San Francisco Chronicle writer Martin Rubin reviewed Cari Beauchamp's new Kennedy bio, Joseph P. Kennedy Presents: His Hollywood Years, which name-drops Dietrich for her "White House romp" with JFK. I remember reading about this bizarre love triangle in Maria Riva's bio, but I never realized these shenanigans had taken place in the presidential residence. I suppose Jackie O. was too busy thumbing through color swatches for the Red Room to notice.
While I look forward to reading this book, I wonder whether Beauchamp gave us all she had to offer in her sneak-peek Vanity Fair article. A tour of the West Sitting Hall and 3-6 minutes of awkward lust in an unnamed bedroom. I suspect it was the Queen's Bedroom, which presidents have used to "reward" friends and allies. At least Dietrich had the panty perfume to show (smell?) for it.
Maria back peddled on this story on Larry King Live.
ReplyDeleteUmaneo, I haven't seen that interview in a long time. What did Maria say? It's odd she would back-track, as this Vanity Fair article seems to use Maria's testimony as a source.
ReplyDeleteShe implied that Marlene 'loved' drama and the incident may or may not have been true. I thought it was strange since she presented it as fact in her book but when questioned it was 'oh that might not have been true'.
ReplyDeleteBy the way I just love your blog!
Never happened. Marlene was invited to the White House in 1963 for a standard celebrity visit (lunch or dinner then they are sent on their way home), later that year Greta Garbo visited the White House as well.
ReplyDelete