The professional future of political writer Olivia Nuzzi at Vanity Fair hangs in the balance as her temporary contract with the prestigious magazine nears its expiry at the end of December. This uncertainty follows a series of damaging public allegations made by her former fiancé, journalist Ryan Lizza.
A Controversial Hiring and a Swift Scandal
In September 2023, under the direction of new global editorial director Mark Guiducci, Vanity Fair announced a wave of new hires. Among them was Olivia Nuzzi, appointed as West Coast editor. This marked a significant comeback for Nuzzi, whose career had been derailed a year earlier. In October 2022, New York Magazine terminated her contract after it was revealed she had maintained a personal relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a presidential candidate she was covering.
Guiducci, described by Condé Nast's Anna Wintour as "an energetic and creative editor at the center of his generation," stated the magazine was seeking "fearlessness" in its hires. However, Nuzzi's tenure was thrown into turmoil just two months later. On 17 November 2023, Ryan Lizza began publishing a multi-part exposé detailing their past relationship and levelling serious accusations against her professional conduct.
Serious Allegations and a Muted Response
Lizza's allegations were extensive. He accused Nuzzi of an affair with former South Carolina governor and 2020 Republican presidential candidate Mark Sanford, whom she had previously profiled for New York Magazine. More gravely, he alleged she performed "catch-and-kill" operations for RFK Jr., identifying and suppressing negative stories about him. Lizza also published what he claimed was a "political strategy memo" Nuzzi wrote for Kennedy's campaign.
Vanity Fair's initial response was slow. The magazine waited four days after the first story broke before issuing a brief statement: "We were taken by surprise, and we are looking at all the facts." Since then, the publication has maintained silence, even internally. Staff have reportedly been kept in the dark about the status of the ongoing review into their colleague.
Contractual Limbo and Industry Scrutiny
A critical factor is Nuzzi's employment status. She is not a full-time staff member but is on a temporary contract set to conclude at the end of 2023. For her role to continue, this contract would need explicit renewal by Vanity Fair's leadership. While Puck's Dylan Byers reported she was expected to join full-time in the new year, that now seems uncertain.
The situation also casts a spotlight on Guiducci's early editorial decisions. Media analyst Janice Min, CEO of the Ankler, called the Nuzzi hiring a "rookie error" but said the jury was still out on the new editor. She noted the peril for legacy brands in hiring figures whose personal notoriety can overshadow the publication itself.
Nuzzi's Defence and an Unclear Path Forward
Nuzzi addressed the allegations for the first time publicly on 3 December 2023, during a Q&A for her new book, American Canto. She dismissed Lizza's series as "abuse... dressed up as some sort of noble crusade" and "obsessive and violating fan fiction/revenge porn." However, in a separate interview with The Bulwark, she conceded she had "fucked up" and violated important journalistic ethics rules, stating she did not plan to return to campaign reporting.
The scandal has done little to boost her book sales, which have garnered mostly negative reviews and sat at a lowly rank on Amazon. With Lizza promising more instalments and Vanity Fair's review ongoing, Nuzzi's nascent comeback at the Condé Nast title appears to be on very thin ice. The magazine's decision, expected imminently, will be a significant test of its editorial standards under new leadership.
