The American press's fetishization of scandal serves as a reminder that the nation's obsession with self-importance can be both cringe-worthy and darkly comedic. The recent tale of Olivia Nuzzi, Ryan Lizza, and Robert F Kennedy Jr.'s alleged infidelity is a case in point.
What makes this story amusing is not just the audacity of RFK's attempts to present his misbehavior as poetic license – he even penned erotic poetry about it – but also the earnestness with which journalists covering the scandal are treating it. Their prose reads like melodrama, replete with overwrought metaphors and portentous tone.
Olivia Nuzzi's account of her flight from New York to LA, where she fled amidst a media firestorm, is particularly noteworthy for its inadvertent humor. Her descriptions of the spreading wildfires in LA – complete with meticulous updates on acreage burned – have a surreal quality that one can't help but find entertaining.
Meanwhile, Ryan Lizza's attempts to narrate his own downfall, likening himself to bamboo struggling to contain a raging fire, are laughable in their earnestness. His repeated uses of the bamboo metaphor border on self-parody, and it's hard not to imagine him beating his chest like a drum, proclaiming, "I'm still here! The bamboo will never conquer me!"
The American press's treatment of this scandal is, on the whole, straight-faced and somber, yet there's an undercurrent of mirth that threatens to break through. The only thing missing is a healthy dose of self-awareness, which would allow journalists to laugh at themselves and the absurdity they've created.
In the end, it's not about diminishing RFK's transgressions but about recognizing that in America, even the most egregious scandals are treated with an air of gravitas that can be quite disarming. It's time for the press to acknowledge this aspect of its culture and indulge in a bit of levity – after all, as Marina Hyde so astutely observes, "a good laugh is how the rest of us get by" when our leaders shit the bed.
What makes this story amusing is not just the audacity of RFK's attempts to present his misbehavior as poetic license – he even penned erotic poetry about it – but also the earnestness with which journalists covering the scandal are treating it. Their prose reads like melodrama, replete with overwrought metaphors and portentous tone.
Olivia Nuzzi's account of her flight from New York to LA, where she fled amidst a media firestorm, is particularly noteworthy for its inadvertent humor. Her descriptions of the spreading wildfires in LA – complete with meticulous updates on acreage burned – have a surreal quality that one can't help but find entertaining.
Meanwhile, Ryan Lizza's attempts to narrate his own downfall, likening himself to bamboo struggling to contain a raging fire, are laughable in their earnestness. His repeated uses of the bamboo metaphor border on self-parody, and it's hard not to imagine him beating his chest like a drum, proclaiming, "I'm still here! The bamboo will never conquer me!"
The American press's treatment of this scandal is, on the whole, straight-faced and somber, yet there's an undercurrent of mirth that threatens to break through. The only thing missing is a healthy dose of self-awareness, which would allow journalists to laugh at themselves and the absurdity they've created.
In the end, it's not about diminishing RFK's transgressions but about recognizing that in America, even the most egregious scandals are treated with an air of gravitas that can be quite disarming. It's time for the press to acknowledge this aspect of its culture and indulge in a bit of levity – after all, as Marina Hyde so astutely observes, "a good laugh is how the rest of us get by" when our leaders shit the bed.
. They're like the ultimate soap opera fans, always hyping up the drama and scandals to get clicks and attention. It's like they're trying to outdo each other in a game of "who can make it sound the most ridiculous". I mean, come on, erotic poetry? That's just too much 
. And don't even get me started on the bamboo metaphor - it's like Ryan Lizza is trying to be the king of over-the-top drama 
I'm surprised at how much entertainment value can be found in the latest RFK scandal. It's like they're performing a twisted version of "Pride and Prejudice" – the media swooning over RFK's supposed poetic license, while RFK himself is just cringing about his own behavior 
It's like they're trying to outdo each other with all the drama and melodrama... I guess it's a reminder that sometimes we need to take a step back and not be so hard on ourselves (or others) when things get messy. It's easy to get caught up in the chaos, but at the end of the day, laughter can actually be a great way to diffuse tension 
. but what's even more amusing is how serious everyone's being about it - the press, the public... it's all just so dramatic 
. i get that scandals are bad news, but come on, let's not take ourselves too seriously 
.
I mean, I get it's juicy gossip and all, but can we please just have a good laugh at ourselves for getting so worked up over it? 
anyway, olivia nuzzi's flight story has me dying 
ryan lizza's bamboo metaphor is just... 
and yeah, it's time for the press to lighten up a bit 
maybe they can even poke fun at themselves without getting roasted 
The only thing missing from this whole debacle is some self-awareness and a good dose of sarcasm... just saying 
I think the American press's obsession with scandals is kinda weird... they treat it like it's some serious soap opera, but really, come on, guys! 
. The press's melodramatic coverage is straight-up cringe-worthy, but at the same time, it's kinda funny how they're all so earnest about it 
. Olivia Nuzzi's account of fleeing LA amidst wildfires has me dying over here - like, who writes a travel log about wildfires? 
.
and Lizza's bamboo metaphor is just too much i can already imagine him trying to flex his "tough journalist" muscles 
. I guess what bothers me is that even when your leaders are messing up big time, America still treats it like it's some kinda serious crisis 
RFK's attempts to spin his misbehavior as "poetic license" are ridiculous 
, or at least a good dose of humor to balance out all this drama 
rfk jr's attempts to present his infidelity as poetic license is like wth is he even thinking 
i mean who uses that as a metaphor for their own downfall? 
I MEAN SERIOUSLY THOUGH, JOURNALISTS NEED TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND REMEMBER THAT IT'S OKAY TO MAKE FUN OF YOURSELVES EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.