Politico writer faced considerable backlash after dubbing Meghan Markle a “narcissist” in an article titled “2022 is the year we all finally got tired of the narcissists.”
In the piece, Weiss compared Markle to the likes of Elon Musk, Kanye West, Donald Trump, Elizabeth Holmes and Sam Bankman-Fried, commenting that these public figures used “attention as currency and ego as fuel” and rewarded with “what they craved.”
Weiss mentioned feeling a “natural sympathy” for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle initially, which quickly transformed into “irritation” towards the couple after watching their Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan. “My natural sympathy for the couple started turning to irritation, and it occurred to me that ego has its limits,” she said.
She compared Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision release their docuseries to the “impulse” that led to West’s anti-Semitic behavior and turned Musk into a “terror” on Twitter. Weiss highlighted that the pair broke free of “British royal misery,” and “cashed in on the drama.”
The writer also criticized the “glamour shots” in the series and claimed that it made it seem like the pair were long preparing for a “photogenic tell-all.”
“The legitimate complaints are wedged between glamour shots, from footage of Meghan getting fitted for ballgowns to a vast collection of flattering photos and videos they took during their royal exit, apparently preparing for a photogenic tell-all. Even sympathetic critics have groused that there’s little new here, beyond the vanity.”
After the piece came out, the hashtag “JoannaWeissIsARacist” started trending. Here are some of the reactions to the article:
Who is Joanna Weiss?
According to her website, “Joanna Weiss is Editor-in-Chief of Experience magazine and a contributing writer at Politico Magazine, where she covers the intersection of politics and culture.”
Previously, she was a columnist, television critic, and political reporter at the Boston Globe for 16 years. She started her career covering Louisiana politics for the Times-Picayune of New Orleans.
She has also contributed articles for The Atlantic, Slate, The Economist, Pacific Standard, and Boston Magazine.
She was anthologized in the book Nasty Women and Bad Hombres: Gender and Race in the 2016 Presidential Election.
Weiss also writes rock songs with her band, The Lazy Susans.
