How long till Marilyn Monroe's sex tape hits the Internet?

(New York Post)

In a strange and lurid tale more befitting one of those Hollywood movies that fictionalize 1950s Hollywood  than something that actually happened, the New York Post is reporting that a 15-minute sex-reel starring Marilyn Monroe not only exists, but was just sold to a New York collector for $1.5M.  It gets weirder: the NYC businessman who now owns the footage bought it from the son of a dead FBI informant.  And sorry, you're not going to get to see it on YouTube ... yet.

"The gentleman who bought it said out of respect for Marilyn he's not going to make a joke of it and put it on the Internet and try to exploit her," Keya Morgan, the memorabilia man who brokered the sale, told Reuters.

"He said, 'I'm not going to make a Paris Hilton out of her. I'm not going to sell it, out of respect.' "

You'd have to ask, then, that if the buyer's intentions are so altruistic, why let the story out of the bag? Surely the knowledge of its existence will do nothing but stoke the public's desire for historic sex footage that no number of highly paid paparazzi could capture?

Especially with all the sordid details around it.  The Post's story says that J. Edgar Hoover spent weeks trying to show that the man in the "still FBI-classified" footage was either JFK or RFK.  Add in some G-men, Joe DiMaggio, and a film reel that's been locked in a vault for 50 years and--seriously--do we really think this thing's going to stay secret for much longer?

Celebrity sex tapes want to be free.  And this isn't just any sex tape: there is actual historic value to this footage because it involves America's most famous and controversial on-screen beauty. Now that we know it's out there, we might as well see it, right?  Otherwise we're just collectively going along with the buyer's plan to keep her image artificially unsullied.  Which would be one thing for someone still living, but this is a world-famous Hollywood icon who  died almost 50 years ago.

The only remaining question is, how long before the tape gets leaked or sold?  If anyone wants to start a bet with me on Long Bets, let me know.  I'm thinking the over/under is 3 years....

UPDATE:  And in light of the first comment below, I'll probably take the over.  As I was getting at earlier, it's just too strange that the buyer wants to keep the tape secret, but has still allowed the broker to swirl up a media frenzy about the story. The Post didn't get a quote from the buyer or, apparently, confirm his identity or existence.  Who is this strange businessman that "wants to keep this unseemly part of Monroe's past buried?"  Sounds like quite a character...

Comments

[Mark Bellinghaus, CEO, MARILYN MONROE PRODUCTIONS, LLC]

How long until the 'Marilyn Monroe sex tape' hits the Internet?
The answer is: Never! Because it doesn't exist.
And the reason for this late April Fools is: PR!
The gallery owner Keya Morgan, who is claiming this nonsense, is peddling his own documentary, which by 'sheer coincidence' will be released soon.
He can claim anything he wants, since Joe DiMaggio is dead and has no chance to talk back and correct the absolutely absurd 'sex tape story.'
By the way: this is not the first time such a 'sex tape' hoax made it into the worldwide news. The footage turned out to be an unknown actress and just very recently a Madonna nude picture was mistaken for Marilyn Monroe.
Mr. Morgan interviewed some people who have been riding the 'conspiracy wave' a life long. He came to Los Angeles in 2007 and filmed without permission on the inside of the cemetery where Marilyn Monroe is resting and was kicked out by the management of the cemetery.
If Mr. Keya Morgan has proof for such a hideous claim, let's see the contract, will he pay taxes for such a high amount? Is it worth it, to create such a media speculation?
My business partner Jennifer J Dickinson interviewed Mr. Morgan in 2007 and he seemed obsessed with the idea that Marilyn Monroe was murdered, he seems to be a Jeanne Carmen fan. And were this path is leading is all too obvious. Once again: the media jumped on some absolute outrageous bogus claims--based on 100% fabrications.
The 'note' by the 'FBI' looks absolutely fake to me. You can produce such a note on any old typewriter and we have seen those fakes over the years just too often too.

Today is April 14th, and if Mr. Morgan would have claimed this 'Marilyn Monroe sex tape' story 13 days earlier--we all could have at least had a good laugh.
But now it seems just all too sad. Too obvious too.

[Timmy]

The real question is when is the George Bush/Hillary Clinton tape coming out?

[lisa]

I have a silly question: if this business man - IF he exists - intends to protect Monroe’s privacy, then why did he allow the sale to be publicized? Also, the timeline is off. And this Morgan guy has - how convenient - a book on Monroe in the works! And a paltry $1.5 mill for something of such historic and cultural significance from "the son of a dead FBI informant"?! That's your first clue right there, Sherlock! Sad jouranalists don’t think or do their homework before they run with a “story”!

That said, it should be on YouTube any day now -- that is, IF it exists!

[Shakeia]

I think that all this specualtion is quite frankly disgusting.Plain and simple.Who cares who she had sexuaul realations with?She's dead and has been for almost 50 years.The reason why american audiences are so infactuated with sex tapes is beyond me.Maybe it's all in the sake of the humilation and shame that comes from tapes like this alleged oral sex tape.I'm only 15 but I know there such a thing called respect for the dead.She's and world-wide icon for goodness sake.

[Walter]

The pages are on FBI.com, the real deal, just saw it. Look at the last three pages.

[Fred Dodsworth]

Timmy, the real question is "When is the George Bush/John Ashcroft/Dick Cheney/Karl Rove four-way sex tapes going to see daylight?" If that crew aren't a bunch of self-loathing, hypocritical, mano-a-mano lovers I'm a fish.

