Expert Decodes Marilyn Monroe’s Body Language Singing To President Kennedy

For how famous and illustrious Marilyn Monroe was, there was plenty about her that remained an enigma. She lived her life in the spotlight and behind closed doors, battled inner demons and the demanding life of a star. Even well-known moments such as her singing “Happy Birthday” to President Kennedy have more to them than meets the eye, and that’s why a body language expert has now decoded Monroe’s actions during that iconic, divisive performance.

Jess Ponce III is a body language expert, speech coach, and the author of A.W.E.S.O.M.E.: Seven Keys to Unlocking the Speaker Within. He’s taken a deep dive into May 19, 1962, when Monroe sang to JFK ten days before his 45th birthday. In his analysis, Ponce reveals that there’s a lot more going on during this ballad than meets the eye and gives further context to the rumors of an affair that the event sparked.

Marilyn Monroe famously sang “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy, sparking legendary rumors of an affair

New York’s Madison Square Gardens played host to Monroe’s famous birthday ballad to President Kennedy. Bill Ray took the now famous unconventional “portrait” of Monroe on stage wearing her iconic tight-fitting sequins gown that continues to capture the imagination at fashion events to this day. Before two years were up, both Monroe and Kennedy would be gone from the world, but this memory of them is one of the most visceral in American cultural history.

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The audience gasped when she shook off her fur coat, thinking she was nude. Modern viewers gasp when she’s introduced as “the late Marilyn Monroe,” referring to the time of her arrival.

She also very famously sang “Happy birthday, Mr. President,” instead of his name. Was it a misdirection? A playful tease at his position that could be formal and endearing at the same time – and remove the last name he’d given to his wife from the picture? Ponce thinks he might be able to clear the air.

What to make of Monroe’s body language while singing to JFK?

Ponce notes that, in the face of a possible one-time affair between Monroe and Kennedy, this “Happy Birthday” concert is meaningful on multiple fronts. Yes, it was the meeting of two cultural icons for the greater U.S. But for Monroe, Ponce argues, “This moment crystallized her ability to establish an exclusive connection, with her unwavering gaze fixed on the president, her voice exuding sweetness and innocence that seemed to erase the presence of the entire audience.” In other words, despite the publicity, Monroe could be open in her fondness and see it reciprocated with abandon.

Tipsiness has been brought up as a potential factor, with Monroe’s team reportedly trying to sober her up before she sang, resulting in her breathy, especially seductive delivery of the birthday song. But Ponce believes this is further proof of an affair with the Commander in Chief, now on display for the whole country – including Kennedy and his wife Jackie.

“It was a one-on-one encounter,” adds Ponce, “suggesting a profound connection that has fueled speculation for years — an undeniable link apparent in the recorded footage.” Ponce further argues that the footage provides one of the most earnest versions of Monroe, and bittersweetly would be one of the last high-profile videos of her before her untimely death. At the same time, she was, indeed, aware of the eyes of the nation on them both, yet could manage to carry herself in a way that was “deeply personal and the exuberantly communal” while adhering to formalities.