Suzie Kennedy: Living With Marilyn Monroe

In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend Michelle Morgan — the world’s most prolifically published Marilyn Monroe biographer — to have one of the most personal conversations I’ve ever shared publicly.Both Michelle and I have spent much of our lives connected to the legacy and image of Marilyn Monroe. For me, as one of the world’s most recognised Marilyn tribute artists — and for Michelle, through her writing, research, and dedication to telling Marilyn’s story with dignity and depth.But behind all of the work and the spotlight, we both walked a very real and life-changing journey with cancer.Together, we talk about what it was like to navigate illness while holding identities that were shaped around beauty, femininity, and being seen. We explore how cancer changed how we felt about our womanhood, our bodies, our work, and our sense of self. There were moments of fear, grief, re-shaping, and learning to meet ourselves with gentleness again.We also talk about the unexpected gifts — the gratitude for the small joys, the slowing down, the rediscovery of what actually matters. The cup of tea in the morning. A walk in the fresh air. The kindness of people who show up. The softness we learn to give ourselves.This conversation is not just about what we survived. It is about who we became. How we healed our minds, our bodies, and our spirits — piece by piece — in our own time.Life is never the same after an experience like this. But there is beauty in the life that comes after.I hope that by sharing our stories, anyone going through their own chapter of change, loss, or rebuilding will feel less alone — and more held, more seen, and more understood.

I am joined by Marilyn Monroe's most published author, Marilyn Monroe, to celebrate the news that Marilyn Monroe's home has been saved from demolition thanks to the fans and the fantastic Los Angeles Councilwoman Traci Parks.  It is early days, but this is excellent news for protecting the legacy of many of the icons and historical places in Hollywood and the legacy of Marilyn Monroe. We look at the process of how the permit was signed and the story of the last 72 hours.We celebrate the great work of the fans and Councilwoman Traci Parks and the way she paid tribute to Marilyn Monroe. 

Are they really demolishing the home where Marilyn Monroe died?In this episode, I have guests Michelle Morgan, the world's most published biographer of Marilyn Monroe and Kelly Lacroix, owner of the Instagram photo archive account of Marilyn Monroe @Silver_technicolor and historian on the relationship between Marilyn Monroe and Joe Dimaggio. We discuss the breaking news of the possible demolition of the last home of Marilyn Monroe and the home where she passed away. This is a developing story, and this episode was recorded on the 6th of september 2023 when the story had just broken. 

In this episode I am joined by the world's most published Marilyn Monroe author and Marilyn historian Michelle Morgan. We separate where Netflix 'Blonde' blurred fact and fiction.

After watching the Netflix movie 'Blonde' , I give my thoughts on it prior to its main release on  on Netflix on the 28th Septemember 2022 

 An exclusive interview with Scott Fortner from The Marilyn Monroe Collection who first broke the story about Kim Kardashian wearing Marilyn’s dress. The Marilyn Monroe collection is a collection of authentic personal and professional clothing and artefacts from Marilyn Monroe’s life. This is the  first in person interview Scott Fortner  has given to express his views on Kim Kardashian wearing the historical Marilyn Monroe Happy Birthday dress.  We also talk about how he protects  his archive of Marilyn Monroe's personal clothing. I ask him if he would  allow a celebrity to wear any part of his collection? A fun moment was when I asked a  personal question about one of the  items he owns , Marilyn Monroes’ address book from 1962 and I get a shock with his answer . I felt like @piersmorgan with a scoop ! What a star Scott Fortner is. A fun, kind caring person and a professional . His collection is exhibited internationally with care and respect. He is also a leading expert in authenticating Marilyn Monroe owned items and is called upon by Julien's Auction House to authenticate Marilyn items that come up for sale.  Keep up to date by following @marilynmonroecollection on instagram.  Listen to the full interview at Suzie Kennedy: Living with marilyn , the podcast. Available on Spotify, Apple and wherever you get your podcasts. 

