The story of Marilyn Monroe and that dress

Fifty-four years later, one might suppose that the famous dress came on to the stage of its own accord, as if it had life as well as destiny. But yes, in 1962, there was a warm body inside it. This was 19 May 1962, and Marilyn Monroe was bringing happy birthday wishes to the president of the United States. She was 10 days early: the actual birthday of John F Kennedy, his 45th, would not be until 29 May. So what? The Democratic party wanted to have a super fundraiser at Madison Square Garden in New York City, so they needed not just JFK himself, but a hook and bait. The birthday was a pretext until the breathy song, “Happy birthday, Mr President ...”
                     

That was Marilyn Monroe. But did the Dems ask her or did the president himself arrange it? Sometimes a president can be an instrument in his own PR. Marilyn would be 36 on 1 June, which would prove to be her last birthday. On 5 August, she was found dead in her bed in Brentwood with just a sheet around her.

You can say that only demonstrates her victimhood and makes her wishing more wistful. But then you have to see the plain delight with which she did these preposterous things, these moments, as if she could not resist or do without the comfort that came with the gasps and the whistles at Madison Square Garden when she came into the platinum light, shrugged off her wrap and stood there, with her massed blonde waves jutting off to one side, like the control on tower an aircraft carrier, in a dress that could have been painted on her. And she did not seem like the hesitant neurotic of fame and constant lateness when she broke into the birthday song. Just take a look.