Lisa DePaulo: Inside George Magazine and the JFK Jr. Story

7 hours ago
1 min read

Lisa DePaulo didn’t return his first call. When John F. Kennedy Jr. left her a voicemail, asking her to write for George Magazine, she assumed it was a prank. It took a second call to convince her it was real. That moment changed everything.

On this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Lisa Champeau sits down with the Dunmore, Pennsylvania, native to reflect on a career shaped by instinct, access and a willingness to ask direct questions. At George, DePaulo worked closely with JFK Jr., not as a public figure, but as her editor. He pushed for strong reporting. He had a clear sense of what readers cared about. And he understood what lines to cross. That balance mattered then. It still does now.

As DePaulo reflects on the series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, she brings a grounded perspective to a story that continues to be retold. Some details feel accurate. Others do not. The difference, she suggests, comes down to understanding the people behind the headlines. But this conversation moves beyond media critique. It is about what it takes to do the work well. Building trust with sources and protecting it. Asking questions others might avoid. Standing by a story once it is out in the world. And then there are the moments that are harder to separate from the work. The stories you are close to. The people you know. The news that does not feel distant.

Lisa DePaulo’s career is a reminder that journalism is not just about access. It is about judgment. And the responsibility that comes with telling the story right.