Paula Mejia

But they also asked him... What is your fascination with roadkill?

And this is one of those things where it's like...

Okay, yeah, I'm kind of glad they're asking that question.

Somebody had to ask the question.

Somebody had to ask them.

And what I also find fascinating and something that I've been thinking about is I think in some ways the world has changed.

caught up to TMZ's desire to cover subjects in this way because they've always relied on video for, you know, for their scoops, especially for things that are huge news, kind of bombshell exclusive things.

But they're very much using video now as part of their DC coverage where they're essentially just walking up to RFK Jr.

and saying, what's this about a raccoon penis?

So it's...

And in a world where more and more people are receiving their news in short form video format from influencers, they are very much playing into that.

I think this is a real investment.

And I think part of that is not only because of their history in having a desire to have a footprint in Washington, but also because increasingly even legacy media outlets are very interested in the intersection of pop culture and politics.

The Washington Post just had a brutal round of layoffs that saw hundreds of people lose their jobs.

Meanwhile, they just listed a new job for a style politics reporter based in Washington, D.C.,

Which is fascinating because it does not seem that unlike what TMZ is doing to me.

Let me read you some of the description.

The style section role will focus on illuminating the people, both famous and obscure, who animate the Capitol.

From the social circuits, group chats, and digital ecosystems that define modern political life, this beat captures the mood, the moments, and the meaning behind Washington's ever-shifting cast of characters."

So by virtue of having cast of characters in a job listing, I think that that is already indicative of TMZ's effect on the media ecosystem in Washington.