John Lennon’s Son Reveals His Parents Were The Original Reality TV Stars

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Sean Ono Lennon is shedding light on his legendary family.

Born to the couple John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who were married from 1969 until the passing of John Lennon (former member of The Beatles) in 1980, their son noted them as trailblazers for their lifestyle documentation, a practice that was not commonplace prior to their time.

He shared with Variety in an interview on April 11 that he finds it fascinating how John and Yoko frequently documented their lives through 16mm film – what we now call video. Remarkably, they did this in the early ’70s, years before reality TV, social media, or memes. In my opinion, they were the earliest example of a reality TV celebrity couple.

Sean, aged 49, shared that his father, who is also the father of Julian Lennon, age 62, through his first wife Cynthia Lennon, turned to the practice partially due to necessity, as the FBI started monitoring him in 1971 because of his active participation in anti-war movements.

During one of our conversations, my father mentioned, “I’m saving these calls for our records, ensuring we have our own version if someone questions what we discussed. That way, we can verify the truth.” Sean added, finding it surprising yet reasonable that such precaution was needed.

Since Sean was only 5 years old at the time his father was killed, these tapes hold even greater significance for him.

He continued, “Given that I didn’t grow up with my father around, any recording of his voice or video footage of him is quite precious and scarce.

During the unveiling of the documentary titled “One to One: John and Yoko“, it was pointed out by Sean that the audience might perceive his mother differently after viewing it, as it showcases previously undiscovered phone conversations recorded by her parents.

He mentioned that listeners will have a chance to hear his mother express her thoughts directly, in a genuinely open manner. I believe this will offer insights into the hardships she endured, as well as her intelligence, perspective on life, and the way she perceived the world during that period.

The film titled “One to One: John and Yoko” premieres in theaters on April 11th. For further information about John Lennon’s passing, please continue reading.

Thirteen years following John Lennon’s debut on the inaugural cover of Rolling Stone magazine, which hit newsstands on Nov 9, 1967 at 25 cents each, the publication conducted its final photo session and interview with the “Imagine” singer. Journalist Jonathan Cott completed his last conversation with the artist just a few days prior to his passing.

The media tends to admire people only when they’re rising in fame, and once they’ve reached the top, they often criticize them excessively, as Lennon pointed out in 1966. His comment that The Beatles were “more popular than Jesus” caused quite a stir, and he expressed his disinterest in being idolized to such an extent after his fame peaked. He prefers not to be a celebrated figure who dies young, like Sid Vicious or James Dean.

In September 1980, John Lennon conversed with David Sheff, who was conducting an interview for Playboy, about the persistent violence plaguing our world and the unsuccessful attempts to bring peace thus far.

John Lennon pondered in Sheff’s 2020 book All We Are Saying, stating that Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, renowned peace advocates, lived lives devoid of violence but tragically met their ends violently. He found this paradox hard to comprehend. As pacifists ourselves, he questioned, how can one be so peaceful that they are still targeted with violence? This conundrum has always left him puzzled.

The final day of John Lennon’s life began with breakfast shared with his wife Yoko Ono, who they had been married for 11 years, at Café La Fortuna. Following this, he stopped by Viz-à-Viz for a haircut. Later in the day, he returned to the Dakota, the well-known Central Park West building where he and Yoko had resided since 1973. There, they held an at-home photoshoot with renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, who was capturing them for Rolling Stone magazine.

According to Leibovitz’s recollection from Smithsonian Magazine, when John arrived at the door, he wore a sleek black leather jacket, and his hair was styled in a way reminiscent of the early Beatles. This slight surprise was caused by his appearance.

She was aware that the editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone (RS), Jann Wenner, desired her to photograph John Lennon alone, but the musician made it clear he wanted his wife present too. According to Leibovitz, he stated, “I want to be with her.

The photograph session yielded the famed image of a totally unclothed Lennon wrapped around a fully dressed Ono (who opted not to disrobe), the pair sprawled out on a luxurious white rug in their residence’s living room.

The photo session produced the well-known snapshot of a nude Lennon embracing a fully clothed Ono (who declined to strip down), with them both lounging on a soft white carpet in their home’s living area.

Decades after, Leibovitz recounted to RS, “I recall developing the Polaroid, and he looked at it and said, ‘This captures us, this is our bond.’

Instead of being slated to be the cover image for a special spread featuring the couple’s album “Double Fantasy” in the publication, it actually became the cover of a tribute issue dedicated to John Lennon, which was published on January 22, 1981.

