One minute, you’re scrolling previous cat movies, and the subsequent, you’re watching TikTok tributes to a man accused of homicide. The web’s fascination with true crime tales has reached a brand new degree with the thrill surrounding Luigi Mangione, dubbed “the recent murderer” on-line. However not everybody’s shopping for into it.
Mangione, accused of capturing the UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, on a New York Metropolis sidewalk, has been catapulted into viral fame, with memes, TikTok movies, and even Etsy merchandise, all celebrating his appears to be like. His shirtless social media posts and smoldering look have fueled a wave of admirers who appear to miss the gravity of the accusations in opposition to him. However multi-hyphenate John Waters, no stranger to telling it like it’s, shared his ideas on the phenomenon of the person who introduced sweater vests again in fashion.
Trustworthy takes by an trustworthy man
Waters, who is thought for his experimental and provocative work within the movie and visible media trade, is at the moment selling his latest collaboration along with his good friend Seth Bogart. The 2 joined minds to launch a clothes and merch line. And plainly there are extra collaborations between the 2 to come back sooner or later. Nonetheless, the interview took a distinct flip when Luigi Mangione was introduced up in relation to Waters’ hometown of Baltimore.
Curiously, Mangione hails from Towson, Maryland, only a stone’s throw from Waters’ hometown of Baltimore. Waters, ever the storyteller, couldn’t assist however level out some native connections, from Towson Excessive Faculty to Divine’s grave being close by. Nonetheless, he made it clear he’s not becoming a member of the Luigi fan membership anytime quickly.
Identified for his darkish humor and provocative takes, Waters dismissed the hype round Mangione’s appears to be like. He remarked, “Everyone appears to be like higher underneath arrest,” acknowledging the unusual attract that some people appear to achieve within the public eye after being implicated in crimes. Waters stated flatly: “I imply, he’s not that cute.”
Coming from the king of camp, that’s virtually a roast. Waters additionally mirrored on the broader implications of Mangione’s case, mentioning the unsettling glamorization of alleged criminals in fashionable tradition. However he was fast to remind everybody of the truth of Mangione’s alleged actions, calling them “a terrorist act.”
I believe it’s a phenomenon… However folks will overlook him shortly. They at all times overlook assassins.”
And truthfully? He’s most likely proper. Web fame is as fleeting as it’s weird.
The Luigi hype
To be honest, it’s not the primary time the web has glamorized somebody accused of a critical crime. There’s a protracted historical past of individuals turning alleged criminals into celebrities. For Mangione, his rise to viral fame appears to stem from a mix of the Robin Hood-esque/vigilante nature of his crime, his appears to be like, and the web’s fascination with true crime.
Followers are already dreaming up crime docuseries and biopics, tagging director Ryan Murphy, well-known for his reveals on serial killers, and lookalike actor Dave Franco in discussions about Mangione. Waters, although, isn’t right here for it. He’s seen all of it earlier than and is aware of how shortly the web strikes on.
