Following the premiere of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story on the 2024 TV schedule, Erik Menéndez and his wife clapped back at the Ryan Murphy series that documents the story of him and his brother Lyle being convicted for murdering their mom and dad, Kitty and Jose Menéndez, in 1989. Now, the series' creator has responded to the criticism and shared his own take on the true crime series.
What Erik Menéndez Said About Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menéndez Story
Erik Menéndez released a statement via Tammi Menéndez’s X account that went viral over the weekend. In it, he called out Murphy specifically and the show, saying in part that the executive producer “cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.” He then went on to write:
It is sad for me to know that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward – back through time to an era when the prosecution built a narrative on a belief system that males were not sexually abused, and that males experienced rape trauma differently than women. Those awful lies have been disrupted and exposed by countless brave victims over the last two decades who have broken through their personal shame and bravely spoken out. So now Murphy shapes his horrible narrative through vile and appalling character portrayals of Lyle and of me and disheartening slander.
Overall, Menéndez did not agree with how his story was treated, and he didn’t approve of Ryan Murphy’s choices when it came to making the Netflix series. You can read his full statement below:
Erik's response to the Netflix's series.#NetflixMonsters #Netflix #RyanMurphy pic.twitter.com/Xz1waxA2u3September 20, 2024
Now, the show's creator has shared his thoughts on these comments.
How Ryan Murphy Responded To Erik Menéndez’s Comments
At the premiere of Grotesquerie, Murphy's other big show premiering this fall, he was asked about the backlash he’s received from Erik Menéndez. In response, he noted that the brother has not watched the series (which is available with a Netflix subscription), and he complimented Cooper Koch's performance as Erik, telling E! News:
I know he hasn't watched the show, so I find that curious. I know this for a fact. I hope he does watch it. I think if he did watch it, he would be incredibly proud of Cooper Koch, who plays him.
Murphy went on to explain that the show does address the abuse the brothers went through and “their victimization.”
The series follows the brothers’ story as they’re convicted of murdering their parents. The prosecution stated that their motivation to do it came from wanting to inherit a fortune. However, the brothers, as Erik’s statement points out, have maintained that they were victims of abuse that was sexual, emotional and physical. To that point, Murphy said the show addresses that, saying:
If you look at that show, 60 to 65% of the show centers around Erik and Lyle Menendez talking about their abuse, talking about their victimization, talking about what it emotionally put them through. Those two boys on our show, get their moment in court, and then so then some. I'm used to this. I write about provocative things and controversial things, and my motto is 'never complain and never explain.'
The EP noted that each episode of the show highlights a new theory about the case. He also said he hopes the series prompts viewers to “make up your own mind about who’s innocent, who’s guilty, and who’s the monster.” Lastly, he made it clear that he wanted the project to highlight an issue that isn’t talked about enough, which is male sexual abuse.
As Ryan Murphy noted, he’s no stranger to backlash like this. For example, this show about the Menéndez brothers is the follow-up to the highly contentious first season of Monsters, which focused on Jeffrey Dahmer.
Right when Dahmer came out it was met with a lot of backlash. At one point, a friend of one of Dahmer's victims called out the producer, because they thought the show was “ill timed” and “a media grab.” Meanwhile, a sister of one of the victims said she was never contacted about the series beforehand, even though she’s used as a character in it. Meanwhile, Ryan Murphy did say he tried to contact the victims’ families. So, the producer has faced backlash like Menéndez 's before.
Overall, the conversations surrounding Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story are complex, and as more updates come about it, we’ll keep you posted.
