Journalism
An editor since 2014, Amy occasionally writes for The Washington Post as well. Here’s a selection of recent or well-remembered work. Click here for her most recent Post stories.
Media | Politics | Culture | Chronicles
Media
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Elizabeth Wurtzel was right all along
1/7/20
“She was the star of the story anyway, just as she was the star of every story she wrote. And she didn’t care if you had a problem with that.”
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The rise and fall — or maybe rebirth? — of the White House correspondents’ dinner
4/26/17
“Trump’s absence also seems to have magically relieved some of the tensions that had been building around the dinner for years – an ethical discomfort, for some attendees…”
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Reality TV is destroying the gossip industry
8/1/10
“Their private lives are public fodder for their shows. That’s left the gossip press completely co-opted, pushing stories that are little more than recaps and promos for television programs.”
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How the Brat Pack got its name — and spoiled celebrity journalism forever
8/10/15
“The story that made the Brat Pack a thing is a funny, gossipy, uncommonly insightful work of celebrity journalism — the likes of which we haven’t seen in years.”
Politics
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Who are you writing in? The overwhelming allure of voting for someone who won’t win
11/3/16
“Everywhere you look this season, reasonable people are putting intensely philosophical and creative thought into how, exactly, they will throw away their vote for president.”
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Why does everyone call Donald Trump ‘The Donald’? It’s an interesting story
9/1/15
“A fluke moment of harmonic convergence between the long-estranged wife whose fame once matched his and the legendary, long-defunct magazine that built its reputation by ruthlessly mocking him.”
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The political deathwatch is Washington’s most unwelcome tradition
10/29/13
“a process so bruising that many seem reluctant to discuss it years later, even after they’ve moved on to successful second acts or quiet retirements.”
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How a low-budget taco joint became a red-hot congressional power hub
10/16/13
“Push past the beer-drinking interns making a meal of free chips and salsa, and you’ll find one of Washington’s seven busiest venues for political fundraisers.”
Culture
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Is it hot in here, or is it just shirtless Jason Momoa? Scenes from the Vanity Fair Oscar party
2/25/19
“You will never be surrounded by as many A-listers as you are on this one gilded evening — but if you lose a certain special one in the crowd, you may never find her again.”
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David Cassidy was the biggest star in the world — for about two years
11/22/17
“A lot of what we credit as good acting is just charisma. But here’s how you know Cassidy could act: Watch him sing.”
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Elvis Presley died 40 years ago, and he couldn’t have picked a worse time to do it
8/15/17
““Dying young — but not James Dean young — meant that Presley’s image was mired in the 1970s aesthetic that the culture was on the cusp of firmly rejecting.”
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Stephanie Birkitt has been written out of “Late Show” history, and it’s a damned shame
5/19/15
“The David Letterman tributes of the last few weeks have felt like the first big family reunion after your brother’s divorce…”
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How Donny and Marie learned to own their teen-idol past
11/30/14
“It’s an act that, for all their nods to modern pop and timeless tunes, trades openly on nostalgia, harking back to the all-but-extinct variety-show format they were born for.”
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In defense of Renee Zellweger: 22 thoughts about a startling new face
10/21/14
“The shock that greeted her makeover indicated that our society has grave concerns about chasing a youthful look. The data suggests otherwise.”
Chronicles
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It’s not just about bikinis: Inside the battle for the future of Miss America
7/25/18
“Questions about Carlson’s leadership have sent rifts through the sisterhood, splintering through the network of volunteers who run the state and local contests that send contestants to Atlantic City.”
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Don’t call them impersonators: Inside the jumpsuited world of Elvis Tribute Artists
11/12/14
“The men working the intense and lucrative competition circuit aren’t in on that joke. Millions of fans still crave some taste of the live Elvis experience, and these guys are serious about delivering it.”
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George Clooney is getting married. Maybe it’s time for the rest of us too,
9/25/14
“Although the Clooney wedding feels like an epochal moment — a mighty Arctic shelf collapsing into the sea — this world has been thawing for some time now. Everyone has gotten married.”
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Off the list, but somehow in the White House: Aspiring TV stars crash Obama state dinner,
11/26/09
“The Salahis, polo-playing socialites known for a bitter family feud over a Fauquier County winery, were seen arriving at the White House and later posted on Facebook photos of themselves with VIPs.”
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The buffalo never belonged to Catalina. But were they ready to leave?
12/16/04
“Like so many settlers of this state, they came from sturdy midwestern stock, not really meant for the sun and salt air but lured out here by the silver screen.”
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Moe’s family: They raised one chimp like their child. Another nearly killed them
5/24/05
“How could this have happened to people who knew and loved these creatures so well? Why did it get so ugly?”
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Kakenya
A Masai woman’s journey to college – and her promise to return. A prize-winning, five-part series published December 28th, 2003.
A prize-winning, five-part series.
Pt 2: A road paved with pledges and pain
Pt. 3: In a new country, confusion and doubts