THE crimes of Lyle and Erik Menendez have received both documentary and dramatized treatments during the fall of 2024.

Here we take a look at the differences between the two productions.

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The Menendez Brothers Documentary and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story differ in several key aspects.

Format and style

Directed by legendary Law & Order producer Dick Wolf, The Menendez Brothers Documentary is a factual, non-fiction film that aims to present an objective account of the whole case.

It features interviews, archival footage, and expert commentary, providing a comprehensive overview of the complicated events surrounding the murders of Jose and Kitty Mendendez.

In contrast, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is a dramatized series recreating the murders and subsequent trials in an effort to produce an engaging piece of entertainment.

Actors portray the key figures, with scripted dialogue and scenes used to tell the story.

This format allows for more creative liberties to be taken, such as depicting conversations and events that may not have been documented.

Perspective and focus

The documentary strives for a balanced presentation of facts, including multiple viewpoints from law enforcement, legal experts, and those close to the case.

The Monsters series, being part of Ryan Murphy’s anthology, tends to focus more on the psychological aspects and personal experiences of the main subjects.

It delves deeper into the brothers’ claims of abuse and their emotional states before the gruesome crime was committed.

Accuracy and creative license

The Menendez Brothers Documentary is bound by journalistic standards, adhering closely to verified facts and testimonies.

Although it may present conflicting information, it avoids speculation or over-dramatization.

The Monsters series, while based on true events, takes a more creative approach to its storytelling.

Fictionalized accounts tend to fill in gaps in the historical record with made-up scenes and dialogue, leading to a less factual and more emotionally-engaging narrative.

Controversy and reception

The Monsters series has sparked considerable debate and criticism, including from the Menendez brothers.

When I spoke to Lyle the other night, I said, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever heard you raise your voice.’ And he agreed

Anamaria Baralt

Erik Menendez has called it “disheartening slander”.

In a statement related via his wife on X, Erik Menendez criticized the production the day after it was released.

He said: “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.”

He continued: “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.

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“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.”

Family reaction

The devoted first cousin of Lyle and Erik Menendez, Anamaria Baralt, couldn’t believe what she was seeing when she watched the first episode of Monsters, which depicted the nightmare scenario that has haunted her family for over 30 years.

She remains very close to Lyle and will forever be heartbroken about the events of August 20, 1989.

The yoga instructor, who is based outside Seattle, has visited him countless times in prison.

The 53-year-old knows him better than most, and in a world exclusive for The U.S. Sun spoke publicly for the first time about the killings.

Anamaria’s father Carlos was good friends with his multi-millionaire TV executive brother-in-law Jose Menendez, who along with his wife Kitty was murdered by their two sons in their Beverly Hills mansion.

Anamaria wanted to set the record straight about the depiction of Lyle in Monsters, saying: “The portrayal of Lyle as this rage-fueled, fly-off-the-handle, aggressive personality is so far off the mark of his personality.

“When I spoke to Lyle the other night, I said, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever heard you raise your voice.’ And he agreed.

“When you do meet them, you realize how funny they are. You wouldn’t expect somebody in prison for 35 years to laugh, joke around a lot, and be so warm. But they are just joyous people.”

Although she appreciates some of the dramatic effects added to boost ratings, Anamaria struggled to understand why moves weren’t made to connect with the real-life characters before filming began.

“Shouldn’t it have been the other way round?” she asked.

“If they had met him for five minutes, they would have seen how contrary to his personality. I think it’s weird.”

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Laura Whitmore has spoken out after the BBC unveiled the results of its investigation into former Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice’s behaviour.

The probe led to an apology for actor Amanda Abbington, competition early, after her complaints of verbal bullying and harassment were upheld. The Sherlock star was paired with Pernice during the show’s 2023 season but dropped out of the competition early and later raised concerns about how she was treated behind the scenes.

The lengthy investigation also found that 34-year-old Pernice, who left Strictly earlier this year, was not physically aggressive towards his partner.

Former Love Island presenter Whitmore was paired with Pernice on Strictly back in 2016, and was later among those asked to speak to the BBC during the investigation.

“I hope this helps people realise they should not be subjected to abusive behaviour in the workplace,” the 39-year-old wrote on an Instagram story.

