Who is Michael J. Berman, who founded the magazine George with John F. Kennedy Jr?
Berman – played by Michael Nathanson in Ryan Murphy’s Love Story – never reconciled with the Kennedy scion after a serious falling out in 1997
The pair, who met as undergraduates at Brown University, co-founded the magazine in 1995. Two years later, Berman would sell his stake in the magazine and quit, following disagreements and even a reported physical altercation with JFK Jr. The magazine folded in 2001.
Here’s what to know about Berman, played by Michael Nathanson in Love Story.
He sold his PR firm to start George
Michael J. Berman owned the Manhattan-based PR firm PR/NY, which he sold in order to focus his full attention on George. He and John F. Kennedy Jr held equal shares in the venture, with JFK Jr serving as the magazine’s editor-in-chief and Berman as executive publisher, per People.
Berman and JFK Jr’s relationship deteriorated, both due to financial pressure and editorial differences, reports People. The pair also reportedly struggled with power dynamics, as JFK Jr’s famous surname earned him preferential treatment Berman didn’t enjoy.
In Love Story, Berman encourages JFK Jr to publish his highly coveted wedding photos in George. However, this has been disputed by JFK Jr’s former assistant, RoseMarie Terenzio, author of the 2024 book JFK Jr: An Intimate Oral Biography, which she co-wrote with People editor-at-large Liz McNeil.
In the book, it is also alleged that Berman did not appreciate Bessette making creative decisions for the magazine.