Before his untimely death, John F. Kennedy, Jr. embarked on many ventures that weren’t always typical for a president’s son, like being crowned People’s Sexiest Man Alive, working as an assistant district attorney, and launching a political pop culture magazine without having any ambition to enter politics (at least that we know of).
However, perhaps his most surprising move was his brief foray into television. JFK Jr. guest-starred on the classic ’90s sitcom Murphy Brown, which focused on the inner workings of a news magazine and starred Candice Bergen as the title character. The show won an impressive 18 Emmys during its 10-season run, and spawned a revival in 2018, two decades after it concluded.
Of course, the lore is addressed on FX’s Ryan Murphy-produced series Love Story: John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. On the March 12 episode, JFK Jr. (Paul Anthony Kelly) tells his wife Carolyn (Sarah Pidgeon) that he’s expecting a script to be sent over, and she fittingly teases, “What if they make you a series regular? How will you choose between Hollywood stardom and George?”
While it’s unknown how Bessette felt about her husband’s television debut in real life, he followed through on the cameo. It did not lead to an acting career, remaining his only TV credit before his death, but it still went down as one of the show’s most unexpected and memorable moments. But why exactly did he do it?
Why Did JFK Jr. Appear On Murphy Brown?
JFK Jr. appeared on the Season 8 premiere in September 1995, which aired just eight days before the launch of George magazine. Therefore, he decided to make the cameo as a way of promoting his publication. “I hope the show will introduce George to an audience of potential readers who clearly enjoy politically related entertainment,” he told The Tampa Bay Times at the time.
Kennedy played a slightly exaggerated and comedic version of himself, who pretends to be Murphy Brown’s new assistant. “John, hi! Oh, I guess the lawyer thing didn’t work out,” Bergen’s character joked, nodding to him failing the bar exam twice. “That’s a tough break.” He eventually revealed that he came by the office to drop off a wedding gift, not realizing her wedding had been called off.
That gift? A custom copy of George. “I had the guys in the art department mock up a cover with you on it,” he told her. “It’s pretty great, huh?” When she was unimpressed, JFK Jr. also threw in a free year-long subscription before storming off the premises. “Okay, fine, if that’s your attitude,” he retorted, “but don’t come crying to me when you have to pay full newsstand price!”
Bergen recalled JFK Jr.’s brief but impactful legacy on Murphy Brown during a 2018 interview with People, saying he left quite an impression on the show’s cast and crew. “He was a god,” she said. “Every woman on the Warner lot was on our soundstage.”