“Things can be twisted online and there’s so much more to this but in black and white there were complaints upheld and an apology made. And the perpetrator no longer works for the channel.”

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The BBC said in a statement that the corporation had “upheld some, but not all, of the complaints made”, adding: “Strictly Come Dancing is a family show and we rightly expect very high standards. While competition can be tough, rigorous and demanding, we want the show to ultimately be a joyous and transformative experience.

“It is a great shame if this hasn’t been the case for everyone who has appeared on the show. We want to apologise to Amanda Abbington and to thank her for coming forward and taking part. We know this would not have been an easy thing to do.”

After the results of the investigation were released yesterday (30 September), a spokesperson for Pernice said the dancer was “pleased” that the report “has not found any evidence of threatening or abusive behaviour” by him, noting that he “is relieved that the overwhelming majority of allegations out to the BBC have not been upheld”.

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Abbington, meanwhile, said that the BBC’s apology “meant a lot” to her, describing it as “a vindication of my complaint” and “for the other people who have contacted me since I made my complaint to express concerns about their own experiences”.

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“I hope those who have felt unable to speak out now will be more confident that they will be listened to and believed,” she added.

Ranvir Singh, who danced with Pernice during the 2020 series, also shared her thoughts on the verdict, telling her Good Morning Britain colleague Susanna Reid that she was “pleased” to see “that it ended with an apology to Amanda”.

“I was pleased yesterday to see that the BBC investigation had concluded – it had been going on for some time – and that it ended with an apology to Amanda. I was pleased to see that,” the presenter said. “I think that it can only be a good thing that these extra welfare measures have now been put in place on the back of this investigation because ultimately, Strictly is a show that everyone should be having a good time on.”

Earlier this year, Whitmore claimed that she had initially raised concerns during her time on Strictly in 2016.

“I thought my experience was specific to me but I’ve since learned I was wrong,” she wrote in a statement shared on Instagram.

“I am not looking for anything, just an acceptance that what happened to me in the rehearsal rooms during my time on BBC Strictly was wrong and that it won’t happen to anyone else again,” she wrote.

Whitmore first spoke out publicly about her time on the show back in 2018, when she revealed: “I was placed with a dance partner I was extremely uncomfortable with – and in the end I felt broken. I cried every day. And I really was broken, both mentally and physically, by the end.”

GOGGLEBOX star Roisin Kelly has been left fuming after her parked car was written off by a reckless driver.

Roisin, who is an armchair critic with her boyfriend Joe Kyle on the Channel 4 hit, showed photos of her car rammed into a tree after the terrifying accident.

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The Gogglebox star accused the other driver of faking a heart attack as an excuse.

Snaps revealed her smashed up motor with glass and debris after another car slammed into the back of it and pushed it into the tree.

She said: “We weren’t in the car.

“But what was more irresponsible was the driver.”

Roisin explained the motorist had been driving at a speed “attempting to break the sound barrier” and was “clearly on his phone” when he rammed into the back of her vehicle, which she had affectionately called named Adam.

Roisin continued: “(The driver) sent my beautiful little Adam to the car park in the sky.

“He was clearly on his phone and also simultaneously attempting to break the sound barrier.

“(He) got out, faked a heart attack, and when he was getting oxygen got a taxi home.”

Roisin Kelly and hilarious boyfriend Joe Kyle were the first Scottish armchair critics to appear on the Channel 4 hit in six year.

Away from the Gogglebox Roisin has hosted a podcast titled Nags and Brags, which is making a comeback.

She’s also found sharing TikToks of her outfits and items she’s selling on Vinted.

Away from the small screen, Roisin has racked up a loyal following of 56,000 TikTok followers with her fashion tips and outfit choices.

And the social media producer regularly posts her work wardrobe picks.

In her recent video, Roisin admitted she had “good visions” for a recent outfit.

She paired a baggy white top with a denim tie-front gilet, red striped beach trousers and red Adidas gazelles.

“Last night I thought this will be so cool”, she said.

“But I feel like I look like the baddie, or maybe the love interest actually in a pantomime. I look like the boyfriend from Tangled.”

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