What can we learn from RFK's 'erotic poetry'? That Americans need to get better at enjoying a scandal | Marina Hyde

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.

The press can be so extra sometimes . 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 .

It's actually kind of funny how they're all so serious about it, though. I mean, can you imagine if the press just laughed at themselves and said "well, this is just ridiculous"? That would be a game-changer. We need some levity around here .

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 quite amusing how Olivia Nuzzi's flight from NYC to LA became an impromptu wildfire update show . I mean, who needs CNN when you have a blogger documenting the flames? And Ryan Lizza's bamboo metaphor? Come on, dude... it's like he's trying out for a role in a bad 90s action movie

The thing is, our American press is so serious all the time, it's almost like they're begging us to have a good laugh at their expense . I wish they'd just poke fun at themselves and acknowledge how ridiculous these scandals can be. After all, as Marina Hyde said, "a good laugh is how we get by" when our leaders mess up

I mean, can you even imagine being part of that crazy media storm? 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 . And let's be real, if even RFK's antics can't help but make you chuckle, maybe we've just got to learn to laugh at ourselves and not take things so seriously .

lol this whole scandal thing is wild. i mean, rfk's poetry about his infidelity? that's just ridiculous . and olivia nuzzi's updates on the wildfires in la? it sounds like she was just trying to document her own escape route . 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 . a bit of self-awareness and humor wouldn't go amiss in this whole situation .

I gotta say, the way the American press is handling RFK's scandal is pretty wild ... like they're taking it super seriously but also kinda not taking themselves seriously at all? It's like they're trying to be all dramatic and intense but can't help giggling on the inside . And omg Olivia Nuzzi's description of those wildfires in LA is just ridiculous – who writes about burning acres on a plane ride from NYC to LA? 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?

the american press's obsession with scandals is wild i mean, who else covers a rich uncle's sex scandal with such gravitas? it's like they're trying to make it more dramatic than it actually is anyway, olivia nuzzi's flight story has me dying "wildfires in la" - that's some next-level melodrama right there ryan lizza's bamboo metaphor is just... i get what he's trying to do but seriously, it's like he's trying too hard to be relatable and yeah, it's time for the press to lighten up a bit maybe they can even poke fun at themselves without getting roasted

LOL @ RFK Jr trying to be poetic with his erotic poetry about getting caught - it's like he's trying out for a role in some weird indie film . And what's up with journalists treating this whole thing like a blockbuster movie, complete with melodrama and over-the-top metaphors? It's like they're more interested in the spectacle than the actual scandal . Nuzzi's flight description from NY to LA is literally the most relatable part of the whole thing - who hasn't had to make a quick escape from a media storm before? 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! Olivia Nuzzi's description of those LA wildfires sounded like a super dramatic novel – "meticulous updates on acreage burned" lol what's next? And Ryan Lizza's bamboo metaphor is just cringeworthy it's like he's trying too hard to be deep and introspective. Can't journalists just have a good laugh at themselves for once? I mean, it's not about diminishing RFK's transgressions, but more about being aware of how ridiculous they're making everything sound.

idk why americans still can't take themselves seriously rfk's poem thingy is just too much. like, who writes erotic poetry about infidelity and expects everyone to be impressed? and can we talk about how ridiculous it is for journalists to be so serious about this whole thing? they're basically reading from a script or something the way they're treating ryan's bamboo analogy is just cringeworthy. like, dude, you're not even trying to hide your ego anymore

I gotta say, this scandal is like a never-ending trainwreck that you can't look away from . 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 Ryan Lizza's bamboo metaphor is just... wow, what a tool .

I'm not saying RFK's transgressions aren't serious, but come on, guys, lighten up! A healthy dose of self-awareness would go a long way in making this scandal less painful to watch. And can we please just acknowledge that America's obsession with self-importance is kinda the real story here? It's like, even when our leaders mess up, we get all serious and somber about it. I'm over here like, "chill, folks, a good laugh is how we survive"

omg I'm dying over RFK Jr's erotic poetry lol what was he thinking?? and Nuzzi's flight update sounds like a bad thriller novel who writes that stuff on the go? and Lizza's bamboo metaphor is just too much i can already imagine him trying to flex his "tough journalist" muscles

lol what's with the American press going all out on these scandals like they're trying to win some kinda award . I mean RFK Jr.'s poetry? that's just lowkey cringeworthy. And Olivia Nuzzi's wildfire updates? it's like she was trying to distract us from her own drama while fleeing the scene . The only thing missing is a tongue-in-cheek commentary on how over-the-top they're being, but nah, journalists just taking themselves super seriously . 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 . It'd be refreshing if the press could poke a little fun at itself and say "hey we're not taking ourselves too seriously here"

OMG I'm dying over here! The American press's treatment of this scandal is literally cringe-worthy . Like, can't they just have a chuckle and move on? And seriously, who pens erotic poetry about infidelity? I mean, what's next? RFK's attempts to spin his misbehavior as "poetic license" are ridiculous . And don't even get me started on the bamboo metaphor... that guy is a comedic genius . The press's seriousness about this scandal is just too much to handle . I need some self-awareness from our journalists ASAP , or at least a good dose of humor to balance out all this drama

omg i cant even right now LOL ‍ rfk jr's attempts to present his infidelity as poetic license is like wth is he even thinking and olivia nuzzi's account of flying from ny to la amidst a media firestorm is literally the most relatable thing ever andryan lizza's bamboo metaphor is just ‍ i mean who uses that as a metaphor for their own downfall? anywayz i think the american press is being way too serious about this scandal it's like they're treating rfk jr's transgressions with the same level of importance as obama's birth certificate or something a good laugh is definitely what we need right now to put things into perspective

I MEAN COME ON AMERICA CAN'T YOU JUST LAUGH AT YOURSELF FOR A CHANGE?? THE WAY YOU'RE TREATING THIS RFK SCANDAL IS LIKE WATCHING A TRAIN WRECK IN SLOW MOTION - YOU KNOW IT'S GONNA END BADLY BUT YOU CAN'T LOOK AWAY!!! AND OLIVIA NUZZI'S DESCRIBIONS OF THE LA WILDFIRES HAVE ME DEAD 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.