What a great episode to come back with. We discuss the biggest news stories right concerning Marilyn Monroe in the news right now . The biggest being the Marilyn Monroe Happy Birthday dress wearing by Kim Kardashian. We also talk about the Netflix series The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe :The unheard Tapes of which my special guest April Chambers has had access and listened to . April Chambers is the owner of ClassicBlondes. com and has studied Marilyn Monroe for over 16 years and consulted various archives to find out the truth about Marilyn's life. She has written extensively on her site about Marilyn, culminating in a 2016 book, Marilyn Monroe: A Day in the Life. 

In this episode I review the book 'When Marilyn Met The Queen' . I review what I thought about the book after having read both the hardback and listened to the audio version.  I am joined by the author of the book Michelle Morgan. We discuss some of the previously unknown characters in Marilyn's . We also discuss the new revelations about Marilyn's time in the UK.

In this special episode I speak to Amy Greene and Joshua Greene . Amy was married to Milton Greene , Marilyn Monroes' business partner in Marilyn Monroe Productions. Marilyn lived with the Greenes at the height of her fame between 1954-1957 It was Amy's  92nd birthday when we spoke.

In this episode I talk to Michelle Morgan , the world's most published author of Marilyn Monroe biographies.She talks about the rejection faced in the earlier years of her career and  how  being told 'no' to  her dream book in 1991  lead to even a better version of her dream book being commissioned thirty years later., An inspiration episode about writing a fan booklet  lead to being one of the most published biographers  of Marilyn in the world. Follow Michelle at @mmwritergirl Follow Suzie @suziekennedyThe book , 'When Marilyn met the Queen' will be available from March 2022 ,  both in hardback  and audio form.  

In this episode I am joined by Lorenzo and Emma Costello from SE1 Medical Aesthetics. We discuss how plastic surgery is now more widely available to not just Hollywood stars but to members of the public.We discuss the rise of the instant fix and the ethics behind delivering medical procedures.Marilyn her self had a chin implant after, allegedly,  hearing someone call her "chinless". We also talk about how Marilyn wanted to grow old without the need of surgery,I also discuss the surgery I have and not have undergone .Follow @se1.medical.aesthetics 

In this episode I talk to Scott Fortner about what its like for us to visit places where Marilyn has been and lived. We talk about being inside her last home, her hotels, her seven year itch house. The impact it has had  on us to visit these places and which ones haven't changed much from when Marilyn lived there. 

In this episode I talk to Besame cosmetics founder Gabriela Hernandez about her new Marilyn Monroe Estate endorsed  Marilyn Monroe collection of Makeup which replicates Marilyns personal makeup down to the cases. We discuss Marilyn's make up tips , how and why she chose the colours she did . Also hear about the history of make up products of the vintage era. Including whi knew that the USA Goverment gave their army girls free lipstick ?

In this episode we put DiMaggio against Miller to see who really was the ideal husband ? Was DiMaggio's enduring love enough? Was Millers infatuation real love or a just a case study  for a play ?I am joined again by my amazing friends Kelly and Allison as we look at one of the most divisive questions in the Marilyn community Follow their accounts at @silver/technicolour and @perfectlymarilynmonroe and at @suziekennedy for more information on Marilyn 

In this episode we discuss the Forever Marilyn statue  returning to Palm Springs that is facing backlash of calls that it its misogynistic and should not be celebrated or seen. I am joined by Allison Relyea from Perfectly Marilyn to look at both sides of this argument. 

I talk to Instagram  Marilyn influencers  Allison Relyea from Perfectly Marilyn Monroe , and Kelly from silver/technicolour about how we talk about the issues surrounding Marilyn Monroe and mental health 

In this episode I talk to Beth Burrows  about her show "Sirens Of The Silver Screen".We talk about the  stories of Old Hollywood , and some of the untold stores  of icons Marilyn, Audrey and Judy. We talk about what made them tick and what they really felt in the system they were raised or found themselves in .  The show "Sirens of the silver screen" is on  live stream from 19th-25th April 2021 via Stream theatre at 7.30pm GMT Tickets are £10 visit her website at www.bethburrows.com ,her instagram at @Beth_Burrows or FB Beth Burrows Performer for more information 

In this episode I talk to Scott Fortner from the Marilyn Monroe Collection and Kelly from the  instagram account Silver/Technicolour about how Marilyn Monroes image has been altered in the digital age of filters and photoshop. We also discuss the confusion with lookalike images or deep fake images that are available at the push of a button 

I talk to  author David Marshall, about his book Life Amongst The Cannibals , which is a fictional biography of Marilyn Monroe's life from 1962 onwards if she hadn't died that night in August 1962.What would Marilyn's life had possibly been like ? 