[Michael Glatz]

It is sad that we have to resort to such deception involving our beloved silver screen icons of an era now long gone. Not to mention the discrete yet disrespectful mention of both JFK and his brother. Maybe a class action lawsuit by film lovers against this charlatan is in order.

[Mindy T. Fletcher]

this is so utterly disgusting and I am really angry at the Los Angeles Times for even picking up such an insanity. A journalistic low life shut. Are you truly running out of stories? How about a little research first?
You could have realized that Keya Morgan has done this as a creation for his own sake. A book, a documentary and the usual lies are being recycled and thrown at us, the public.
From any supermarket tabloid I would have expected that kind of nonsense. But from the Times?

[Steven Meier]

I am just wondering if this story might have to do with the recent ruling in regards of the estate of Marilyn Monroe. Could be, since the licensing agent who took advantage of Monroe's image for so long is now desperate for ugly news like the one above. So they can scream for 'protection' and continue to turn Marilyn Monroe into a door mat or a goofy can opener with her image attached to it.

[Steve]

Why hasn't anyone asked or said WHO was behind the camera and why?

[Susan B Winter, Los Angeles, CA]

How sad that these kind of stories won't stop being created, and also printed. I can see by the comments that people are not believing them as easy as they did in the past. Or do they simply not care anymore? Once you read some books about Monroe's life and you believe certain authors, you can see what is going on behind this ugly 'news story.'
The time lines do not make sense and as someone mentioned earlier, there was a similar incident in the past. All of this truly reminds me of the June DiMaggio appearance. And that woman also fooled the entire press. But so soon after again?
Thank god there are some people who know how to research and then immediately explain why this cannot be for real. I also would like to know if Mr. Morgan can be fined if indeed it turns out that he created this to get attention for his other Marilyn Monroe related projects.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1083463/
The phony story could also be categorized as PR stunt or free commercial.

[la]

This is the epedemy of American news. I think we are reaching the nadir of loweliness and vulgarity and that's what America has become, thanks to our disgusting repressed, sex crazed, religious, puritanical politician and the Media that follows it.

[Questions?]

Not to spoil the fun, but isn't classified information public record after 25 years? I doubt this tape poses a threat to national security, so anyone should be able to request a copy.

[xbjllb]

Technology was not then what it is now. There were no such things as spy video cameras in the 50's and early 60's. Motion picture cameras were big, bulky, huge things. Super 8 cameras were a few years in the future, and even then bulky and noisy.

There WERE of course audio tapes of JFK and RFK having sex with Marilyn from reel to reel tape machines (think Mission Impossible's opening) placed under beds, as well as tapes of Martin Luther King having sex with his white admirers, which drove Hoover the raging queen insane with hatred.

Hopefully these sickeningly pruient audio tapes have long since been destroyed by a scrupulous Hoover successor.

But actual 8mm sex films of Marilyn? Only if someone had a time machine. And was very, very sick.

[J.K.]

The real question at hand should be... "When will we see the first CLAIM of a tape?" I can't wait for all the so called tapes to show up first. These tapes will claim to be of Marilyn Monroe. But later they will be debunked to be some unknown girl either in on the joke or unwittingly taken advantage of.

Then we will have a harder time figuring out which one is the real one when it is released, because there will then be so many, it will get lost amongst the supporters and the skeptics no matter what tape it is.

[MissClarity]

Hurray for HOLLYWOOD. Hurray for Hollywood. And it's bestesT promoter in all the wide world the LA TIMES. That's HOLLYWOOD 4 ya.

[Andy]

I doubt that it exists for many reasons not mentioned:
- Hand held cameras in the 50's? Huge, clunky. Film: grainy at the best. Age persistant: not a chance.
- Was it movie type film? Hardly. Movie cams in that day was studio stuff only and very hard to operate.

The woman has been dead for almost half a century. We have enough of modern day trash, that we can let an icon such as Ms. Monroe rest in peace.

[Gardenbot]

Well.. here is the kicker... the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requires that the FBI turn over any information a civilian requests that is not a security risk. I have already contacted the FBI this afternoon and requested information that will lead to its publication. If you are also interested in getting to the bottom of this, I suggest you follow suit and apply to have it released. As it has been reported as released already, there should be no problem aquiring a copy.

[Sandy]

I also just saw the pages on FBI.com. You are correct, it’s the last three pages, and I am shocked that they would be snooping in on the private moments of a sweetheart like Marilyn. I saw the FBI agent on the news tonight and can’t believe they would do that. Everyone whos she had sex, but why tape it and why was Hoover so into it?

The documents are absolutely authentic and anyone can see them on the FBI website (I just downloaded the pages). Just put Marilyn Monroe and FBI in Google. I really respect Keya Morgan and the buyer for NOT making the tape public. The world is obsessed with sex and we don’t need another tape on the net!

[Will]

Amazing stuff! I wish we could see it! I can't wait to see the documentary about her death!

[Brasky]

I happen to know it stars Harry Morgan.

[Chuck Yung]

Enough already!

Just send the FBI a Freedom of Information Act request and then wait a while and you'll find out what is goin' on. You may have to go to court to get it but if lawyers can do that then anyone with brains can, too.

[William]

In the mid-seventies I watched a grainy 8mm loop that purported to be a Marilyn Monroe sextape. It was a sleazy ripoff of a not too lookalike. I'll bet that is what this sucker paid $1.5M.

He knows that the interest will disappear as soon as somebody sees it as a phony.

[David Byrden]

If we *all* make our own tapes and put them on Youtube, this whole thing will die of apathy.

[STEPHEN BLANK, Sr.]

if it was shot in 1950 i already saw it online.is this the same one?