In a significant media industry development, Vanity Fair and its West Coast editor, Olivia Nuzzi, have decided to go separate paths. The parties reached a mutual agreement to let Nuzzi's contract expire at the end of the year, a move announced in a joint statement on Friday.
The Controversial Backstory and Departure
The decision follows prolonged controversy surrounding Nuzzi's personal conduct, primarily her undisclosed romantic involvement with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This relationship occurred while she was a Washington correspondent for New York magazine. Kennedy was a presidential candidate at the time and is now the head of the US Department of Health and Human Services.
New York magazine dismissed Nuzzi for failing to disclose this relationship. She later addressed the affair and its fallout in her memoir, American Canto, where she referred to Kennedy as “The Politician” and her ex-fiancé, journalist Ryan Lizza, as “the man I did not marry.”
A Public Feud and Damaging Allegations
The situation escalated into a public feud that captivated media circles. Ryan Lizza published a series of posts on Substack containing serious allegations against Nuzzi. He claimed she had an affair with another subject she was profiling and had provided political advice to Kennedy—actions considered major ethical breaches for a journalist.
Lizza's posts also included private and embarrassing text messages exchanged between Kennedy and Nuzzi, which he stated he had intercepted. In response, during a Substack interview with Emily Sundberg, Nuzzi denounced her ex-fiancé’s actions, labelling the posts as “fiction-slash-revenge porn.”
A Short-Lived Return and a Failed Book Launch
Despite the prior controversy, Nuzzi had recently made a comeback to mainstream journalism. Vanity Fair's global editorial director, Mark Guiducci, appointed her as West Coast editor in September. However, this tenure proved brief.
The announcement of her departure came just days after the publication of her memoir, American Canto. The book launch was widely considered unsuccessful. Critics panned it, and reader interest was minimal. By Friday afternoon, the book languished at a dismal rank of 6,094 on Amazon.com's bestseller list.
Amid the turbulent week, Nuzzi published a humorous Substack column titled “Signs Your Book Rollout Has Gone Awry.” One telling entry read: “Monica Lewinsky reaches out to check on your mental health.” This move highlighted the challenging publicity cycle surrounding her personal and professional life.
The saga underscores the intense scrutiny and ethical boundaries within political journalism. The mutual parting with Vanity Fair marks another chapter in a career deeply affected by personal entanglements becoming public spectacle.
