"Love Story" on FX/Hulu has piqued my nostalgia for the 90s—when I'd sometimes cross paths with JFK Jr 💅; Have I mentioned I'm putting on a show next Wednesday?? (OMG, it's less than a week away!)
When I lived in NYC, I once saw JKF Jr. running down Columbus Avenue, doing a sort of "run of shame." He was in the process of putting on his shirt, flinging it over his naked upper torso (be still my beating heart) and buttoning it up as he ran. When we passed on the sidewalk, he nodded at me and kept running. Total boss move.
I feel like I grew up with JFK, Jr. even if all I ever had were random sightings around the City (and a mutual friend in common through Brown or NYU Law). Loving the series. I’ve been watching with one of my daughters, who loves the clothes—especially the casual ones, as she just started a new job. She is peppering me with all kinds of questions about those times. Watching the show is making me feel like a voyeur but also nostalgic. And it’s calling me back to how sad I was when their lives were cut so short on the heels of Diana’s death.
Yes, I felt a little like that, too. Cool about your daughter’s new job—congrats. I feel a little like a voyeur, too, and the show is not at all kind to Darryl Hannah. But I can’t pull myself away from it!
I was in NYC at the same time. According to my journals, I was depressed, anxious, and sure that my life in the city was a house of cards that could collapse at any moment. I still consider it the best time of my life pre-spouse and kids. I just wish I could have lightened up a bit.
I’m only watching Love Story because it transports me back to the 90’s. For me it makes me wistful for cheap rent, cheap food and a no internet life. And the soundtrack!!! Oh man, it made me start a new mixed tape of 90’s songs that immediately transport me!
When I was an editor at Rolling Stone circa 1994 JFK Jr was launching George and came around the office, consulting with his friend Jann Wenner. Anyway John sat in on a couple of our meetings and I had a similar impression of him as you did, he exuded low-key charisma.
I had a few encounters with some of the Kennedy family members when I went to Boston university in the 60’s and early 70’s. I even travelled to New York to rally for John F. Kennedy!
I loved the movie Ryan Murphy created, I wanted more!
When I lived in NY,I found a Carrier pigeon on my lawn and had to return it to a wildlife retriever, so I called one and I spoke to Robert Kennedy, I knew the voice immediately and he gave me directions to his home, and I returned the pigeon to his house, but a maid took it in!
Now, as an older person, I have to go get a shot in my eye for macular degeneration!!!
Love Story is totally taking me back ti ‘90s NYC (the locations! John’s so ‘90s bachelor loft!) and Strawberry — what a throwback. (Your description of party reporting is so accurate it gave me ptsd to when I did it in the 2010s.) You’ll be happy to know there are 9 eps so lots more to come!
This: "But he would lock eyes with you, and make you feel like you were somebody" is definitely a type of charisma, intentional or not. That was a big part of Bill Clinton's charm, and I had a chance to hang around Tim Curry for a weekend and he was so *interested* in me (and anyone I saw him encounter, like he found all people fascinating) that I couldn't help falling in love with him, even though I was straight. I mean, who was I to be looked at like that?
Maybe even reflexively. I read they had to pull Bill Clinton away from shaking peoples' hands, to the point that his skin would be raw from it. He just wanted to touch people.
Enjoyed this post, especially your 90s eyebrows! My wife had those as well. Ironically, thanks to syndication the endless loops of "Friends" were watched by my teen daughters in the 2010s, which helped them understand our "old" pics of their mom. :)
90s Eyebrows. Lord. I just saw a still of myself from a mini-documentary about my 90s girl band, Big Panty, and my first thought was: my eyebrows are insane! I texted the photo to one of my former bandmates (we came out the other side of the breakup and are lifelong friends thank god) to ask—why were we doing that to our eyebrows? It's especially incomprehensible because as my eyebrows are thinning on their own and it's hard to find the crazy errant hairs while wearing readers strong enough to see them—which is to say, ahhhh aging—I feel such eye-rolling love for younger me who turned them into tiny parentheses. I posted a link to the doc-in-progress which has some good East Village 90s flashback footage. Thanks for this Substack, brings me joy.
We overlapped in the city (I worked for NY Newsday) and probably know a bunch of people in common. I feel protective of JFK Junior, especially because of Caroline and Ed. I don’t want them to feel any more pain right now and the timing of this series is terrible. John was a magnetic person, with the ease that you see in aristocrats. Jack has that same quality — watching him campaign is like seeing his uncle come back to life.