Following his session with Leibovitz, Lennon made his way down the stairs (it’s worth noting that he and Ono owned multiple units in the building at one time). He proceeded to record an interview with Dave Sholin and Laurie Kaye for RKO Radio. Removing their shoes was required, as Sholin later remembered, but Lennon quickly put everyone at ease with his immediate charm.

17-year-old Julian’s dad, who was once married to Cynthia Lennon and had a 5-year-old named Sean with Ono, shared his usual schedule: “In the morning, around six, I rise. I head to the kitchen. Grab a coffee cup. Clear my throat a bit. Light up a cigarette.” He also enjoyed watching Sesame Street with Sean, mentioning that he ensured Sean watched PBS instead of cartoons with commercials, stating, “I see to it that he watches PBS, not the ones with advertisements – I don’t mind cartoons, but I won’t let him watch the ads.

During that afternoon, Lennon (who had recently turned 40 on October 9) once more reflected poignantly on the subject of mortality. “I hope I pass away before Yoko,” he stated. “If Yoko were to die, I wouldn’t know how to go on. I couldn’t live without her.

However, Sholin noted, Lennon seemed brimming with excitement about everything in his existence. He appeared to believe that a new chapter in his life had begun, marking a fresh start.

Approximately at 5 in the evening on December 8, 1980, Lennon and Ono embarked on a trip to the Record Plant studio for a continuation of their remix project on the song “Walking on Thin Ice.

Leaving the Dakota, a man requested an autograph from Lennon, offering him his copy of Double Fantasy. Without hesitation, the “Give Peace a Chance” singer paused to sign the album, writing “John Lennon 1980.” This seemingly ordinary event was immortalized by photographer Paul Goresh.

Instead of heading straight for dinner with producer David Geffen after some time in the studio, Lennon and Ono chose to return home first to bid goodnight to Sean.

At 10:45 PM, Lennon and Ono’s limousine let them off on West 72nd Street, right in front of the grand, arched gateway to the Dakota building. Lennon trailed a few steps behind his wife, carrying a pile of tapes, when Mark David Chapman—the same individual who had obtained his autograph hours prior from outside the building—fired at the musician four times using a .38 revolver, hitting him twice in the back and twice in the shoulder.

Chapman didn’t run away from the incident site. In fact, what happened next was even more unbelievable than any fiction – the 25-year-old actually discarded his weapon, reached for a paperback book of “Catcher in the Rye” from his coat pocket, and began to read it. He was apprehended shortly by NYPD officers who had just arrived at the scene following reports of gunfire on 1 West 72nd Street.

Instead of calling an ambulance, the police hastily placed Lennon into the back of a patrol vehicle and drove him to St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital, roughly a mile distant. Tragically, he was declared dead at 11:15 pm there.

Back in those days, I was one of the millions who eagerly awaited every bit of information about my beloved John Lennon. On a fateful Monday night, it was ABC Sports announcer Howard Cosell who shattered our world with the heart-wrenching news that Lennon had been brutally taken away. The “unspeakable tragedy” he announced during Monday Night Football was a moment etched deeply into the memories of any Beatles fan like me.

As soon as Wenner learned about it, he hastened across Central Park towards the Dakota. In RS, he recounted, “There was a touch of singing and people holding candles,” adding, “The crowd seemed genuinely unsure of how to react.

In “All We Are Saying“, journalist Sheff hastily boarded a flight and headed to New York City, immediately making his way to the Dakota. By the break of dawn on December 9th, multitudes of people had gathered in Central Park, mourning and playing Lennon’s songs through portable stereos. Simultaneously, his voice could be heard emanating from the seventh floor of the Dakota, where Ono had withdrawn to their bedroom to listen to her deceased spouse’s music.

Sean Lennon said he didn’t know what had happened until a few days later.

In 1998, the musician shared with Rolling Stone that he distinctly recalled someone informing him that his mother wished to speak with him. Upon entering the bedroom, he found his mother in bed, clearly unwell for several days. He vaguely recalls catching a headline from a newspaper, but at the time, he was too preoccupied to fully understand its meaning.

He remembered making an effort to appear tough for his mom, even telling her that she’d soon find somebody else (a rather profound statement, when I reflect upon it), yet he quickly retreated to his room, whereupon he broke down in tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

Julian Lennon, residing in the U.K. with his mother during that period, shared that he and his father had recently been rekindling their conversation before the unfortunate event of his death transpired.

