In the pre-internet age, magazines were the final word for news and gossip.
Some things were sensibly stated for news purposes and presented in a sober, dignified way. Other times, newsmakers and celebrities were ripe fodder for sensationalized headlines, conjecture and escapist entertainment. The 1960s was probably the decade when the latter was at its glossiest (and most lurid) peak. We, as a country, were reeling from the murder of a president, his brother and the escalation of a war that few were clear about our involvement in. It makes sense that many Americans would become obsessed with screen stars, high-profile widows and all of the torrid glamour they represented. Are things really different today across our many media outlets? I don't think so.
