"How do you fit this guy into the culture? Because we need him," Michael Hirschorn, former head of programming at VH1, who oversaw Flavor of Love, Rock of Love, and I Love the '80s, tells me with a laugh when I ask about Santos's prospects. "He's like Anthony Weiner times ten, in terms of the narcissistic aspect of it, but there's just so much pleasure in watching him-the fashion, the cockiness, the unearned swag."
As any Housewife or fallen televangelist will tell you, camp shamelessness can get you far. No wonder Santos is already a star on Cameo, charging $500 a pop. I've had a few in-person run-ins with him, the most recent of which occurred after he was expelled from Congress, but never a proper on-the-record interview. I came away thinking about Trump and how he has merged politics, infamy, and brazenness in a way that gave us Santos.
Back in 2016, it was said that Trump couldn't win because he was an unserious reality-TV showboat. But running for president is the greatest reality-TV show in the world-what are the debates if not rose ceremonies?-so, as we have found out, Trump had the relevant experience for the job. In his wake, the world belongs to the beefers, the livestreamers, and the stunt queens: Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz, and, yes, AOC. And then came Santos.
He had no constituency, policy goals, or résumé. But he is, in his way, a star. "Of course Santos can do something in show business," says Bill Maher. "It's the only other business besides politics where there are no rules or qualifications, just whether you can get people to support you."
Esta historia es de la edición December 18, 2023 de New York magazine.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición December 18, 2023 de New York magazine.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Reality Check
Joseph O'Neill's realist novel embodies the best and worst of the genre.
An Atlas Who Can't Carry
J.Lo's AI-friendly flick flattens its own world.
Billie Doesn't Have to Do It All
The singer's gleefully disorienting third album doesn't hit every note it reaches for.
A Hollywood Family's Grudges
In Griffin Dunne's memoir, The Friday Afternoon Club-about growing up the son of Dominick Dunne and the nephew of John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion-both acid and names are dropped.
Quite the Tomato
A summer appetizer from a seriously ambitious restaurant.
This Cooking Can't Be Pinned Down
Theodora's menu is all over the map. That's what makes it great.
Answered Prayers
Brooklynites Cristiana Peña and Nick Porter had a dream to live in an old church upstate.
INDUSTRY Goes for Broke
With a new Sunday-night time slot and Game of Thrones's Kit Harington co-starring, can this buzzy GEN-Z FINANCE DRAMA finally break out?
THE SECRET SAUCE
As Marcus on THE BEAR, LIONEL BOYCE is the guy everyone wants to be around. He's having that effect on Hollywood too.
The Love Machine
LOVE IS BLIND creator CHRIS COELEN drops a new group of singles into his strange experiment-and wrestles with all the lawsuits against the series.