TMZ Today: JFK And Naked Women, Sports (Update)

by Steve Krakauer | 9:36 am, December 28th, 2009

» 6 comments

What would have happened if TMZ was around during the Kennedy Administration? They very likely could have changed history.

Today they published an image from the 1950s of then-Senator John F. Kennedy on a boat with naked women. And watch out sports stars, this could be your future. Update: The pic could be fake.

Calling it “The JFK Photo That Could Have Changed History,” the photo appears to be a lounging Kennedy on a boat with at least four nude women. The photo is believed to have been taken in the mid-50s (Kennedy married in 1953). The high-res image can be downloaded at TMZ.com.

TMZ reports they went through a rigorous verification process:

TMZ had multiple experts examine the photo — all say there is no evidence the picture was Photoshopped. The original print — which is creased — was scanned and examined for evidence of inconsistent lighting, photo composition and other forms of manipulation. The experts all concluded the photo appears authentic.

50 years later, this photo seems to provide some level of evidence to what everyone really assumes about JFK anyway. But back in the 1960s, if a young TMZ Gazette felt no qualms about trafficking in yellow journalism, this image could have done serious damage to Kennedy’s political future.

And while TMZ focuses mainly on celebrities, but certainly politicians as well, the Harvey Levin-run site is expanding to sports (as rumored last week).

“I don’t really see a difference between a sports star and a celebrity,” Levin tells the New York Times‘ Brian Stelter.

TMZ Sports is hiring – and the Time Warner-owned site is ready to expand its sports reach already seen on the main site. Tiger Woods was just the beginning.

So if you’re a teen pop star, L.A. Lakers shooting guard or former President dead for 40 years – TMZ is watching.

> Update: The Smoking Gun is reporting, with some pretty convincing evidence, that the photo is fake, and actually came from a 1967 Playboy photo shoot. TMZ is acknowledging the possibility. What’s that about TMZ going mainstream again?

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http://www.facebook.com/people/Chuck-Varrick/1170421091 Chuck Varrick

TMZ is now the new NBC/ABC/CBS/MSNBC/CNN, all of these outlets keep us informed of these important events. Wonder how many women he diddled…what a man!
http://www.sailrabbits.com Magister

As to whether the photo would’ve changed history, we’ll never know… 1) Though the photo would’ve existed then, if it is authentic, the owner didn’t choose to bring it forward. 2) Somebody would’ve had to have published the photo and then they would’ve had to have convinced real media that it was more than an “atta-boy” moment, or that it was somehow different than the antics in a typical New York newsroom of the day.
Zakk

Not that anyone cares:
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/1228092jfkpic1.html

This entire thing is bunk.
http://www.swissarmyjew.com Keeva

It is obviously a fake. Even before I went to The Smoking Gun, it is obvious. The shadow across JFK is inconsistent with the rest of the boat. And even more telling, whoever had this photo (if it was real) would have sold it well before now.

TMZ can proudly join Fox, MSNBC and CNN in the big leagues of making it up to get ratings.
Nachi

And if you look very, very carefully – you can also spot Captain Bligh there. That old Devil!!
pyrope

I doubt whether the photo would have “changed history.” After all, we’ve got substantial proof that a Democrat will vote for anything bearing that title. Still, if I knew there was a photo like that of my father or husband, I’d probably do something very drastic…like ski into a tree, or maybe even marry a Greek. Wait, I AM a Greek! What the heck am I saying? Oh, never mind about the second part.