John F. Kennedy Jr. Was in Talks to Launch His Own Daytime Talk Show Before Fatal 1999 Plane Crash

Political scion John F. Kennedy Jr. was in serious early talks to launch his own daytime show with Universal Television — the powerhouse studio behind the hit chatfests led by Sally Jessy Raphael and Maury Povich — before his fatal plane crash in 1999, sources tell Straight Shuter.

“Universal believed John could be a huge daytime star,” a media insider says. “The same team that created Sally and Maury was exploring a brand-new talk format built entirely around him.”

Steve Rosenberg, president of Universal Domestic Television and co-president of NBC Universal Domestic Television, exclusively tells Straight Shuter, “In truth, we all lost more than a TV show when John passed. A real tragedy — he was taken far too soon.”

Another source explains, “Executives believed John had everything you want in a host — charm, intelligence, curiosity and incredible audience appeal.”

Insiders say the 38-year-old son of assassinated President John F. Kennedy and wife Jackie had discussed the potential project hours before the plane he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Martha’s Vineyard, killing him, wife Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, 33, and his sister-in-law Lauren Bessette, 34.

JFK Jr. had already blended politics, celebrity and culture in George, the glossy magazine he founded.

“George proved he understood how politics and entertainment could mix,” the source adds. “A talk show would have taken that idea straight to television.”