Ask E. Jean
E. Jean Carroll broke into the business when a literary quiz she wrote about Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald was published by Esquire magazine. They brought her to New York City to write a piece on Fran Lebowitz and, falling in love with the city, she never left. She branched out, becoming a friend and fellow practitioner of 'gonzo journalism' with Hunter S. Thompson. Known for her writing on sex and gender issues, she became the first female contributing editor of Playboy. In 1996, she had her dream job as a television advice columnist. Even Donald Trump recognized her from her show, "Ask E. Jean."
Laura's Review: B+
Cowriter (with Leah Goudsmit and Ferne Pearlstein)/director Ivy Meeropol ("Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn") may begin with what most know Carroll from today, her two successful lawsuits against Donald Trump for sexual assault and defamation, but there is a whole lot more to E. Jean Carroll, who would still be an intriguing documentary subject even if she'd never met the man. Now 80, E. Jean is still quite the character and clearly was a live wire back in the day. She was also of a generational mindset, one that accepted sexism as part of the business landscape. Now Carroll disavows many of her views of the past, but Meeropol doesn't hesitate to contrast her thirty year-old advice with current mores.
The documentary opens with E. Jean arriving in court for the first trial against Trump, then explaining why she sued him in pre-trial video interview with his lawyer Alina Habba (who Trump later attempted to install as New Jersey's D.A.). 'He called me a liar and I couldn't let it stand.' Sitting in a restaurant booth with Lisa Birnbach, an old writing colleague who is now a close friend, the two recall how E. told her about her encounter with Trump in a Bergdorf changing room right after it happened, expecting her to laugh and getting quite a different reaction. She also told a television colleague, Carol Martin, who, at the time, advised her to say nothing because she'd be crushed by Trump's lawyers.
It is surprising to hear Carroll retell this story years later, as initially she was having a good time, indulging in what she thought a flirtation that would make a good anecdote later. Trump saw her leaving the store, put his hand up to stop her and said 'you're the advice lady,' then asking her to give him advice buying a gift for a woman. As Birnbach points out, she was more famous than he at the time. Everything about Carroll seems genuine, the woman never trying to paint the experience as more than it was, although it did turn grim. That, along with the fact that Trump, who denigrated Carroll's appearance claiming she was not 'his type,' identified her in a picture as his second wife, Marla Maples, is what enabled lawyer Roberta Kaplan to win the case. When Trump continued to defame Carroll after that, Kaplan famously won again, asking the jury to consider just how much money it would take to get him to stop. Carroll was awarded over $83 million in addition to the $5 million she got from the first trial in 2019 (Trump is still appealing and Carroll hasn't received a cent).
But that's only part of the story and Meeropol captures her subject in a cafe, at home and via snippets from her television show relating her experiences, like how the militant lesbian pornographers she interviewed in San Francisco were a fun bunch of folk or how Hunter S. Thompson lived 'in a state of grace,' the man fearlessly driving 90 mph on mountain roads without headlights. Her advice from the time can be cringe worthy now, telling women not to allow themselves to be victimized by men, and, even worse, 'always press charges,' something she famously did not do at the time. Now she marvels at the fact that she had to be made to appear 'f*&able' at 80 for her trial appearance, stylists recreating her look from back in the 90's, while also noting the demeaning questions asked of her by Habba (did she wear underwear, had she been drinking, taken drugs, taken acting classes, etc.). She was also inundated with horrible messages and threats by the MAGA faithful.
In the end, Carroll triumphs, though, glamming up to walk the Time 100 celebration red carpet with Roberta Kaplan, her 90's self leaving us with the worthy advice 'Fate favors the fearless.' "Ask E. Jean" jumps off from a scandalous lawsuit to examine a full and flavorful life.
Abramorama released "Ask E. Jean" in select theaters on 5/22/26, expanding in subsequent weeks. Click here for theaters and playdates.
