The JFK is Alive Rumor
Gary Buell
to hear from you.
From: S. Elizabeth Bird, *For Enquiring Minds: A Cultural Study of
Supermarket
Tabloids*, Knoxville: U. Tennessee Press, 1992, pp. 175-6, 178.
Perhaps the most striking theme is the "Kennedy-Is-Alive" story. This
legend still circulates orally and was first documented in the
folklore
literature in the late 1960s. De Caro and Oring (1969) document tales
collected from oral tradition that describe Kennedy as alive in a
"vegetable-like state" in Athens, and the marriage of Jacqueline
Kennedy
to Aristotle Onassis as a carefully arranged fake, with sources often
offering psychic Jeane Dixon as authority for the story. Rosenberg
(1976)
gives oral variants in which Kennedy is in Parkland Hospital in Dallas
or
at Camp David.
Rosenberg also discusses the circulation of the story, attributed to
Truman Capote, in the Milwaukee *Metro-News* and the *National
Informer*,
a now-defunct Chicago-based tabloid, again including an explanation
for
Jacqueline Kennedy's marriage. Baker (1976) offers a variant reported
in
the *National Tattler* in 1971--Kennedy on a Greek island owned by
Onassis. His widow is supposed to have married Onassis only so that
she
can visit the island without suspicion. The story also appeared in
1971 in
the Montreal-based tabloid *Midnight* (which later became the
*Globe*). In
this story (Oct. 18, 1971, pp. 14-15), the island is identified as
Skorpios. The elaborate story includes photographs supposedly taken by
a
British tourist, and quotes "six unshakable eyewitnesses." The
"witnesses"
reported that Kennedy was "helpless like a baby. His body was wasted
away." In addition, "The entire back of his head was a scarred mass.
It
had been operated on several times. There was a metal plate under the
skin
to protect the brain where the bone was broken away." According to a
former staff member of that publication, the story and photographs
were
fabricated and staged and were prompted by the widely known legends
circulating orally at the time (interview with Mary Perpich, Aug. 6,
1985). In another issue (Aug. 30, 1971, 10-12), *Midnight* claimed
that
the story had recently appeared in the British *Sunday Express*, the
Italian *Oggi*, and the Belgian *Zondag Nieuws*.
A 1980s version provided a best-selling cover story for the *National
Examiner* (July 26, 1983). In this variant, Kennedy is being kept
closely
guarded at a retreat in the Swiss Alps. He has regained some of his
mental
functions, and on good days he has the abilities of an
eleven-year-old.
The story is reminiscent both of urban legends and of mainstream news
accounts in its attention to detail and insistence on attribution to
reliable sources. In this case the authority is a Swedish psychic,
Sven
Petersen, "who contributes to para-psychology newsletters around the
world
and is especially respected for his experiments in communication with
the
dead." Throughout the story his expertise is stressed in such language
as:
"a reputation as one of the world's most skilled mediums," "a
considerable
reputation for accuracy and veracity." The story also quotes a Dr.
Chandra
Singh, "a political scientist at the University of Calcutta," who
maintains that these circumstances would explain the many
discrepancies in
accounts of what happened to Kennedy after the shooting. In this
version,
it is pointed out that Jacqueline Kennedy was not party to the secret,
a
point that indicates the way she has been gradually cut out of the
picture
over the years as the image of JFK himself has assumed prominence.
Most recently, the *Weekly World News* resurrected the story yet again
(Aug. 21, 1990). The paper's source is a letter purported to have been
written by a Polish neurosurgeon who has been attending Kennedy in a
secret convalescence center in Poland. After the shooting, Kennedy was
apparently spirited away to Poland to prevent a second attempt on his
life, and a wax likeness was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
"At
least 16 politicians and businessmen as well as the CIA were in on the
deception" (p. 46). In keeping with the gradual improvement in
Kennedy's
health seen in the tales over the years, JFK, although paralyzed, is
lucid, and has been advising American presidents in times of crisis.
The
paper's cover shows an artist's impression of Kennedy as he appears
today,
and the story offers final "proof" of its veracity with a quote from
Dr.
Andy Reiss, a "Los Angeles-based psychic and metaphysician," who
states:
"It may be more than a coincidence that he recently appeared to me in
a
vision, giving me the feeling that he is still here with us--and very
much
alive" (p. 46). Once again, the role of Jacqueline Kennedy in all this
does not merit a mention.
Apparently encouraged by the success of this story, the *News* returns
to
the theme a few months later with a cover proclaiming: "JFK
photographed
in secret hideout!" (Nov. 6, 1990). The paper then launches into a
retelling of the "Kennedy on Skorpios" variant, explaining that the
photographs "originally appeared in a major news magazine" (p. 2). The
news magazine in question is the 1971 issue of *Midnight* referred to
above; photographs, sources, and quotes are identical. The *News* ties
the
tale to its August version, explaining that, after his sojourn on
Skorpios, JFK was taken to Poland, and later to parts unknown. In a
final
flourish, the *News* prints a photograph of a check for $1 million,
which
it is offering to any reader who can verify the present whereabouts of
the
president.
