Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: Part II On The Taylor Swift and Marilyn Monroe
A few weeks ago, we published an article on the furor surrounding the relationship between music mega-star Taylor Swift and football champion Travis Kelce and compared it to that that once hounded Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio.
For a quick refresher, the piece argued that Taylor Swift and Marilyn Monroe were unusual in that they were both able to foster a unique type of parasocial relationship with their fans. Many of their methods for achieving this were similar: for example, both cast themselves as underdogs when younger – Marilyn by openly discussing bouncing from foster home to foster home as a child and Swift by portraying herself as a “loser”1 in high school who ate lunch by herself and would cry in bathrooms. Both later tapped into a female empowerment movement, despite unfair reputations as either an airhead bombshell or a boy-crazed bubblegum singer, respectively. Monroe consistently tried to better herself with acting and educational classes before founding her own production studio. Swift, meanwhile, is known as a savvy businesswoman and re-recorded her previous albums to get autonomy over her music, not unlike Monroe’s production company gambit. Finally, the two both suffered from an unforgiving media glare that earned them as many fans as detractors.
But while the two women and specific reaction to their relationships with their sports star beaux follows a similar path, there is one way in which they diametrically diverge: the character of their men. While this Substack generally focuses on how history repeats, this article will cover something just as interesting: when it goes in an opposite direction.
Joe DiMaggio: Far From An All-American Guy
DiMaggio is most celebrated as an outstanding baseball player, known for his grace, skill, and a record-breaking 56-game hitting streak. But his persona was more than just a sports star: he was seen as a symbol of American success, embodying the values of hard work and determination. However, behind the scenes, he acted far from the celebrated All-American guy.
For starters, his family life was filled with strife. He had a strained relationship with his father, and an even worse one with his only child, Joe DiMaggio Jr.
An article, written by a classmate of DiMaggio, Jr., suggested that the elder DiMaggio was a cold and distant parent, noting that the baseball star never “never came to his son’s games or to visit on Parent’s Day,”2 despite the fact that his son made the All New Jersey team in football. Later in life, father and son had limited – if any – contact, and DiMaggio Jr. declined to visit his father when he was in his final days, battling cancer. After his death, the elder DiMaggio left his son only a token amount in the will, which was the smallest among the heirs.
DiMaggio’s relationship with Marilyn Monroe was also friction-filled. According to Donald Spoto's 1993 biography, DiMaggio was a "traditionalist" who resented Monroe's income, fame, and independence. He desired a wife who was "nicely subordinate," a role that Monroe, with her growing fame and independence, did not fit. Importantly, her star was rising, while his was on the wane.
It did not help that Monroe often took roles that played up her bombshell image, and Monroe herself is quoted as saying DiMaggio disliked the women she portrayed, whom he considered inappropriate. DiMaggio's discomfort with Monroe's fame and her portrayal in movies and media often manifested as jealousy, possessiveness, and even violence. Per The New York Post:
“DiMaggio had to approve all of her future films. Monroe was never to be semi-dressed. She had to break out of her ‘dumb blonde’ typecasting — a point she agreed with. But she wasn’t to outshine him. When she did, he’d sleep in another bedroom and go days without speaking to her.”
Following the shooting of the famous skirt-blowing scene in The Seven Year Itch, DiMaggio, infuriated by the public nature of the scene and Monroe's display, reportedly physically assaulted her. According to J. Randy Taraborrelli's book, The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe, DiMaggio's anger led to a violent confrontation where Monroe was left with multiple bruises. DiMaggio Jr., later verified his father’s abusive behavior:
“[DiMaggio] grabbed her by the hair and sort of half-dragged her back to the house. She was trying to fight him off but couldn’t,” he said of one of their fights.3
After nine months, Monroe divorced the baseball star, citing “mental cruelty.”
A 180 for an 87
In almost every respect, Kelce could not be more different from DiMaggio. For starters, he is famously close with his family. His mother often attends his games; he hosts a podcast with his brother, fellow football star Jason.
Even his number, 87, is an ode to family: he chose the digits in honor of Jason, who was born in 1987. “If there is a Kelce legacy, two brothers making it to the NFL, it all started in 1987, because this big guy was born in 1987,” he once said of his reasoning.
Since dating Swift, anonymous sources have conveniently come out of the woodwork to play up his family image, per Yahoo! Entertainment.
“They’re already making plans for the future,” shares a source. “He and Taylor have even talked about kids. Travis wants them in the next year or so, and Taylor, of course, is all in. He’s exactly the guy she’s been waiting for!”
Kelce has also unreservedly made clear that he admires his new girlfriend’s fame, rather than feeling threatened by it. As noted in The Wall Street Journal, he has even called her a “genius” and added that it was a miracle that she was able to turn her life story into lyrics for her songs.
Lastly, Kelce clearly enjoys the spotlight. He once participated in a dating show, often takes advertising gigs, and uses social media to promote his image. Just today, the internet went wild over the fact that Kelce dropped his pet name for Swift – the ultra-original “Tay” – in an Instagram comment.
This has meant that the Kelce-Swift relationship has been on center stage, rather than the secretive shadows of the DiMaggio and Monroe affair.
One Last Deviation
Of course, Kelce’s love of publicity have had some naysayers suggest that he is using his new girlfriend for her fame. The accusation isn’t totally unwarranted: following the news that he and Swift were an item, sales of Kelce’s jersey jumped an incredible 400%, according to Fanatics. In addition, he has added over 300,000 social media followers, and the number is only going up. This puts him in another league when it comes to marketing opportunities, both in terms of numbers of products now open and the payment he can request.
In contrast, DiMaggio, for all his horrible flaws, was undeniably obsessed with Monroe. He later was able to reconnect with his ex-wife to give her help in her later days, and sent roses to her grave every week after she died.
In conclusion, while the female players and the public reaction to these relationships have been similar, the men – and what it means for the future – is almost its complete opposite, so all bets are on for what will happen next. Fans are convinced that this relationship is the real deal for Swift, and the idea is not out of the question. However, there is also a good chance that Kelce might be awaiting his own accusations of “mental cruelty” in one of the genius song lyrics he so enjoys.
https://www.pressparty.com/pg/newsdesk/taylorswift/view/116781/
https://baseballpastandpresent.com/mlb/joe-dimaggio-son-my-friend-marilyn-monroe/
https://nypost.com/2014/06/08/inside-the-twisted-love-affair-of-joe-dimaggio-marilyn-monroe/
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