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Monsters creator Ryan Murphy is not interested in meeting Menéndez brothers
"What would I ask them? I know what their perspective is," Murphy said.
The controversy surrounding the true-crime drama Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is one of the biggest TV stories of the year, and now, the show's creator has spoken out.
Ryan Murphy, who created the show and dealt with controversy for the show's first season, which followed Jeffrey Dahmer, has spoken out on the backlash that Monsters has garnered, saying it's not unexpected.
Monsters centers on the real-life Menéndez brothers, who, when they were 21 and 18 years old, killed their parents after suffering decades of psychological, physical, and sexual abuse from their father.
They were found guilty of murder in 1996, after a judge limited testimony about the sexual abuse claims in their second trial. The brothers were each sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
In Monsters, it is hinted that the brothers had a sexual, incestuous relationship with each other, something that many viewers, and the real people involved, have called out and said is inaccurate and damaging to the family.
Several cast members have commented on the controversy, saying that they do not believe there was an incestuous relationship between the brothers.
Cooper Koch, who plays Erik, even went to prison to meet the real Erik, something that Murphy says he has "no interest" in doing.
"It's very good that Cooper has a relationship with them, andI'm very close, obviously, with Kim Kardashian, who has spoken to them," Murphy said. "I love Kim, and I believe she does God's work. I believe in prison reform. I believe in everything she believes in. I don't know what I would say to them. What would I ask them? I know what their perspective is."Murphy has now spoken out on the controversy, calling it "faux outrage."
"Because if you look at what we do, we give those boys so much airtime to talk about what they claim as their physical abuse," he said to People. "We live in a sort of culture of outrage that a lot of things are knee-jerk and that's fine. I'm used to being controversial. It's not new to me."
Murphy also called the series "the best thing that has happened to the Menéndez brothers in 30 years."
"They are now being talked about by millions of people all over the world," Murphy said to Variety. "There's a documentary coming out in two weeks about them, also on Netflix. And I think the interesting thing about it is it’s asking people to answer the questions, 'Should they get a new trial? Should they be let out of jail? What happens in our society? Should people be locked away for life? Is there no chance ever at rehabilitation?' I'm interested in that, and a lot of people are talking about it. We’re asking really difficult questions, and it’s giving these brothers another trial in the court of public opinion. From what I can tell, it’s really opened up the possibility that this evidence that they claim that they have, maybe that there is going to be a way forward for them."
He also believes that if the trial were held today, the brothers would get a lesser charge.
"The second trial was a travesty. I think it’s insane that all of the evidence that they claim really happened was not allowed to be admissible," he said. "That's a mistake. I think the behavior of those male jurors is an outrage. I think a lot of those jurors were homophobic. I think that they refused to accept the idea that sexual abuse could happen to men. I think that’s outrageous. So what do I think? I think that if there’s new evidence, yes, it should be heard. I also personally do not believe that someone should spend their entire life in prison."
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Storyis now streaming on Netflix.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
