What New Documentary Reveals About John F. Kennedy Jr.
— -- John F. Kennedy Jr., heir to a political dynasty, had an “eclectic” group of friends and loved a good prank, a new documentary airing tonight reveals.
“From Ann Coulter, Mike Tyson, Cindy Crawford, Robert De Niro, it’s a group that you wouldn’t expect to be associated with him,” RoseMarie Terenzio said today on “Good Morning America.” “He just had an amazing way of relating to so many people in so many different ways.”
Terenzio was Kennedy close friend and his personal assistant. She is also the executive producer of “I Am JFK Jr.,” the Spike TV documentary about the son of former President John Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
The film shows a more personal side of Kennedy, who died in 1999 at age 38 in a plane crash that also killed his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and his sister-in-law Lauren Bessette.
“We lost him at 38 years old and I think if he knew that, he’d want to be remembered, and it’s important for young people to remember his place in history,” Terenzio said. “I think the lesson you get from this from John is that it’s more important to be good than it is to be great.”
Terenzio worked for Kennedy while he launched George magazine in 1995. The magazine focused on the intersection of politics and society and famously launched with Cindy Crawford’s posing as George Washington on its cover.
Kennedy was a practical joker in the office, according to Terenzio, who got the biggest kick out of answering the main phone at George and telling callers that “John” was not available.
Terenzio also revealed that while the magazine was named after George Washington, it was another George, “Good Morning America” co-anchor George Stephanopoulos, who provided the “kernel for the idea” that became the magazine
“At that time, in the political, pop culture realm, George was the guy,” she said of Stephanopoulos, who was then working in the Clinton White House. “He was right there with the president and he was so young and we were all so jealous.
“[John] saw that piece of politics and pop culture merging right at that moment.”
