Kennedy series stays true to history, Hubbard says

Being from a rich Republican family, ReelzChannel CEO Stan E. Hubbard had to enjoy purchasing "The Kennedys," the controversial eight-part miniseries about the famous family of wealthy Democrats.

"I know you come from the Star Tribune and I know you know the Hubbards," he said, but "I was born in 1961. The Kennedys are not political for me. When you see this -- and I shouldn't tell you this -- it's not salacious."

That's too bad!

"That's what I mean. I shouldn't have told you," said Hubbard as we shared a good laugh.

Of course, salaciousness can be subtly conveyed: There's a door to a room. A beautiful blonde walks through the door ahead of a Kennedy, who follows this woman who is not his wife. Door closes. Message communicated.

"There is a room like that in this movie," said Hubbard.

The eldest son of Stanley S. Hubbard, chairman and CEO of Hubbard Broadcasting, which owns Reelz, was charming and forthcoming when we spoke last week by phone. Stan lives in Albuquerque, N. M.

Hubbard said there's not much in the movie about infidelities Robert Kennedy may have had, because those encounters are "certainly not as well documented" as President John F. Kennedy's fooling around. "Teddy's not even in it. He was much younger. This takes place in the administration of JFK."

"But in the midst of some personal flaws, some really terrible tragedies like the loss of a newborn son [Patrick Bouvier Kennedy], these guys are making some pretty big decisions that changed the direction of a nation. They made some pretty good decisions with the Cuban missile crisis. They stood tall and led us to a different [attitude] toward civil rights," said Hubbard.

Calling the miniseries "an event" that's "well documented," Hubbard said there is a gripping scene about the first black Secret Service agent assigned to a presidential detail.

The Hollywood Report wrote that Caroline Kennedy and Maria Shriver tried to pull strings to prevent the miniseries from being seen, but Hubbard doubts that.

Had the daughter and niece of JFK actually been trying to put the kibosh on this movie, "We would have heard from them," Hubbard said. "We haven't heard from anybody. I think it was people who were close to them and like to think they were protecting their interests.

Because of the controversy and networks treating the miniseries like a hot potato, I'm guessing Reelz got "The Kennedys" at a huge discount.

"I find myself getting so mad at the controversy 'cause it shouldn't be a controversy," said Hubbard. "It's so well done, so well acted.

"When was the last time you saw a miniseries done with movie stars?" asked Hubbard.

"We got it at a good deal and we're using it as a transformational event for this television network."

Hubby head counts

A figure in a 1990 gubernatorial candidate's scandal long before she became a Twin Cities acupuncturist, Taylor told me she had given permission for her obituary to include all of her married names if all those men preceded her in death.

The late screen legend made eight trips down the aisle, while the total for Minnesota's Taylor was up to four... last we talked.

Devil cherries?

And speaking of Tamara Taylor, does the aforementioned gubernatorial candidate, Jon Grunseth, have Tasmanian connections?

There's a picture of Grunseth at www.startribune.com/a271, a link to a global website about fruit production, with some "Black Devil Tasmanian cherries," which he raised on Bruny Island, south of Hobart, Tasmania. They were grown at Lennonville Orchards, which he was trying to sell.