Amidst a global crisis where countless lives were at stake, it seems that not everyone had their eyes on the prize—or on the pandemic, for that matter. Prominent amongst those multitaskers was none other than Anthony Fauci. Apparently, as unearthed in some eyebrow-raising diary entries, Fauci found himself rather starstruck by, well, himself. These revelations come courtesy of Senator Rand Paul, who decided that airing Fauci’s personal insights might shed some light on the infectious spread of not just the virus but also of fame-itis.
Fauci’s diary entries from May 2020 sound less like the musings of a man deep in battle against COVID-19 and more like the writings of a celebrity overwhelmed by his own limelight. It is astounding to think that while America was grappling with nearly 100,000 COVID-related deaths, Fauci was marveling at his mug on donuts and revelling in his newfound global recognition. There is something rather unsettling about a pandemic expert who is more chuffed about his likeness on bobbleheads than the grave statistics rolling in.
Indeed, Fauci acknowledged that the amount of attention bordered on the unimaginable. It’s a curious choice of words considering many Americans probably found the rapidly rising death toll equally unimaginable. But perhaps pondering his level of fame provided a nice change of pace from thinking about the pandemic. Imagine trying to squeeze in time to read all those flattering news profiles when there is a world crisis at hand. It’s almost as if Fauci needed a personal assistant just to keep track of his press clippings.
The situation escalated to such a point that Fauci even had merchandise dedicated to him, such as “Fauci Pouches,” whatever those may have been. Maybe if he browsed those groovy shirts and bobbleheads more closely, he would have realized there was a fine line being crossed between admiration and misplaced priorities. First responders donned shirts with Fauci’s name, but perhaps they’d have preferred more support for their fight against the virus instead.
These diary revelations pose the question of what truly captivated Fauci’s interest. Was it the infectious disease or his infectious popularity? While science and expertise are critical in times like these, being the star of one’s own show might not have been the best accompaniment to the dire situation. As America continues to heal, perhaps it’s time to reflect on where focus should lie—on public health leadership or on the allure of celebrity status.
