Anthony Fauci’s dramatic appearance before a Senate committee this week has reignited fierce political debate, but another controversy quickly emerged online after critics pointed to television personality Harvey Levin’s sharply different reactions to two high-profile events nearly a year apart.
Levin, the longtime founder of TMZ, found himself at the center of renewed criticism after publicly defending Fauci following the contentious Senate hearing. Social media users contrasted that response with the backlash TMZ received after the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk last September.
When news broke that Kirk had been killed, TMZ quickly covered the story during a live broadcast. However, audio captured during the stream appeared to include laughter and applause from people inside the newsroom, prompting immediate outrage from viewers who believed staff members were reacting to the tragedy.
