Kinnear as JFK and Katie Holmes as Jackie Kennedy, and was helmed by 24 co-creator Joel Surnow.

But why was it killed at History? The program's script was vetted for accuracy by History Channel's folks, but Kennedy apologists leapt upon the association of "conservative" Surnow with the project. Why, it almost sounds like a conspiracy...

None of History's advertisers or sponsors complained about the miniseries. But behind the scenes, members of the Kennedy family strongly lobbied AETN to kill the project since it was announced in December 2009, according to a source close to the situation. In recent weeks, those efforts intensified.

AETN is owned by a consortium including the Walt Disney Co., NBC Universal and Hearst. The source said that Disney/ABC Television Group topper Anne Sweeney, who serves on the AETN board and is said to hold tremendous sway over its decisions, was personally lobbied by Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy. Caroline Kennedy has a book deal with Disney's Hyperion publishing division, which announced in April 2010 that it will publish a collection of previously unreleased interviews with the late Jackie Kennedy timed to the 50th anniversary of the first year of JFK's presidency this fall.

Caroline has agreed to edit the untitled book, write an introduction and to help promote it, including making an appearance on Disney/ABC's Good Morning America, among other outlets.As part of the promotion for the book, Caroline is expected to reveal some of the 6.5 hours of previously unheard audiotapes of the former First Lady that form the basis of the book.

But that level of cooperation might have been unlikely if History had gone ahead with the Kennedys project, which was championed by AETN president and CEO Abbe Raven and History and Lifetime president and general manager Nancy Dubuc.

Kennedy scion Maria Shriver also has close ties to NBC Universal, where she worked for years as an employee in its news division. She is said to have voiced her displeasure with the project to outgoing NBCU execs Jeff Zucker and Jeff Gaspin. Gaspin serves on the AETN board, as does Scott Sassa for Hearst.

Shriver also is a friend of Sweeney, who serves on the board of the Special Olympics, founded by Shriver's mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Sweeney and Shriver both attend the same church in the Los Angeles area, and a source said Shriver criticized the Kennedysproject to Sweeney after a leaked early script was attacked in the New York Timesas "vindictive" and "malicious" by a former JFK aide (though the final shooting script is said to have been vetted for accuracy by History's in-house historians).
A rep for Sweeney referred THR to the AETN statement. AETN declined to comment further.


According to the UK Telegraph:

Among the most controversial parts of the film were scenes depicting JFK as a "sex fiend" and telling his brother of his need to sleep with women other than his wife.


The hope is that Showtime will pick up the show. In the meantime, it will air in Canada. See the trailer here.

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