In the early aughts, I fell hard for my future husband while we listened to Ludacris's Chicken and Beer on repeat. I tried twice to break off our engagement. It took until 2010, when I was belting out Adele's Rolling in the Deep on my own in my car, in tears, before I had the courage to finally end our marriage. These were the hardest times of my life. Remembering all the singing puts a smile on my face.
I'm nostalgic for the early aughts. I fell in love with my husband while we listened to Ludacris's Chicken and Beer on repeat. I tried twice to break off our engagement. It would take until 2010, belting out Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" on my own in the car to get the courage to finally end our marriage. These were the toughest times of my life. Remembering all the singing puts a smile on my face.
When I was in high school, we'd often get a sub who was a retired Secret Service agent who had been on the Kennedy children's detail, and he says he was the one who taught JFK Jr. when to salute, resulting in the famous photo. Now, this is according to him. The local paper confirmed he was an agent with them, but I don't know if the salute part can be verified, but he was a nice sub to get.
I've always been amazed at how nostalgic I can be even for times that sucked. I guess that's how we humans are made!
A friend's sister used to play frisbee regularly with these nice people in Central Park named John-John and Daryl. For a long time, she had no idea who they were. 🤣
I just started Love Story. So fun. I worked with John. I will write about it this weekend. And I will see you at your event! Some of my favorite folk on that stage. Bravo!
I was 12 when JFK was assassinated. I’m Canadian but we followed your news in the USA even then and I lived on a farm so radio was the source. I remember coming home from school and my mom crying because he had died. What a depressing day. We liked the Kennedy’s. I followed his family throughout the years and again very saddened when John died in the crash. He did seem approachable just seeing him in magazines, tv now & then. He was gorgeous so huge plus there.
When I lived in NYC, I once saw JKF Jr. running down Columbus Avenue, doing a sort of "run of shame." He was in the process of putting on his shirt, flinging it over his naked upper torso (be still my beating heart) and buttoning it up as he ran. When we passed on the sidewalk, he nodded at me and kept running. Total boss move.
Wow. I love that. Possibly the sexiest man who ever lived.
I was pretty much delirious the whole day.
<3
I feel like I grew up with JFK, Jr. even if all I ever had were random sightings around the City (and a mutual friend in common through Brown or NYU Law). Loving the series. I’ve been watching with one of my daughters, who loves the clothes—especially the casual ones, as she just started a new job. She is peppering me with all kinds of questions about those times. Watching the show is making me feel like a voyeur but also nostalgic. And it’s calling me back to how sad I was when their lives were cut so short on the heels of Diana’s death.
Yes, I felt a little like that, too. Cool about your daughter’s new job—congrats. I feel a little like a voyeur, too, and the show is not at all kind to Darryl Hannah. But I can’t pull myself away from it!
Tell me about it
I was in NYC at the same time. According to my journals, I was depressed, anxious, and sure that my life in the city was a house of cards that could collapse at any moment. I still consider it the best time of my life pre-spouse and kids. I just wish I could have lightened up a bit.
Life and golf swings are best attempted with a gentle grip. Too bad we strain at it so much as young people.
Yup. That tracks. :)
I’m only watching Love Story because it transports me back to the 90’s. For me it makes me wistful for cheap rent, cheap food and a no internet life. And the soundtrack!!! Oh man, it made me start a new mixed tape of 90’s songs that immediately transport me!
It really is a great time capsule in that way.
When I was an editor at Rolling Stone circa 1994 JFK Jr was launching George and came around the office, consulting with his friend Jann Wenner. Anyway John sat in on a couple of our meetings and I had a similar impression of him as you did, he exuded low-key charisma.
Yes, low-key charisma. And uncommon realness for someone of his stature. I covered the launch of George, and he was of course lovely there, too.
I had a few encounters with some of the Kennedy family members when I went to Boston university in the 60’s and early 70’s. I even travelled to New York to rally for John F. Kennedy!
I loved the movie Ryan Murphy created, I wanted more!
When I lived in NY,I found a Carrier pigeon on my lawn and had to return it to a wildlife retriever, so I called one and I spoke to Robert Kennedy, I knew the voice immediately and he gave me directions to his home, and I returned the pigeon to his house, but a maid took it in!
Now, as an older person, I have to go get a shot in my eye for macular degeneration!!!
Love Story is totally taking me back ti ‘90s NYC (the locations! John’s so ‘90s bachelor loft!) and Strawberry — what a throwback. (Your description of party reporting is so accurate it gave me ptsd to when I did it in the 2010s.) You’ll be happy to know there are 9 eps so lots more to come!
