Rita Jenrette
Encyclopedia
Rita Jenrette, born Rita Carpenter, November 25, 1949 in San Antonio, Texas
is an American celebrity, actor, television journalist, and real estate executive. She is most famous for the interview she gave about her marriage to disgraced U.S. Representative
John Jenrette
following his conviction
in the Abscam
scandal and her accompanying semi-nude pictorial in Playboy
magazine.
In 1973, she became the director of research for the Republican Party of Texas
. In 1974, Jenrette was a visiting lecturer at the Taft Political Institute at Trinity University
. In 1975, she was Opposition Research
Director of the Republican National Committee
, under the chairmanship of Mary Louise Smith
.
In 1977, Jenrette worked as a research associate at the Office of Technology Assessment
under the co-chairmanship of Senator
s Hubert H. Humphrey and Edward M. Kennedy. She co-authored a report, with Ray Hoehle, on the Food for Peace
program, which was presented to the Presidential Commission on World Food Hunger.
In 1978 Jenrette was picked by the Washington Post Sunday magazine as one of four dynamic young women of Washington, D.C.
. On 10 September 1976, she married freshman Democratic
Whip
John Jenrette
of South Carolina
, eighteen months after meeting him on Capitol Hill.
She was also a Clairol
model.
investigation in October 1980. She appeared on the Phil Donahue Show and he called in live to join the conversation. At his trial she testified in her husband's defense.
She gave an interview to Playboy that appeared in the April 1981 issue, accompanied by a nude pictorial. The article's revelation that she and her husband made love on the steps of the U.S. Capitol during a break in an all-night House session caused a hoopla. She claimed that the couple were still "happily married" at the time the Playboy pictorial was photographed, although they had separated by the time it was published.
The comedy group "Capitol Steps
" takes its name from this escapade.
Jenrette again appeared in Playboy in the May 1984 issue on the cover and in a pictorial.
In 1982, Jenrette received the Drama Logue Critics Award for her performance in The Philadelphia Story
. She also appeared in several movies and television shows in the mid-1980s.
In 1989, Jenrette became an on-air journalist on Fox television’s A Current Affair on which she interviewed celebrities.
to Donald Trump
; after losing her claim at trial, she settled her claim for what was reported as a substantially lower payment. In 2003, she completed her MBA at Harvard Business School
.
of Piombino
. (Piombino is an Italian principality dissolved under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte.) To commemorate the marriage, Ludovisi commissioned the recreation of a fragrance originally devised for one of his princely ancestors, and offered it for sale through his website
She also acted on stage as well:
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
is an American celebrity, actor, television journalist, and real estate executive. She is most famous for the interview she gave about her marriage to disgraced U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
John Jenrette
John Jenrette
John Wilson Jenrette, Jr. is a former American politician from South Carolina. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat from January 1975 until December 1980. He was convicted of accepting a bribe in the FBI's Abscam operation.-Biography:Jenrette was born in Horry County,...
following his conviction
Conviction
In law, a conviction is the verdict that results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of a crime.The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal . In Scotland and in the Netherlands, there can also be a verdict of "not proven", which counts as an acquittal...
in the Abscam
Abscam
Abscam was a United States Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation run from the FBI's Hauppauge, Long Island, office in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
scandal and her accompanying semi-nude pictorial in Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
magazine.
Early career
Jenrette earned her bachelor's degree, cum laude, from the University of Texas in 1971.In 1973, she became the director of research for the Republican Party of Texas
Republican Party of Texas
The Republican Party of Texas is one of the two major political parties in the U.S. State of Texas. It is affiliated with the United States Republican Party. The State Chairman is Steve Munisteri, a retired attorney and businessman from Houston, and the Vice-Chair is Melinda Fredricks of Conroe....
. In 1974, Jenrette was a visiting lecturer at the Taft Political Institute at Trinity University
Trinity University (Texas)
Trinity University is a private, independent, primarily undergraduate, university in San Antonio, Texas. Its campus is located in the Monte Vista Historic District and adjacent to Brackenridge Park....
. In 1975, she was Opposition Research
Opposition Research
"Opposition Research" is episode 121 of The West Wing.Alan Alda, Stockard Channing, Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Mary McCormack, and John Spencer do not appear in this episode.-Plot:...
Director of the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
, under the chairmanship of Mary Louise Smith
Mary Louise Smith (1914-1997)
Mary Louise Smith , a U.S. political organizer and women's rights activist, was the second woman to become chairwoman of a major political party in the United States....
.
In 1977, Jenrette worked as a research associate at the Office of Technology Assessment
Office of Technology Assessment
The Office of Technology Assessment was an office of the United States Congress from 1972 to 1995. OTA's purpose was to provide Congressional members and committees with objective and authoritative analysis of the complex scientific and technical issues of the late 20th century, i.e. technology...
under the co-chairmanship of Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
s Hubert H. Humphrey and Edward M. Kennedy. She co-authored a report, with Ray Hoehle, on the Food for Peace
Food for Peace
Public Law 480 also known as Food for Peace is a funding avenue by which U.S. food can be used for overseas aid....
program, which was presented to the Presidential Commission on World Food Hunger.
