Longtime New York Times columnist David Brooks has finally addressed the firestorm surrounding his tweets warning of a “terrible” economy — and says he should never have written an “insensitive” post.
Brooks, 62, claimed in an interview Friday that he was making a “joke” when he complained that the boozy $78 airport dinner reflected the daily struggles American families face amid persistent inflation.
The political commentator said he was in a state of “sticker shock” when he was handed the bill for his hamburger and tall whiskey, which he imagines ordinary people experience when they visit a grocery store.
“But the problem with that tweet – which I wrote very stupidly – is that it makes me seem ignorant of something very obvious: that an upper-middle-class journalist who has bourbon at the airport is a lot different than a family living paycheck to paycheck ,” Brooks told William Brangham on PBS.
“I’m not sensitive. I messed up. I shouldn’t have tweeted that. I probably shouldn’t have written any tweets … I made a mistake. It is stupid.”
NYT columnist David Brooks said he tweeted the Newark Airport bill as a joke and was “stupid” to post it. Brian Stelter, /X
The tweet – which has attracted more than 36.4 million views since Wednesday – sparked a frenzy of memes and mockery aimed at the columnist, who many accused of being out of touch.
“This meal only costs $78 at Newark Airport. This is why Americans think the economy is bad,” Brooks wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, along with pictures of burgers, fries, and honey-colored liquid on rocks.
The owner of 1911 Smoke House BBQ, the restaurant at the airport where Brooks bought the expensive dinner, said the reporter had to down two doubles to get the big bill.
The tweet – which has attracted more than 36.4 million views since Wednesday – sparked a frenzy of memes and mockery aimed at the columnist, who many accused of being out of touch. Brian Stelter, /X
Thousands posted their own version of Brooks’ tweet — many of which included bottles of booze and bits, from deli meat slices to their pet dog’s kibble.
Author Joyce Carol Oates, 85, especially piled on some variation of humor.
“(bar bill: $66. food bill: $12. tip: $0 NY Times expense account),” he wrote on X.
The owner of 1911 Smoke House BBQ, the airport restaurant where Brooks bought the expensive dinner, said the reporter had to down two doubles to get the big bill. Twitter/@ErrataRob
In a follow-up post, Oates shared an image of her cat yawning next to an empty bowl.
“this disgusting food cost me $7.98, the food is bad & barely enough, that’s why Biden is unpopular,” he scoffed.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