Oh! I thought there were only 5. I didn’t realize there were other episodes yet to be released. I’ll correct that. Glad the party reporting resonated!
This: "But he would lock eyes with you, and make you feel like you were somebody" is definitely a type of charisma, intentional or not. That was a big part of Bill Clinton's charm, and I had a chance to hang around Tim Curry for a weekend and he was so *interested* in me (and anyone I saw him encounter, like he found all people fascinating) that I couldn't help falling in love with him, even though I was straight. I mean, who was I to be looked at like that?
Yes, I think it’s something that charismatic people who want to be liked do, very intentionally!
Maybe even reflexively. I read they had to pull Bill Clinton away from shaking peoples' hands, to the point that his skin would be raw from it. He just wanted to touch people.
Enjoyed this post, especially your 90s eyebrows! My wife had those as well. Ironically, thanks to syndication the endless loops of "Friends" were watched by my teen daughters in the 2010s, which helped them understand our "old" pics of their mom. :)
Ha! I almost left the photo out, but glad now that I left it in.
90s Eyebrows. Lord. I just saw a still of myself from a mini-documentary about my 90s girl band, Big Panty, and my first thought was: my eyebrows are insane! I texted the photo to one of my former bandmates (we came out the other side of the breakup and are lifelong friends thank god) to ask—why were we doing that to our eyebrows? It's especially incomprehensible because as my eyebrows are thinning on their own and it's hard to find the crazy errant hairs while wearing readers strong enough to see them—which is to say, ahhhh aging—I feel such eye-rolling love for younger me who turned them into tiny parentheses. I posted a link to the doc-in-progress which has some good East Village 90s flashback footage. Thanks for this Substack, brings me joy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPnSlP89ktw&t=236s
Just watched. That was great! And, yes, the eyebrows!
I totally destroyed my eyebrows! The left one especially. Some of the hair never grew back. I’ll check out the video! Glad you enjoy Oldster. <3
yea. My eyebrows also remained a bit fucked. sigh.
There are many ridiculous things I did in the '90s, but every day I'm thankful I was too lazy to pluck them thin.
😂
We overlapped in the city (I worked for NY Newsday) and probably know a bunch of people in common. I feel protective of JFK Junior, especially because of Caroline and Ed. I don’t want them to feel any more pain right now and the timing of this series is terrible. John was a magnetic person, with the ease that you see in aristocrats. Jack has that same quality — watching him campaign is like seeing his uncle come back to life.
Yes, yes. The scenes in the show with Tatiana as a young girl are especially poignant right now. The whole thing is. I like “Jack Uno” a lot.
In the early aughts, I fell hard for my future husband while we listened to Ludacris's Chicken and Beer on repeat. I tried twice to break off our engagement. It took until 2010, when I was belting out Adele's Rolling in the Deep on my own in my car, in tears, before I had the courage to finally end our marriage. These were the hardest times of my life. Remembering all the singing puts a smile on my face.
I relate….
I'm nostalgic for the early aughts. I fell in love with my husband while we listened to Ludacris's Chicken and Beer on repeat. I tried twice to break off our engagement. It would take until 2010, belting out Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" on my own in the car to get the courage to finally end our marriage. These were the toughest times of my life. Remembering all the singing puts a smile on my face.
When I was in high school, we'd often get a sub who was a retired Secret Service agent who had been on the Kennedy children's detail, and he says he was the one who taught JFK Jr. when to salute, resulting in the famous photo. Now, this is according to him. The local paper confirmed he was an agent with them, but I don't know if the salute part can be verified, but he was a nice sub to get.
Awww. That salute… 😭
I've always been amazed at how nostalgic I can be even for times that sucked. I guess that's how we humans are made!
A friend's sister used to play frisbee regularly with these nice people in Central Park named John-John and Daryl. For a long time, she had no idea who they were. 🤣
Wow, imagine not knowing who they were!
She was really out of it!
I just started Love Story. So fun. I worked with John. I will write about it this weekend. And I will see you at your event! Some of my favorite folk on that stage. Bravo!
So glad you’ll be there! And how cool about working with John.
I was 12 when JFK was assassinated. I’m Canadian but we followed your news in the USA even then and I lived on a farm so radio was the source. I remember coming home from school and my mom crying because he had died. What a depressing day. We liked the Kennedy’s. I followed his family throughout the years and again very saddened when John died in the crash. He did seem approachable just seeing him in magazines, tv now & then. He was gorgeous so huge plus there.