In 2020, Julian shared with BBC Radio 2 that John had played “Starting Over” over the phone. He recalled expressing his love for the song, then moved on to appreciating “Double Fantasy,” before the tragic events unfolded. What he remembers most is John’s last moments of pure joy while doing something he adored – it filled him with happiness and anticipation to see him again.

Chapman admitted to firing the gun and stated that he chose hollow-point bullets deliberately, intending to take Lennon’s life, which resulted in a charge of second-degree murder.

After the shooting incident, several mental health professionals including psychiatrists and psychologists assessed Chapman over a period of months. Six of these specialists, working alongside his legal team, concluded that he was experiencing psychosis, with five diagnosing him specifically with paranoid schizophrenia and one suggesting a closer match to manic depression. However, the prosecution’s three experts concurred that Chapman was mentally ill but deemed him fit to face trial.

In January 1981, Chapman claimed he was not guilty due to insanity. However, disregarding the counsel of his lawyer who expressed doubts about his client’s ability to make such a decision, Chapman admitted guilt on June 22, 1981. He informed the judge that God had instructed him to do so and he would never retract or challenge this plea.

On August 24, 1981, Chapman received a sentence of 20 years to life in prison, with the requirement that he also receive psychiatric care.

The 2007 movie titled “Chapter 27” featuring Jared Leto as Chapman, takes its name from the fact that J.D. Salinger’s famous 1951 novel “The Catcher in the Rye“, which has 26 chapters, served as inspiration. In essence, this film portrayed Chapman penning the next chapter of his own Holden Caulfield-like downfall narrative.

After his imprisonment following his arrest, Chapman penned a handwritten letter to The New York Times, urging all to delve into Salinger’s “remarkable” book. He asserted that doing so would offer insights and clarity on recent events.

In his letter, Chapman stated, “If you could see the original copy of The Catcher in the Rye that was stolen from me on December 8th, you would find the words ‘This is my statement’ written by hand. Unfortunately, I couldn’t maintain this stance for long and have since confessed to the police, doctors, and others involved in the case. Now, I understand that I should not have done it because it took away the significance I intended to give to the book.

In another version, the copy he mentioned was taken away as proof, but he got a new one to present in court instead. On the day of his sentencing, when asked if he had any remarks, Chapman read aloud the part where Holden explains his favorite pastime to his little sister Phoebe: that is, keeping kids from tumbling off a cliff while they played among fields of rye.

Or more simply:

The original copy was seized as evidence, but he obtained a replacement for court use. At the sentencing hearing, when prompted to speak, Chapman quoted Holden’s description of his ideal pastime to Phoebe: preventing children from falling off cliffs while they played in rye fields.

Chapman continues to be held at the Green Haven Correctional Facility in New York, where his parole has been refused on 12 separate occasions so far, with Ono expressing opposition each time, most recently in the year 2022. At present, Chapman is a 68-year-old husband to Gloria Abe, whom he married in 1979, and they are permitted one annual visit of 44 hours together.

Thirty years ago, I wasn’t able to express feeling ashamed, but now I understand what that emotion means. During my 2018 parole hearing, I explained it as a sensation where you want to hide your face and avoid asking for anything. Every year that passes, I feel this shame more deeply. In essence, I am saying that I regret my actions and the crime I committed.

Back in 2010, he said that he basically did it for the fame.

He expressed that by taking John Lennon’s life, he believed he would gain recognition. However, what actually happened was that he transformed into a murderer, and as it turns out, murderers are not considered notable individuals.

Up until earlier this year, Ono had been residing in the apartment she and Lennon shared; however, recently, at the age of 90, she moved to her farm nestled within the picturesque Catskills region of upstate New York. Her representative communicated to the New York Times in July that Ono still maintains ownership of her residence at the Dakota.

Sean Lennon, who had his father’s fans celebrating his birthday outside their home, explained to Rolling Stone in 1998 that it would have been unusual for them to leave The Dakota. “The Dakota was all we had left of him – memories and everything,” he said. “Where were we going to go? What were we supposed to do? Run away and act like he never existed? No, it would have been denial. We lived there, and that’s where he lived. That’s where our family began. It was out of respect for him and for our family.” In simpler terms, he suggested they couldn’t leave the Dakota because it held all their memories of his father, and leaving would be like pretending he never existed or denying their connection to him.

Sean continued, “Even to this moment, I always ensure that my mother walks ahead of me whenever we enter the Dakota. I’ve had countless nightmares about being shot throughout the years. As a child, I also had recurring dreams about my mother being harmed.

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2025-04-12 02:18