🔎 Why is the internet crushing on the suspected killer of the United Healthcare CEO?
Also: What happens now in Syria, Kylie Kelce unseats Joe Rogan, and Fortnite agrees to give refunds
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Let’s talk about the internet's new favorite thirst trap, Luigi Mangione.
The 26-year-old suspected in the shocking, execution-style murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has become a social media sensation. Not just for his alleged crime, but also for his alleged... abs. Yes, the manhunt may be over, but the internet’s bizarre fixation on Mangione is still inundating our feeds.
From TikTok fan edits to X memes, the reactions are as absurd as they are disturbing. But what is it about this man—and the dark tale surrounding him—that has transformed a suspected killer into a celebrity thirst trap?
When police released surveillance footage of Mangione - smiling in a gray hoodie like he was on the cover of GQ, not fleeing a crime scene - the internet did what it does best: overreact. Social media users immediately compared him to Jake Gyllenhaal and Timothée Chalamet. “Lee Harvey Rizzwald,” one user quipped, solidifying his place as a new-age antihero meme.
The mugshot that followed only fanned the flames. People weren’t analyzing his potential motives -they were analyzing his cheekbones. “Serving face” was trending harder than “insurance reform.” Instagram was soon flooded with users tagging Mangione in their own thirst traps, declaring undying affection in captions like, “Need him religiously.” To some, it seems, murder isn’t a dealbreaker, it’s a turn-on.
Mangione isn’t the first criminal to inspire drooling. From Ted Bundy to the Menendez brothers, society has long had a troubling fascination with "bad boys" who are, quite literally, bad. Psychologists call this hybristophilia, or the “Bonnie and Clyde syndrome,” where people are attracted to individuals who commit crimes. It’s part danger, part fantasy, and, for some, a misguided belief in their ability to “fix” the broken.
But Mangione’s case adds a layer of righteous anger to the mix. UnitedHealthcare’s reputation for denying life-saving medical claims has made them the villain in many people’s lives. The idea that Mangione acted as some sort of corporate vigilante, with shell casings reportedly etched with “deny,” “defend,” and “delay,” only fuel the narrative. It made him feel less like a suspect and more like a folk hero.
The media isn’t helping. By splashing his chiseled face across platforms, news outlets have unintentionally added fuel to the fire. People click because they’re curious about the story, but they stay for the abs. Social media, of course, amplifies this, turning tragedy into a spectacle. Memes are made, jokes are cracked, and soon enough, the seriousness of the crime is buried under ironic hashtags like #HotAssassin.
Even celebrities have joined the fray. Rapper 50 Cent hinted at a documentary about Mangione, and late-night hosts joked about his attractiveness. Comedian Taylor Tomlinson summed up the sentiment perfectly: “Would.”
But this isn’t just another viral moment: It’s a murder case. Glorifying Mangione, even ironically, dismisses the severity of the crime and disrespects the victim and their family. For every “hot assassin” meme, there’s a grieving family grappling with an unspeakable loss.
So, why do we keep falling into this trap? According to experts, it’s partly about escapism. Mangione’s alleged crime feels cinematic, like something ripped from an episode of American Crime Story. Add in a good-looking suspect, and it’s easy to see why people are hooked. It’s less about him and more about the fantasy he represents—a rebellion against corporate greed, packaged in a Hollywood-worthy face.
The Luigi Mangione phenomenon is a messy cocktail of internet culture, media sensationalism, and collective rage against a broken healthcare system. It’s equal parts hilarious and horrifying - a dark mirror reflecting our obsession with appearances and our inability to process tragedy without turning it into content.
So, the next time you catch yourself watching a Mangione fan cam or chuckling at a meme, take a step back. Ask yourself: Am I engaging with this story because it’s important, or because it’s entertaining? Either way, maybe we should all think twice before hitting “like.”
