Monsters Creator Ryan Murphy Responds to Eric Menendez’s Criticism

As a follower who has closely observed Ryan Murphy‘s career over the years, I must say he’s a man who isn’t easily swayed by criticism. His unwavering commitment to storytelling, even when it tackles controversial and sensitive subjects, is nothing short of admirable.

Ryan Murphy is standing by his work.

Despite criticism from one of the main subjects, Eric Menendez, who along with his brother Lyle was convicted for murdering their parents Kitty and Jose Menendez, the creator of American Horror Story stands firm in his belief about the impact his new true crime series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, has made.

Ryan shared with TopMob News during the September 23 premiere of Grotesquerie that he found Eric’s criticism intriguing since he is certain Eric hasn’t seen the show. He added, “I can confirm this fact. I truly hope he catches up on it someday. If he did, I believe he would be immensely proud of Cooper Koch, who portrays him.

He added, “I believe the series is incredibly intriguing – our aim is to present numerous viewpoints. Each episode introduces a fresh theory from individuals who were part of the incident or reporting about it.

However, even though a 58-year-old person pointed out that not every theory presented, like the idea that Eric and his brother Lyle had an incestuous relationship, will be accepted easily, it’s particularly challenging for the people involved in these theories to accept them wholeheartedly.

Ryan acknowledged that some individuals claimed it never took place. However, he also pointed out that others insisted it did occur.

The Dahmer creator also spoke to the very nature of the series being based in true crime.

Ryan emphasized, “We’re aware of how the situation concluded. Two individuals suffered brutal shootings. Our goal was to share all the relevant details with you, enabling each of you to form your own opinions regarding guilt, innocence, and who might be the perpetrator. Additionally, we aimed to stimulate a discussion about an often-neglected topic in our society – male sexual abuse. We strive to approach this sensitive subject responsibly.

The primary focus of the new series revolves around the court defense presented by Lyle and Eric, who alleged that they were subjected to years of physical and sexual abuse by their parents.

Ryan pointed out that approximately 60 to 65% of the show revolves around Eric and Lyle Menendez discussing their abuse experiences, their victimization, and the emotional toll it took on them. He further added, “In our series, those two boys have their day in court, and then we delve deeper into other aspects as well.

However, over the years, he has learned to handle such situations. His approach is to write about thought-provoking and contentious topics, and his mantra is “don’t whine and don’t justify.

Ryan responded to Eric’s criticism following his conviction for first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, which led to a life sentence shared with Lyle in relation to the 1989 murders, by expressing his thoughts on the recent series.

Erik stated on September 19th, which his wife Tammi Menendez posted on X (previously Twitter), that he feels they had progressed beyond the falsehoods and malicious depictions of Lyle. He created a distorted image of Lyle based on the numerous, obvious lies prevalent in the show. Erik suspects these misrepresentations were deliberate. With sadness, he expresses his belief that Ryan Murphy lacks the innocence to present such inaccuracies about their lives without malicious intent.

He went on to say, “I find it regrettable that Netflix’s depiction of our crime’s tragedies appears to be misleading. It seems to roll back the raw truths, moving them backwards in time to a period when the prosecution constructed a narrative based on the belief that males were not sexually abused and did not experience rape trauma in the same way as women.

-Reporting by Emily Curl

2024-09-24 15:17

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