Ronan Farrow is now an engaged man after proposing to longtime boyfriend Jonathan Lovett. Farrow included an explanation of how the moment happened in his book “Catch and Kill,” which was released on October 15, 2019.
Farrow is the investigative journalist who won a Pultizer Prize for his reporting on accusations of sexual misconduct by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. His new book details the long road he took to expose Weinstein’s alleged acts and the backlash Farrow said he faced at his former network, NBC.
Lovett worked in the Obama administration as a speechwriter. He co-founded Crooked Media in 2017 alongside Jon Favreau and Tommy Vietor, and together with Dan Pfeiffer they are the hosts of the popular podcast “Pod Save America.”
Here’s what you need to know.
1. Ronan Farrow Wrote ‘Marriage?’ at the Top of a Draft Of His Book & Lovett Responded, ‘Sure’
Ronan Farrow explains in “Catch and Kill” that longtime partner Jon Lovett served as an anchor for him while he was investigating Harvey Weinstein. He said that even as he felt pressure from network executives, Lovett encouraged him to stick with the story and keep digging.
Lovett helped Farrow to write his book about the experience by going over early drafts. Farrow used this as an opportunity to pop the question in a clever way. He asked Lovett to marry him by including the proposal at the top of one of the drafts that he had given Lovett to read.
“It had been a long year for me – and for us – but we hung in there. Later, when I decided some of that reporting would make its way into a book, I’d send him a draft and put in a question, right on this page: ‘Marriage?’ On the moon or even here on Earth? He read the draft, and found the proposal here and said, ‘Sure.'”
In an interview on the Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Farrow further explained that Lovett did not initially see the marriage question in the draft. Farrow said that he had hinted to Lovett that there was “something special” in the document. He said Lovett then proceeded to look for references about himself by hitting “Control F” and missed the proposal during the first look at it. Farrow said it took a little nudging to get Lovett to take a closer look, but clearly, it worked out in the end.
2. Farrow Says That Lovett’s Home Was Being Watched While He Was Investigating Weinstein
Ronan Farrow wrote in “Catch and Kill” that now-fiance Jon Lovett faced consequences as a result of Farrow’s decision to dig into the accusations against Harvey Weinstein. Farrow alleged that, according to “several” American Media Inc, employees, former National Inquirer editor-in-chief Dylan Howard had Lovett followed in Los Angeles.
“[Howard] had also, several AMI employees said, deployed a subcontractor associated with Coleman-Rayner – the same infrastructure used to create secret recordings for Weinstein – to surveil Jonathan in Los Angeles. His home had been watched, his movements followed. Howard would “‘come in and be like, we’re gonna put a tail on Ronan’s boyfriend,’ one of the employees recalled. And later, ‘I’ve got someone following him, we’re gonna find out where he’s going.'”
Farrow added that Howard has denied the allegations. He also wrote that, according to AMI employees, the trail stopped because Lovett’s routine had been “boring.”
In response, Howard told a Daily Beast reporter via text message, “I’m sure you will get a response from my lawyers or AMI.” An AMI spokesperson told the outlet in an email, “Mr. Farrow’s narrative is driven by unsubstantiated allegations from questionable sources and while these stories may be dramatic, they are completely untrue.”
3. Jon Lovett & Ronan Farrow Have Kept Their Relationship Private, But Lovett Has Vocally Defended Farrow From Critics
Jon Lovett and Ronan Farrow have been together for nearly a decade. But they have kept their relationship largely out of the public spotlight. They have posted only a few pictures together on social media. Lovett’s Instagram account has been set to private.
But Lovett will defend Farrow against his critics. For example, Farrow has claimed repeatedly that NBC executives told him to stop digging into Harvey Weinstein. His investigative piece was eventually published in the New Yorker instead. In a staff memo obtained by Mediaite, NBC News Chairman Andy Lack denied the allegation. He instead claimed that NBC did not report Farrow’s story because “he simply didn’t have a story that met our standard for broadcast nor that of any major news organization.” Lack said that the New Yorker article “bore little resemblance to the reporting he had while at NBC News.”
Lovett clapped back at Lack’s characterization. He posted on Twitter that he had personally witnessed NBC executives telling Farrow to back off the story. “NBC killed the Weinstein story. It was a historic mistake. Over and over and over again, NBC told Ronan to stop reporting. I heard it myself! Phones have speakers!”
4. Farrow & Lovett Have Been Together Since 2011 & Bought a House In Los Angeles in 2018
Ronan Farrow shared in his book that he first met Jonathan Lovett “shortly after he left his job as a presidential speechwriter.” Lovett worked in the Obama White House for three years before leaving the administration in 2011 to move to Los Angeles to work as a screenwriter.
Farrow noted that after Lovett co-founded Crooked Media in 2017, which was based in Los Angeles, the busy schedule made spending quality time together more difficult. Farrow wrote that Lovett’s trip to New York “had become shorter and less frequent.”
But the couple clearly worked through the difficulties of living primarily on opposite coasts. According to Variety, they purchased a home in Los Angeles together in 2018. Lovett and Farrow reportedly bought the 3-bedroom “Spanish style cottage” for $1.87 million. The outlet reports that Farrow also owns a $5.65 million penthouse apartment in New York’s Lower East Side.
5. Jon Lovett’s Dog Named Pundit Was a Gift From Farrow’s Mother
Jon Lovett frequently mentions his beloved dog, Pundit, on the “Pod Save America” and “Lovett or Leave It” podcasts. She is an adorable Goldendoodle that Lovett loves to share photos of on social media.
Pundit came into Lovett’s life because of fiance Ronan Farrow. Farrow wrote in “Catch and Kill” that Pundit was actually a gift from Farrow’s mother, actress Mia Farrow.
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