In 1978 Jenrette was picked by the Washington Post Sunday magazine as one of four dynamic young women of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. On 10 September 1976, she married freshman Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
John Jenrette
John Jenrette
John Wilson Jenrette, Jr. is a former American politician from South Carolina. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat from January 1975 until December 1980. He was convicted of accepting a bribe in the FBI's Abscam operation.-Biography:Jenrette was born in Horry County,...
of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, eighteen months after meeting him on Capitol Hill.
She was also a Clairol
Clairol
Clairol is a personal care products division of Procter & Gamble. The Clairol company was started in 1931 by Lawrence M. Gelb and wife, Joan, who named their enterprise after a hair-coloring preparation they found while traveling in France....
model.
Scandal
Her husband, John, was convicted for taking a bribe during the AbscamAbscam
Abscam was a United States Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation run from the FBI's Hauppauge, Long Island, office in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
investigation in October 1980. She appeared on the Phil Donahue Show and he called in live to join the conversation. At his trial she testified in her husband's defense.
She gave an interview to Playboy that appeared in the April 1981 issue, accompanied by a nude pictorial. The article's revelation that she and her husband made love on the steps of the U.S. Capitol during a break in an all-night House session caused a hoopla. She claimed that the couple were still "happily married" at the time the Playboy pictorial was photographed, although they had separated by the time it was published.
The comedy group "Capitol Steps
Capitol Steps
The Capitol Steps are an American political satire group. It has been performing since 1981, and has released approximately thirty albums consisting primarily of song parodies. Originally consisting exclusively of Congressional staffers performing around Washington, D.C., the troupe now primarily...
" takes its name from this escapade.
Jenrette again appeared in Playboy in the May 1984 issue on the cover and in a pictorial.
Acting and writing career
She separated from her husband in January 1981 and they were divorced shortly thereafter. She has written two published books, one called My Capitol Secrets in 1981 that detailed her experiences as a Congressional spouse, and "Conglomerate", published in 1986.In 1982, Jenrette received the Drama Logue Critics Award for her performance in The Philadelphia Story
The Philadelphia Story (play)
The Philadelphia Story is a 1939 American comic play by Philip Barry. It tells the story of a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the simultaneous arrival of her ex-husband and an attractive journalist.-Production:...
. She also appeared in several movies and television shows in the mid-1980s.
In 1989, Jenrette became an on-air journalist on Fox television’s A Current Affair on which she interviewed celebrities.
Real estate career
In 1994, she began a career in real estate. In 1996, Crain's New York Business described Jenrette as a "Power Broker New York Style." In 1999, she sued Simon Properties for six million U.S. dollars for failing to pay her a commission on the $800 million sale of the General Motors BuildingGeneral Motors Building (New York)
The General Motors Building is a 50-story, 705-foot office tower in Manhattan, New York City, facing Fifth Avenue at 59th Street . The building is one of the few structures in Manhattan that occupies a full city block...
to Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
; after losing her claim at trial, she settled her claim for what was reported as a substantially lower payment. In 2003, she completed her MBA at Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
.
Third marriage
On May 27, 2009, Jenrette married Prince Nicolò Boncompagni LudovisiLudovisi (family)
The Ludovisi were a noble Italian family, originating from Bologna.Famous members of the family were - among others - Cardinal Alessandro Ludovisi, who became Pope with the name of Gregory XV, and his nephew, Ludovico Ludovisi, also cardinal...
of Piombino
Piombino
Piombino is an Italian town and comune of circa 35,000 inhabitants in the province of Livorno . It lies on the border between the Ligurian Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea, in front of Elba Island and at the northern side of Maremma.-Overview:...
. (Piombino is an Italian principality dissolved under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte.) To commemorate the marriage, Ludovisi commissioned the recreation of a fragrance originally devised for one of his princely ancestors, and offered it for sale through his website
Filmography
Jenrette appeared in the following films and television shows:- The Edge of NightThe Edge of NightThe Edge of Night is an American television mystery series/soap opera produced by Procter & Gamble. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that network until November 28, 1975; the series then moved to ABC, where it aired from December 1, 1975, until December 28, 1984...
(1981) - Fantasy IslandFantasy IslandFantasy Island is the title of two separate but related American fantasy television series, both originally airing on the ABC television network.-Original series:...
(1982) - Zombie Island MassacreZombie Island MassacreZombie Island Massacre is a 1984 horror film directed by John N. Carter and starring famed congressman's wife and Playboy model, Rita Jenrette...
(1984) - The Malibu Bikini Shop (1986)
- End of the Line (1987)
- Dream OnDream On (TV series)Dream On is an American adult-themed situation comedy about single New Yorker, Martin Tupper. The show used a gimmick where old black and white clips were used to punctuate the main character's feelings or thoughts...
(1992)
She also acted on stage as well:
- The Philadelphia StoryThe Philadelphia Story (play)The Philadelphia Story is a 1939 American comic play by Philip Barry. It tells the story of a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the simultaneous arrival of her ex-husband and an attractive journalist.-Production:...
(1982) - won the L.A. Drama-Logue Critics AwardDrama-Logue AwardThe Drama-Logue Award was a theater award established in 1977, given by the publishers of Drama-Logue newspaper, a weekly west-coast theater trade publication. Winners were selected by the publication's theater critics, and would receive a certificate at an annual awards ceremony... - A Girl's Guide to Chaos (1987)