Forrest Gump Wiki

The subject of this article:

  • is not mentioned in the Forrest Gump novel canon (including Gump & Co.)
  • exists in the Forrest Gump film canon
  • exists in real life (see Wikipedia article: John F. Kennedy)
Forrest Gump and JFK

John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963) was the 35th President of the United States, from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. In the Forrest Gump film, Forrest meets the President in Washington, D.C. to be congratulated when he is certified an All-American football player for his performance at the University of Alabama. Presented with free food and drink, Forrest indulges in (he estimates) 15 Dr. Peppers, so that when he is asked by the President on live television "How does it feel?" (implying his repetitive question "How does it feel to be an all-American?"), all he can think to say is "I got to pee". Later, Forrest laments on President Kennedy's assassination, followed by that of his brother Robert Kennedy in 1968.

An autographed picture of Marilyn Monroe can be seen in the White House during Forrest's visit, alluding to persistent rumors that Kennedy and Monroe had an affair.

Neither of the Kennedys are mentioned in the novel, and Forrest does not become an All-American player (though he does become an All State Football player).