In this episode I talk to Burlesque artist Isabella Bliss about Dixie Evans, the Marilyn Monroe of Burlesque. Dixie was born the same year as Marilyn, and was nicknamed the Marilyn Monroe of burlesque due to her resemblance to the star at the time.  Isabella also talks about her life as a burlesque dancer and being a Marilyn Monroe lookalike and how  her tribute to Marilyn Monroe is incorporated into her act at London's Cabaret club

In this episode I talk to legendary performance artist Jimmy James about their life  impersonating  Marilyn Monroe . Meeting Marilyn's husband and co-star Jane Russell .Their amazing resemblance to Marilyn has even gone as far as mistakenly appearing on a national stamp . They take about their life and experiences  from a texas to LA 

Marilyn Monroe was much more than the decorative blonde. She was self taught and self made. Educated on Oscar Wilde , Shakespeare, and poetry She shook Hollywood when she walked out  to start her own  film company I talk to  Michelle Morgan, author of The Girl, The birth of an unlikely feminist about Marilyns trailblazing life and unlikely feminism

I talk to the daughters of Marilyn Monroe photographer and friend Sam Shaw , Meta and Edie shaw . They talk about their day at the MET museum with Marilyn and their father . What was Marilyn really like ? They even had a sweet sixteen dance with with Duke Ellington ? Internet links to Sam Shaw Archives Instagram handle: @samshawphotoInstagram link: https://www.instagram.com/samshawphoto/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamShawPhoto Website: http://shawfamilyarchives.com/

I talk to Jasmine Chiswell about her Tik Tok videos that went viral . Her love of vintage clothing , Marilyn, movies and what its like to live in a house Marilyn Monroe lived in 

I talk to a legend in the Marilyn Monroe community Greg Schreiner. The founder of Marilyn Remembered  , to his huge collection of Marilyn Monroe owned items, clothing , and even a fridge. Personal friends of Marilyn he has known and a life spent in service to her memory through the annual memorial  . 

I talk to Marilyn Monroe collector Scott Fortner who owns the largest collection of Marilyn Monroe personally owned items. What is it like owning these items? Do they smell of Chanel no ;5 ?

In this episode I interview Susan Griffiths. One of the USA's top Marilyn Monroe impersonators. We both talk of how it is to live under the shadow and up to one of the most famous women of all time 

In this episode I talk to my guest Jodie Dupuis , who is married to  Elvis Presley Enterprises  official ultimate Elvis impersonator winner 2014, Jay Dupuis How is it being married to "ELVIS" ?  Is it love me tender ? or heartbreak hotel?

All those  false rumours that have driven me crazy . Did she have 6 toes? Did she give up her child? Did she really sleep with the kennedy brothers. I invite back my lovely guest Historian and multi published Marilyn Author Michelle Morgan to put these rumours to bed once and for all .

So exciting to have prolific Marilyn author Michelle Morgan on my podcast We talk about the new information about marilyns life in the Uk and my non appeareance in the crown 

Here I talk about Marilyn's time in London and my funny times being at the same locations and strange things I have encountered during that time 

A lighthearted episode talking about when things go wrong as Marilyn 

The best moment of my life turning into the worst moment in only a few hours !

Talking of how I feel as a woman confronted by the Me Too movement  also  how Marilyn called out the abuse of power in Hollywood back in 1953 and how we react to abuse as women 

Celebrating Pride and why Marilyn Monroe is so important to the gay community 

Was Marilyn Monroe a size 16 ? what is a platinum gay anyway ? 

This episode looks at Marilyn Monroe Syndrome and if success brings happiness . How do we live up to an image ?

Suzie Kennedy talks about Marilyn Monroe's 94th birthday. How her years of experience playing her makes her think about her .