The Menendez Brothers have once again captured public attention following the release of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Netflix. This series delves into the real-life saga of Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were arrested for the tragic murders of their parents in 1996. Not only does the show document their prosecution, but it also highlights the significant trauma they experienced at the hands of their parents.
A particularly shocking moment in the show occurred when Lyle Menendez chose to play “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You”by Milli Vanilli during their parents’ funerals.
Despite accusations regarding the inaccuracy of events portrayed in the series, many viewers speculated that this moment was fabricated. However, it is confirmed to have actually occurred in real life.
The Menendez Brothers Did Play the Milli Vanilli Song at Their Parents’ Funeral
Author Robert Rand, recognized for his in-depth coverage of the Menendez Brothers, including his book The Menendez Murders: The Shocking Untold Story of the Menéndez Family and the Killings that Stunned the Nation, verified this detail on his X account.
Rand asserted that the song “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You”by Milli Vanilli was indeed played during the memorial service for Jose and Kitty Menendez.
“The Milli Vanilli song ‘Miss You’ was also played at the Directors Guild memorial service for Jose and Kitty, parents of the #MenendezBrothers, on August 25, 1989, 35 years ago this week,”Robert Rand tweeted.
The reasons behind choosing this particular song remain unclear. Since the lyrics express the longing for an ex-lover, viewers are hopeful that the forthcoming Netflix documentary on the Menendez Brothers will shed light on this perplexing decision.
Moreover, “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You”isn’t the only Milli Vanilli track featured in the series; “Blame It on the Rain”and “Girl You Know It’s True”are also included. Following their highlighting in the Menendez Brothers show, these songs experienced a surge in streaming activity.
Erik Menendez Addresses Inaccuracies in the Show
After the premiere of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, both the series and its showrunner, Ryan Murphy, faced significant backlash for certain elements presented in the show. Criticism particularly centered on how the series portrayed the relationship between the Menendez Brothers, suggesting an incestuous angle that overlooks their experiences of sexual abuse in childhood.
This backlash prompted Erik Menendez to release a statement condemning Murphy and the series. He emphasized that the show undermined years of efforts to address childhood trauma, labeling Murphy as “naive.”This statement was shared by his wife, Tammi Menendez, on her X account.
“I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show. I can only believe they were done so on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.”
Fans can currently stream the series on Netflix, and an additional documentary titled The Menendez Brothers is set to be released on October 7, 2024.
Leave a Reply