On this day (July 30) in 1996, John F. Kennedy, Jr., publicly defended the latest cover of his magazine, George. The cover featured a photograph of Drew Barrymore channeling Marilyn Monroe in her famous 1962 Madison Square Garden appearance, where she sang a sultry rendition of "Happy Birthday" to the junior Kennedy's father. In case anyone might have missed the reference, the major coverline was "Happy Birthday, Mr. President."
Young Kennedy, who seems to have had a knack for attention-getting magazine covers, insisted, "I don't see what possible taste questions could be involved. If I don't find it tasteless, I don't know why anyone would."
For those interested in more about the photo shoot, "JFK Jr., George, & Me," by the magazine's creative director at the time, Matt Berman, covers it in some detail.