“Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette,” created by Ryan Murphy, has officially become the most-watched FX limited series of all time on both Hulu and Disney+ platforms. 

Senior Emma Hodgon said, “In my personal opinion, I feel like the characters are reenacted very well, and the overall attention to detail is impressive. However, I do feel like the characters are reflective of the media’s diverging opinions, especially on Carolyn Bessete-Kennedy.” 

However, below the surface, this limited series has prompted a resurgence of the celebrity culture and tabloids that were common during the late 1990s and early 2000s. While a majority of the audience initially tuned in for the high-profile relationship of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, the show has prompted broader conversations about how society views and consumes the private lives of celebrities. For many viewers, rather than retelling the story, it revives the same fascination with celebrity lives that once fueled paparazzi photos, gossip magazines, and television tabloids. 

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Although some may view this a revival of early 21st century culture and as a breath of fresh air from social media, the intrusiveness into celebrities’ lives, as portrayed in the show in reality, parallels today’s digital celebrity culture. This raises the question: why has popular culture been composed of interrupting celebrities’ day-to-day lives? Why do individuals, especially youth, consume it in an intense manner? 

English teacher Jen Probst said, “The first thing I think of when I think about celebrity culture is the Beatles’ arrival in the U.S. during the 1960s. And the hysteria that was created with that, I don’t think we ever lost it again after the Beatles. It remained, and I think it grew stronger as technology grew stronger.”

Celebrity culture itself is far from new. In what is now Europe, the earliest known celebrities were politicians, performers, and athletes, many of whom were key figures of the Athenian philosopher Plato’s “Symposium.” In later centuries, medieval saints were considered celebrities, and they sought to be celebrated only after their deaths, for they believed that recognition during their lifetime could distract from spiritual devotion. This is contrary to contemporary times, where public figures often seek fame and recognition while they are still living, reflecting a significant shift in the purpose of the celebrity. This difference is made more evident when modern media attempts to recreate the lives of the famous, as in the case of “Love Story.”

Lexi Leto (‘26) said, “With deceased people, especially celebrities, there’s always the need to recognize two sides of the story. With “Love Story,” although they attempt to be representative of the lives of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, it’s hard to be true to what actually occurred.” 

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Part of the fascination surrounding celebrities can be explained through the psychological concept of parasocial relationships in which audiences develop one-sided emotional connections with public figures they have never met. Through television shows, interviews, and even social media, viewers typically begin to feel personally invested in a celebrity’s life, intruding upon various important aspects of their life. Series like “Love Story” only strengthen these connections by presenting historical figures in dramatized ways that to some encourage viewers to imagine they comprehend the individuals behind the headlines. 

However, this is not the only work of Ryan Murphy that has sparked similar conversations. His dramatizations of real events and people, such as “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” and “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” have drawn both large viewership and criticism for revisiting traumatic events through entertainment. These shows, along with “Love Story,” highlight the tension between storytelling and the ethics of turning real lives into mere television narratives. 

This leads to the second part of the question: why do young people consume celebrity culture in such an intense manner? For many teenagers, celebrities can appear relatable or aspirational at the same time. In the 1990s, teens followed celebrities through magazines, television interviews, meet-and-greets, and paparazzi photos. Today, social media provides a constant source of perfected images, thereby giving the impression that celebrities’ lives are both glamorous and accessible. 

Sophomore Harper Crosskey said, “I feel like teenagers look up to celebrities in an attempt to relate to them, which then sets difficult standards.” 

Despite their differences in technology, the behavior itself remains similar. Teenagers in both periods of time search for identity, role models, and entertainment through public figures, However, today’s celebrity culture can feel more immediate and personal because audiences consume the seemingly perfect glimpses of celebrities’ daily routines and lifestyles online. 

Probst said, “In the case of celebrities, it’s really the question of knowing where to draw the line once they’ve opened the door for everyone to see their personal business. Later on it’s difficult to then shut the door and suddenly end everything.”