What Next | Daily News and Analysis SchadenFriday: Washington Gets TMZ’d
Apr 10, 2026
Harvey Levin, founder of TMZ and veteran tabloid journalist, explains why TMZ is zeroing in on Washington. He talks about crowdsourced photo campaigns, a spring-break style push to shame absentee lawmakers, and the launch of a TMZ DC bureau. Short, provocative moves aimed at accountability and shaking up political coverage.
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Institutional Failure Over Partisan Blame
- Harvey Levin sees both parties as institutionally failing and believes past civility allowed compromise that no longer exists.
- He contrasted historical bipartisan cooperation with today's polarized refusal to fund the government effectively.
TMZ's Outta Campaign Sparked By Worker Hardship
- TMZ launched the Outta Out With Their Asses campaign to spotlight lawmakers on vacation during the shutdown.
- Harvey Levin described interviewing a TSA worker facing eviction, then asking users to send photos of congresspeople on spring break to contrast that hardship.
Juxtaposition As Political Accountability Tool
- Levin framed the photo campaign as a way to juxtapose lawmakers' vacations with real people harmed by the shutdown.
- He described immediate public engagement by asking users to send photos of congresspeople to highlight that contrast.