Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 8 hours ago
Charles Fain Lehman, Carolyn Gorman, Renu Mukherjee, and Ilya Shapiro break down America’s cultural and political flashpoints, from the mass shooting at a Midtown Manhattan office to the media meltdown over a jeans ad. They unpack the July 29 shooting that left four dead, including Blackstone exec Wesley LePatner, with a manifesto blaming the NFL for brain trauma—spotlighting mental health, gun violence, and rising stakes in NYC’s mayoral race. Then: Sydney Sweeney’s “great jeans” pun for American Eagle sparks wild accusations of eugenics and white supremacy, with even the White House calling the outrage “moronic.” The panel digs into the culture war’s grip on advertising, brand fear, and the new rules of controversy.
Thumbnail image from American Eagle’s “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign.
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Charles Fain Lehman: https://x.com/CharlesFLehman
Carolyn Gorman: https://x.com/CarolynGorman_
Renu Mukherjee: https://x.com/RenuMukherjee1
Ilya Shapiro: https://x.com/ishapiro
Charles Fain Lehman, Carolyn Gorman, Renu Mukherjee, and Ilya Shapiro break down America’s cultural and political flashpoints, from the mass shooting at a Midtown Manhattan office to the media meltdown over a jeans ad. They unpack the July 29 shooting that left four dead, including Blackstone exec Wesley LePatner, with a manifesto blaming the NFL for brain trauma—spotlighting mental health, gun violence, and rising stakes in NYC’s mayoral race. Then: Sydney Sweeney’s “great jeans” pun for American Eagle sparks wild accusations of eugenics and white supremacy, with even the White House calling the outrage “moronic.” The panel digs into the culture war’s grip on advertising, brand fear, and the new rules of controversy.
Thumbnail image from American Eagle’s “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign.
Get the best of City Journal, delivered weekly:
city-journal.org/email-alerts
Charles Fain Lehman: https://x.com/CharlesFLehman
Carolyn Gorman: https://x.com/CarolynGorman_
Renu Mukherjee: https://x.com/RenuMukherjee1
Ilya Shapiro: https://x.com/ishapiro
