John Lennon was a closet Republican, who felt a little embarrassed by his former radicalism, at the time of his death – according to the tragic Beatles star’s last personal assistant.
Fred Seaman worked alongside the music legend from 1979 to Lennon’s death at the end of 1980 and he reveals the star was a Ronald Reagan fan who enjoyed arguing with left-wing radicals who reminded him of his former self.
In new documentary Beatles Stories, Seaman tells filmmaker Seth Swirsky Lennon wasn’t the peace-loving militant fans thought he was while he was his assistant.
He says, “John, basically, made it very clear that if he were an American he would vote for Reagan because he was really sour on (Democrat) Jimmy Carter.
“He’d met Reagan back, I think, in the 70s at some sporting event… Reagan was the guy who had ordered the National Guard, I believe, to go after the young (peace) demonstrators in Berkeley, so I think that John maybe forgot about that… He did express support for Reagan, which shocked me.
“I also saw John embark in some really brutal arguments with my uncle, who’s an old-time communist… He enjoyed really provoking my uncle… Maybe he was being provocative… but it was pretty obvious to me he had moved away from his earlier radicalism.
“He was a very different person back in 1979 and 80 than he’d been when he wrote Imagine. By 1979 he looked back on that guy and was embarrassed by that guy’s naivete.”
Someone with time on his hands should update the lyrics to the song, “Imagine”….
♫♪Imagine there’s no Democrat…
It’s easy if you try….♫♪
No doubt Fred Seaman is a totally reliable source. From an LA Times commentary by Andrew Malcolm:
Fred’s probably OK on this latest effort at exploitation. He can’t be found guilty in a court of law of slandering the dead.
John Lennon’s last public political statement, issued in support of unionized L.A. and San Francisco workers striking against Japan Foods Corporation:
John Lennon: NOT a Closet Republican
GREG ,
MY MY, YOU GO GET THEM ON THEIR GRAVES NOW
@ilovebeeswarzone, #4:
It bothers me that someone who previously stole the personal property of a much beloved public figure would continue to try to exploit him by telling lies after his untimely death.
The “slander” comment was a cheap shot, I admit, and I’ll take that comment back. I actually voted for Ronald Reagan myself. Twice.
GREG , hi,
I just came back from listenning to JOHN WELSH , AND HE PREDICTED WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY,
IN A LONG SPEECH FULL OF WISDOM DIRECTED AT AMERICA STAYING IN AMERICA,
I AM SO IMPRESS, WITH IT,
and if every AMERICAN WOULD TAKE HIS ADVICE AND WORK ON EXPOSING THE REAL DANGER TO OTHER FROM JOHN WELSH POINT,
THE POWER WOULD BE SO STRONG THAT THOSE WHO ARE GUILTY, WOULD BE RUNNING AWAY TO AVOID FACING AMERICANS ON THE MOVE TO RELENTLESSLY START TO FINISH THE TASK TO SAVE THE COUNTRY
IN THE GREATEST PERILS OF AMERICA’S LIFE
Thanks for the links Greg and for looking into it deeper!
regardless of his politics, he was and is still my favorite beetle. I really enjoyed, and still do his last album and the rest of his music. Very ironic that much of the album was about life, and then he was murdered.
John and all the ex-Beatles were sick of paying the 97% tax rate for their income level in the UK.
All four – at one point or another – became tax-exiles.
I recall reading about how George Harrison, Ringo Starr and T Rex’s Marc Bolan all took their wives and set sail on a yacht, intending to not touch British soil for 1 full year.
But George was such a philanderer that both Ringo and Marc had had it with him after only a few weeks.
So they left and lived on the mainland of Europe for the rest of that year.
John was also a tax exile.
Even our taxes back then were lower than what he’d have had to pay in the UK.
Greg Why would anyone believe this robber Seamon? Lennon’s statement just before his death says it all.
You voting for R.R. TWICE. That’s a scoop.