History Channel Ticking Me Off!!!

[TimM]

Me too

[Robert_Hall]

I saw the first 2 episodes of the Kennedys in London recently. Personally, I thought it rather well done and could see no real controversy in it.  Most of the reaL persons are dead now anyway. I also pre-ordered the DVD set from Amazon.

[Alixz]

From what I can tell, the Kennedy family still thinks that no one should know or does know about all of the indiscretions of the family.  As if we didn't know already about the affairs of Joe, Sr. and Bobby and JFK.  But they were worshiped as "gods" for so long, I think they began to believe their own press.


The "purchase" of the 1960 election by the Chicago Democratic Machine and the voting of the cemeteries to get JFK the majority that he needed is now very well known but the Kennedys still seem to disavow any knowledge of their own history.

I would like to see the series, but I don't know if I want it enough to buy it. 

[Carolath Habsburg]

Here in  latin america we will see "The Kennedys" in H.C next month. Im so anxious!! i wanna see it!

[Robert_Hall]

I understand your points, Alixz.  I ordered the  series because I want to see the whole thing and who knows when or if we shall see it broadcast in the USA ?
 The Kennedy's are an iconic family is American history. Mainly, I am sure because their story is so tragic. I admit to being a "fan" of sorts, despite all the dirt in the family and the nasty politics. But then, I do not think ANY American political family is without  it's own shady dealings. {remember  "Tricky Dick Nixon"?]

[Alixz]

Robert, I completely agree about American political families.

I have heard from the "younger generation" that Nixon and Clinton were the two presidents who did the most to undermine the younger people's belief in those whom we elect.  Their personal failures and especially Nixon's "tricks" showed the true human failures that we can elect.

The Kennedy family kept their secrets for a long time.  Ted messed up at Chappaquiddick, but somehow managed to live it down.  I think that the country still had not realized just what was going on and many - especially the Catholics - were so happy to have a Catholic president at last that they couldn't image JFK wasn't almost a saint.

I have always said that dying young is the best way to become an idol.  Just think if JFK had not died in Dallas, would he have been as revered as he was?

[Robert_Hall]

I do not know the answer to that, Alixz.  The JFK legacy is more myth than reality simply because he died so young in office. He really had not much of a chance to prove his worth, in my opinion. Same with Robert.
 Teddy though, served a long and honourable career in the senate.  I do admire him despite the scandals around him. Who amongst us does not have a few dark moments in our history ?
 However, back to the mini series; it is so obvious that the world knows all about the Kennedy failures, so I do not really understand why the family thinks we  do not !?
  Currently, whist I have been away, Maria Shriver is  very publicly divorcing Arnold  the "Governator" And yet another book is coming out about the debauched life of Peter Lawford and his  problems with Kennedy women. Who cares at this point ? They are a good American story, but one can only say so much before it becomes tiresome.

[TimM]

Well, I enjoyed the Kennedy's, the mini-series is a fair and honest look at this family.  Yes, they have skeletons in their closet, but a lot of families do.  They are just more famous.

Maria Shriver is  very publicly divorcing Arnold  the "Governator"

Yeah, that just blew me away when the story broke.  I thought the Republicans, which the Governator is one, was the Family Values party.

[Vive_HIH_Aleksey]

I thought Reelz (or Reels?) Channel made the Kennedys mini-series... at least, that's where it aired here in the US. Not to be nitpicky but if it's the same miniseries I'm thinking of, it's nothing to do with the History Channel... But granted I don't know that much about the making of it, only that they had a hard time finding a network that would broadcast it and finally Reels picked it up.

My mom was angry because it aired the same time as Mildred Pierce. I told her that Mildred Pierce came on at midnight, and several times the following two days, so she didn't have to miss it. She was a big supporter of JFK and RFK.

[Robert_Hall]

I think Reelz just broadcast the series. They did not make it. I saw it on BBC in London.  Tim saw it in Canada but I do not know what channel. As I understand it, it was originally conceived  for PBS but they did not buy it so it went to whoever would. It will be on HC and Biography channels all over the world as well.

[TimM]

Tim saw it in Canada but I do not know what channel

It aired on the Canadian History Channel.

[Vive_HIH_Aleksey]

Ahhhh I se what you mean Mom did say that now that I think of it. Thanks for clarifying!

[Robert_Hall]

This past week History International broadcast a 4 hour history of the Romanovs. It was  pretty shallow, but got the basics across. You cannot put 300 years into 4 hours. THEN they repeated the whole thing right after the first showing. 8 hours of Romanovs, one would have to be a fanatic to sit through all that.

[TimM]

I wonder if it will air in Canada.

[Robert_Hall]

I do not know, Tim. It is on the sister History Channel, International here.
 It starts with a rather brief lead up to the Romanovs with an accounting of the Rurikinds to Ivan the Terrible, then the rest, well, you know the stories.