In a recent episode of *The Real Housewives of New York City* (RHONY), Carole Radziwill shared her thoughts on the much-discussed documentary, *Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette*, revealing that she has only watched a mere four minutes of it. The episode aired on September 15 as part of the show’s sixteenth season, coinciding with the cultural phenomenon that the documentary has become.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Carole-Radziwill-Carolyn-Bessette-091526-0b4f9b5a27b3449e923ca534bc5e83fb.jpg)
Radziwill, who has a close connection to the late couple through her late husband Anthony Radziwill, a cousin of Kennedy Jr., found herself at the centre of discussion among the housewives. Daisy Toye and Jessel Taank, newcomers to the franchise and fans of the documentary, eagerly questioned Radziwill about her memories of Carolyn Bessette, who was married to Kennedy Jr. They were particularly curious about Bessette’s personality, with Toye expressing a strong desire to learn more about her.
When asked directly if Bessette had a notoriously difficult side, Taank quickly rephrased her question to focus on Bessette’s fun-loving qualities, prompting Radziwill to respond affirmatively. “Yeah, she was very fun. She’s a girl’s girl,” Radziwill noted, further illustrating the close relationship she shared with Bessette. However, her declaration that she had not watched the widely debated show took the group by surprise.
Admitting her discomfort with it, Radziwill explained, “I watched about four minutes of it the other night with my best friend, and it’s too much.” This candid admission brought her the sympathy of some viewers but also stirred up surprise among the other housewives. Taank, in particular, showed intrigue when she pressed about a fashion trend dubbed “Carolyn Bessette Summer”, inspired by Bessette’s distinctive style showcased in the documentary. Radziwill’s response was blunt: “I don’t love that.”
The conversation took another turn when Taank brought up the often-discussed notion of the “Kennedy curse,” a term referring to the series of tragic events that have plagued the Kennedy family over the years. Radziwill seemed to agree with the sentiment until fellow cast member Erika Hammond interrupted, suggesting that the topic had become too heavy to navigate. In her confessional, Radziwill voiced her frustration regarding the conversation’s direction, stating, “It doesn’t register to her that the tragic death of my cousins and best friend might be very upsetting to me? I want to strangle her.”
As tensions unfolded, fellow RHONY cast member Hailey Glassman observed Radziwill’s mounting agitation. Glassman commented, “I can tell Carole’s getting agitated and uncomfortable, but I’m staying out of it,” indicating the sensitive nature of the discussion surrounding her late friends.
Radziwill’s bond with Bessette, coupled with her status as family through marriage, gives her unique insights that set her apart from the show’s narrative. Notably, she has previously expressed her perspective on the documentary in an essay shared on Substack. In it, she remarked on how, despite knowing the eventual tragic end of the story, it continues to be retold with embellishments and inaccuracies. “Reinvented. Embroidered. Filled with details no one could possibly know,” she wrote, critiquing the portrayal of events meant to resonate with the public but often distanced from the truth.
These feelings reflect a broader sentiment regarding the retelling of deeply personal and heartbreaking stories, particularly those involving loss. Radziwill, a former journalist, noted that she is no longer fazed by how these stories are conveyed, even though she refuses to view the series for herself.
Fans of RHONY can catch new episodes airing every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo, with episodes available for streaming the following day on Peacock. The revelations shared by Radziwill during this episode serve as an ongoing reminder of the emotional complexities surrounding public narratives, familial connections, and the personal impacts of loss in the limelight.