🔎 Dig Deeper on Syria:
↳ U.S. strategy on Syria risks ISIS resurgence, Kurdish general warns (New York Times)
↳The Republican war over Trump’s Syria policy (Semafor)
↳After toppling Assad, can Syria’s rebels rebuild a shattered state (Washington Post)
↳ Bashar al-Assad’s regime has fallen in Syria. How will this change the Middle East? (The Conversation)
🌎 Around the world
➤ Violent protests in Georgia highlight battle over the country's future. Here's why it matters.
Live television coverage showed police in the former Soviet republic of Georgia beating and arresting an opposition leader last week during a raid on his party's offices. The scenes played out on the 10th day of violent clashes in capital city Tbilisi between police and protesters furious about the Georgian president's decision to put talks on joining the European Union on hold. (CBS News)
➤ Young Koreans, seeing democracy at stake, take to the streets
South Korea’s night of martial law was a jolt for some members of a generation accused of political apathy. They say they aren’t going away. (New York Times)
➤ How China hacked America’s phone network
It’s an alarming new breach, and its scope demonstrates the growing power of one of the United States’ biggest adversaries (New York Times’ The Daily podcast)
🗳️ Politics
➤ President Joe Biden commutes nearly 1,500 sentences and pardons 39 people
President Joe Biden is commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 people who were placed on home confinement during the COVID pandemic and pardoning 39 others convicted of nonviolent crimes. (USA Today)
➤ Donald Trump: 2024 TIME Person of the Year
For marshaling a comeback of historic proportions, for driving a once-in-a-generation political realignment, for reshaping the American presidency and altering America’s role in the world, Donald Trump is TIME’s 2024 Person of the Year. (TIME)
➤ Trump’s Kari Lake ‘pick’ sparks fears at Voice of America
Presidents don’t ordinarily pick the director of Voice of America, an international news broadcaster funded by the US government. But President-elect Donald Trump says he wants his ally Kari Lake to take over VOA. (CNN)
➤ Power, intimidation and the resurrection of Trump’s support for Hegseth
The president-elect became convinced that letting Pete Hegseth fail would set off a feeding frenzy among senators. What followed was a MAGA swarm that helped salvage his bid, at least for now. (New York Times
🗞️ In other news
Homeland Security shares new details of mysterious drone flights over New Jersey
The large mysterious drones reported flying over parts of New Jersey in recent weeks appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security. (AP)
👩💻 Technology
➤ Tech billionaires prepare to invade the Pentagon
A handful of Silicon Valley executives could help transform the country’s largest bureaucracy — and benefit themselves while trying. (Politico)
➤ Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta donates $1M to Trump inauguration fund
Meta’s donation comes weeks after Mark Zuckerberg met President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, as the Facebook founder seeks to mend ties with the right. (Washington Post)
➤ Firefox is ending Do Not Track, but there are better ways to protect your privacy – here's what I recommend
Over the years, concerns have been raised that Do Not Track simply doesn’t work. Since it’s only a request, websites are free to completely ignore it – which many do. After all, when trackers can be used to increase a website’s advertising profits, what website owner is going to pass up an opportunity to make more money from your private data? (Tech Radar)
🍿Pop Culture
➤ Kylie Kelce knocked Joe Rogan off the top podcast slot, in just one episode
Not Gonna Lie is its own sort of experience, in which Jason Kelce's wife and Eagles WAG favorite shouts out good childcare for making it all possible. (Vanity Fair)
⚕️Health and wellness
Only a third of U.S. kids have gotten flu shots
Despite a record number of American children dying from the flu last year, the percentage of kids getting their flu shots keeps falling. (US News)
💰 Money
➤ Epic Games to give refunds after FTC says it 'tricked' Fortnite players into purchases
Epic Games agreed to pay $245 million in refunds to Fortnite players who federal regulators say were "tricked" into making in-game purchases. The FTC is sending out the first round of refunds. (USA Today)
📡 On the radar
➤ Judge blocks The Onion’s purchase of Alex Jones’ Infowars
A bankruptcy judge has blocked The Onion’s winning bid for Alex Jones’ Infowars conspiracy platform, citing concerns with the auction process which he says left money on the table. (CNN)
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