Baker, Ronald L. 1976. "The Influence of Mass Culture on Modern
Legends."
Southern Folklore Quarterly 40:367-76.
De Caro, F.A., and E. Oring. 1969. "J.F.K. Is Alive: A Modern Legend."
Folklore Forum 2 (2):54-55.
Rosenberg, B.A. 1976. "Kennedy in Camelot: The Arthurian Legend in
America." Western Folklore 25 (1):52-59.
Ken West
JFK.
Elvis.
All spawned rumors as to their survival.
Not that any person on such a list illustrates the veracity or absurdity
of the others, but it does seem to be a common thought of many people with
respect to larger-than-life figures.
Ken West
Gary Buell wrote:
> If anyone has any info or copies of old tabloids on this I would love
> to hear from you.
>
>
> From: S. Elizabeth Bird, *For Enquiring Minds: A Cultural Study of
> Supermarket
> Tabloids*, Knoxville: U. Tennessee Press, 1992, pp. 175-6, 178.
>
> Perhaps the most striking theme is the "Kennedy-Is-Alive" story. This
> legend still circulates orally and was first documented in the
> folklore
> literature in the late 1960s. De Caro and Oring (1969) document tales
> collected from oral tradition that describe Kennedy as alive in a
> "vegetable-like state" in Athens, and the marriage of Jacqueline
> Kennedy
> to Aristotle Onassis as a carefully arranged fake, with sources often
> offering psychic Jeane Dixon as authority for the story. Rosenberg
> (1976)
> gives oral variants in which Kennedy is in Parkland Hospital in Dallas
> or
> at Camp David.
>
. . . snip ,. . .
James K. Olmstead
sitting in a wheelchair with his head bandaged in relationship to this
"rumor"......I was stationed in Germany. The guys in the next office (Air
Force Liason) were talking about it......and the conversation moved into
our office (V Corps Photo). At the time we had a Dr. using our copy
camera, he was stationed at 97th Gen Hospital, but they did not have a
copy stand or E-4 color transparancy processing.....but we did. I was
going to do the "processing" for the Col.
Staff Sgt Ed White...our NCOIC asked the good Dr. his impression of the
possibility of JFK being alive.
The Col. replied "The last time I saw him he was dead".....at that time I
had no idea who Col Finck was.
That was the first time I encountered Col. Finck........I did one more
processing job for him. He would not discuss anything in relationship to
JFK.
jko
Ken West <kenw...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3FAAD779...@hotmail.com...
James K. Olmstead
bgre...@gmail.com
interesting tabloid like story about JFK bring secreted away to a Greek
island where he soon died. Story told by an ex-Jesuit. The video was
tedious to watch due to all the different foreign accents. I transcribed
that video into a kindle book sold on amazon under the name
ā€ Jesuit Infiltration.ā €¯
Piotr Mancini
> Ken When (1971) the National Enquire printed the front page photo of JFK
> sitting in a wheelchair with his head bandaged in relationship to this
> "rumor"......I was stationed in Germany. The guys in the next office (Air
> Force Liason) were talking about it......and the conversation moved into
> our office (V Corps Photo). At the time we had a Dr. using our copy
> camera, he was stationed at 97th Gen Hospital, but they did not have a
>
Skorpios, Jackie was pushing the wheelchair.
Current rumors of something being still alive?
Intelligence, sincerity, honor, cojones, love of Freedom, patriotism
around this joint.
-Ramon
JFK Numbers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skorpios
Piotr Mancini
[Edited]
Current rumors of something being still alive?
respect for SCIENCE around this joint.
According to all available evidence, those are as dead as the subject of
our study.
Exceptions: John Deagle has a perfectly functional set of neurons, well
beyond average. Then, there is Ole' JFK Numbers aka The Trailblazer.
Saddest case: Anthony Marsh. Wants to keep with the same crap until the
day he dies, and he is not the exception but the rule.
-Ramon
JFK Numbers
"Those who are willing to give up Liberty, to purchase a little Safety,
deserve neither."
-Ben (not Wecht)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailblazer
Anthony Marsh
> On Thursday, November 6, 2003 at 9:41:16 PM UTC-6, James K. Olmstead wrote:
>> Ken When (1971) the National Enquire printed the front page photo of JFK
>> sitting in a wheelchair with his head bandaged in relationship to this
>> "rumor"......I was stationed in Germany. The guys in the next office (Air
>> Force Liason) were talking about it......and the conversation moved into
>> our office (V Corps Photo). At the time we had a Dr. using our copy
>> camera, he was stationed at 97th Gen Hospital, but they did not have a
>> copy stand or E-4 color transparency processing.....but we did. I was
>> going to do the "processing" for the Col.
>>
>
> I saw the photo in a Venezuelan tabloid ca. 1971. It was the beach in
> Skorpios, Jackie was pushing the wheelchair.
>
Enquirer wold do. It's very hard to push a wheelchair on a beach. And they
have servants for that.
> Current rumors of something being still alive?
>
> Intelligence, sincerity, honor, cojones, love of Freedom, patriotism
> around this joint.
>
> -Ramon
> JFK Numbers
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skorpios
>
That's Latin, not Spanish.