1.
“Boomers to the Rescue,” February 10–23
New York’s latest cover story explored the world of adults who depend on their parents’ money to make it in the city. On Instagram, Dominikajaw said she’d been waiting for a story like this: “We have never received financial help … It’s becoming challenging and alienating to have adult friendships with other parents because our lives (financial circumstances, stress levels) are incongruous.” Over on X, volcrushed admitted, “id be lying if i said i didnt feel a bit of envy”; Mcunanda joked, “love this but feels like the call is coming from inside the office lol”; and Gina Fuchs said, “if you are one of the people embarrassed about your trust funds i am offering today to take it off your hands, zero judgement.” Reader Kjreilly commented, “I have wealthy parents and I think this story misses one of the biggest privileges that comes with it: even if I was doing fine in my career and paying for my own expenses, buying my own property, etc, they were always there if something went wrong … I was always flying with a net and that changed the choices I made.” From the opposite position, Sara Campbell tweeted, “this would have been helpful for my broke self when I moved to NYC at 24. I spent 4 years there totally unaware that most of the ppl I was competing with were getting serious financial help from their parents,” and JubileeDJ agreed: “Once i figured this out i started being way less hard on myself.”
Many readers supported the idea of parents financing their adult children’s lifestyles. White Carrot tweeted, “paying for your children to have a better life should be everyone’s end goal.” Also on X, the Russian Epistemologist wrote, “What’s the point of developing wealth in your family generationally, to then not give it to the next generation?” Mcelarier sympathized with the families: “I know parents who are giving their children money so they can afford a lifestyle in NYC that the parent doesn’t even have. The children go to fancy NYC restaurants and take extravagant international vacations several times a year, but the parents eat at home (mostly) and maybe go to Maine for a week in August.” Commenter justtoclarify wanted to “hear from the parents”: “Do they see it as a gift to the future or an investment? Do they see it as a guarantee that they’ll be looked after? Are they, too, ashamed and secretive about it?” Yana called the practice “a huge reason for the Disneyification” of the city: “It’s become one big playground for rich young ppl, who are paying $5000+ a month for a studio in the West Village or Williamsburg while pretending they can’t afford lunch.” Griffith agreed: “this is about the battle for a soul of a city and its locals.” Also on X, Ariel Lewiton said, “if yr parents can afford to front you a downpayment and you lucked into a low mortgage rate … you’re likely paying less per month for housing than the poor suckers stuck renting. How the rich stay rich—it’s literally cheaper!”
2.
“After Lorne”
Also in the issue, Reeves Wiedeman took stock of Lorne Michaels’s legacy as SNL celebrates its 50th anniversary. On Longreads, Peter Rubin wrote, “Wiedeman circumnavigates Michaels’ infamous power and reach by utilizing various source-protection methods, none of which lessen the impact of the jaw-dropping anecdotes and candor from NBC executives and cast members … I’ve [never] read something that cuts past the mythmaking quite so keenly.” Calling out an anecdote Wiedeman unearthed that many found revealing, Mr. Howard on Bluesky said the reporting “is almost entirely stories I haven’t heard about him before and I’ve heard a lot. Surprised this one hasn’t come out previously where he called Taylor Swift a terrorist and then she apologized to him.” Mcbc tweeted, “every word ate like a bowl of popcorn in Lorne’s office.” Reader mousenrats commented, “The article makes a strong implicit case for the show ending with Lorne. Maybe Seth Meyers or someone else could take it over but he wouldn’t have the same pull, the budgets would be lower—it sometimes seems like it’s the astonishing hair, makeup, costumes, and sets that really make the show work when the writing or performing is sub-par, and once you take that away, it’s amateur hour like in the ’70s iteration, but without the excitement and edge.” Nrj hoped that won’t come to pass: “It would be a shame (albeit predictable) if NBC penny-pinches the show to death once Lorne departs. $4 million an episode is a lot for sketch comedy, sure, but it’s less than the budget for formulaic network dramas that don’t garner nearly as many eyeballs. Don’t pull a Zaslav on this one, NBC. Do one thing right and prioritize entertainment over spreadsheets.”
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