Marilyn Monroe impersonator defends statue against claims it ‘encourages upskirting’

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A Marilyn Monroe impersonator has defended a controversial statue of the icon, after it was claimed it would encourage ‘upskirting’.

The statue currently stands at 26 feet tall in Palm Springs, showing the late star holding down the skirt of her dress as in the iconic scene in the 1955 movie The Seven Year Itch.

However, some people have expressed concerns that, since the statue is so tall, visitors will be encouraged to walk through its legs and take photos under the skirt.

Upskirting, the invasive action of looking up and/or taking a photograph up someone else’s clothing, was made a criminal offence in April 2019.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Monroe impersonator Suzie Kennedy said of the Forever Marilyn statue: ‘I was there when it first came to Palm Springs and I did news programmes and I never saw anybody upskirting it. What I saw is joy, everybody was so excited. It’s Americana, it’s a piece of movie history.’

She went on to say that, whatever statue you have, people will always take lewd photos, for example of Michelangelo’s David.

‘It doesn’t mean we should get rid of Michelangelo’s David because there’s one person who sees bad in something,’ Suzie added.

Author Olivia Petter debated the point, responding: ‘I think the main issue here is that it is a ginormous statue that encourages people to take a photo of themselves underneath her dress and that is not the most respectful way to remember her.’

Bill Turnbull challenged Olivia’s claim, saying there’s ‘no evidence’ that people will do that, and it would make more sense to take a photo a distance away from the statue.

‘You’d like to think so but I think a lot of people will run underneath,’ Olivia said.

Asked what is actually underneath the statue, Suzie responded: ‘A big pair of Bridget Jones pants – you can’t see anything.’

The performer added that she doesn’t like to see Monroe victimised, explaining: ‘This is a woman that came from having no father figure, her mother was put into an institution, and she was in different foster families.

‘Her dream was to be loved and to be famous and here she is with a 26-foot statue that another woman, and women, are campaigning to tear down. If anything, we should be building her up, not tearing her down.’

Olivia responded: ‘Ask any woman who has been a victim of upskirting – regardless of whether there is a white mark there or not, upskirting is a very serious crime.

‘It can be when people take a photograph under your dress and it can be whether you’re wearing underwear or not, frankly it doesn’t matter, I don’t think Marilyn would want that.’

‘I don’t think it’s the most respectful way of honouring this Hollywood icon,’ she added.

Actress, model, and singer Monroe died in 1962 at the age of 36.

The Forever Marilyn statue, sculpted in 2011, has toured Chicago, New Jersey and Australia.

 Its sculptor, John Seward Johnson II, who specialised in giant-size celebrities, died in March 2020.

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.

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