what happened to george magazine

George magazine was a glossy, politics-meets-pop-culture magazine founded by John F. Kennedy Jr. in the mid‑1990s; it shut down in 2001 after financial struggles and the loss of its founder, though a new, unrelated revival has appeared in recent years using the same name.

Quick history: rise and idea

George launched in September 1995 as a monthly (initially bimonthly) magazine built around “politics-as-lifestyle,” mixing serious political coverage with celebrity, fashion, and pop culture.

Its debut issue famously featured Cindy Crawford dressed as George Washington, signaling that politics would be packaged with the glossy flair of magazines like Vanity Fair or Rolling Stone.

The core idea was to make politics entertaining and accessible to younger readers (roughly the 18–34 crowd) by treating politicians like celebrities and celebrities like political actors.

In the late 1990s print boom—when “magazines ruled the world”—this kind of hybrid concept could still attract major advertisers and strong early sales.

Why George folded in 2001

Several factors converged to bring the original George to an end:

1. Internal tensions and editorial choices
   • Co‑founders John F. Kennedy Jr. and Michael J. Berman clashed over control, leading to a very public power struggle and Berman’s exit, after which circulation and momentum dropped.

 * Hachette executives later argued that Kennedy was reluctant to “take risks” with cover subjects that would appeal to younger readers, often choosing weighty political figures over more crowd‑pleasing names.

2. Business and financial problems
   • Despite a loyal audience and decent subscription renewals, George never consistently made money and reportedly lost significant sums by 2000.

 * Advertising revenue softened over time, especially as the late‑’90s media market cooled and competition for ad dollars intensified.

3. Kennedy’s death and loss of its public face
   • John F. Kennedy Jr. died in a plane crash in July 1999.

 * Hachette bought out his stake and kept the magazine going for roughly a year and a half under editor Frank Lalli, but insiders later said it was hard to imagine the title surviving long‑term without its charismatic founder and figurehead.

4. Closure
   • Under ongoing ad declines and mounting losses, George finally ceased publication in early 2001; the last issue appeared around March of that year.

In short: George didn’t collapse overnight—its end was a slow combination of money problems, strategy disagreements, and the shock of losing Kennedy himself.

Is George still around now?

The original Hachette‑owned George folded in 2001 and has not been revived in its original form.

However, the brand name and “politics plus pop culture” concept have been adopted in recent years by a new George Magazine project that positions itself as carrying on JFK Jr.’s legacy, often with a more overtly conservative or right‑leaning flavor.

According to interviews with its current team, the new iteration aims to “mix politics, pop culture, faith, business, and lifestyle” and explicitly talks about “uniting America” and encouraging civil discourse.

It is a separate operation from the 1990s George in ownership and era, but it trades heavily on the nostalgia and mythology of the original magazine and of Kennedy himself.

Legacy and why people still ask

Even though its print run was relatively short (1995–2001), George left a bigger cultural footprint than many longer‑lived political magazines.

Several reasons:

• It was one of the first mainstream magazines to treat politics with full celebrity‑style packaging and photo shoots, anticipating how political coverage would later look online and on cable.

• Its covers and big interviews—combining actors, models, and politicians—made it feel like a bridge between Washington and Hollywood, long before “politics as entertainment” became the norm.

• Kennedy’s own iconic status and tragic death froze the magazine in time, giving it a cult aura among media and politics watchers.

Some writers and former fans have periodically called for “bringing back George,” or have launched blogs and projects inspired by its blend of pop culture and politics, framing these as ways to keep the magazine’s spirit alive rather than literal relaunches.

Mini timeline: George magazine

1. 1995 – George launches with Cindy Crawford as George Washington on the cover; strong early sales and heavy media buzz.

2. 1997 – Power struggle between Kennedy and co‑founder Michael Berman; Berman exits and sales weaken.

3. 1999 – Kennedy dies in a plane crash; Hachette buys his share and continues the magazine under new leadership.

4. 2000 – Advertising slumps, losses reportedly near $10 million for the year.

5. 2001 – George ceases publication, with the last issue in early 2001.

6. 2010s–2020s – Nostalgic articles, blogs, and think pieces revisit the magazine’s impact; later, a new “George Magazine” brand appears, invoking JFK Jr.’s legacy while operating as a distinct, modern outlet.

TL;DR: The original George magazine was a 1995–2001 print title that mixed politics with pop culture under John F. Kennedy Jr.; it folded after financial losses and his death, but its name and concept have been revived in a new, separate project that leans on the old brand’s legacy.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.