It’s that time of year when your favorite sites bombard you with an avalanche of pithy end-of-year videos designed to get you clicking.
But Vanity Fair may have gotten itself into a pickle Wednesday thanks to its latest offering that had readers doing a double take.
The magazine posted a minute-long video straight out of the 1950s, showing writers and editors sipping champagne while coming up with all sorts of things Hillary Clinton could be doing now that she’s no longer a presidential hopeful.
The video, titled, “6 New Years Resolutions for Hillary Clinton,” includes some brilliant ideas, such as working on a sequel to her book “What Happened” (called “What the Hell Happened”), and taking more photos in the woods (“How else are you going to meet unsuspecting hikers?”).
But the advice de resistance — the one that had people up in arms — was courtesy of writer Maya Kosoff.
“Take up a new hobby in the new year. Volunteer work, knitting, improv comedy ― literally anything that will keep you from running again,” Kosoff said.
Kaboom!
“Maybe it’s time for Vanity Fair to go f–k yourself with this sexist s–t,” one user lashed out. “Anybody telling Biden to take up knitting? Romney? Sanders? Gore? Weird, I wonder what the difference is…”
And Howard Dean, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, told his followers to consider the source.
“Come on folks. Vanity Fair has been a trash heap for the last few years. Why take them seriously,” he tweeted.
A spokeswoman for the publication told TheWrap: “It was an attempt at humor and we regret that it missed the mark.”
Maybe it's time for Hillary Clinton to take up a new hobby in 2018 pic.twitter.com/sbE78rA5At
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) December 23, 2017
“I don’t appreciate being taken out of context to make me seem super sexist,” Kosoff tweeted late Tuesday night. Her Twitter account is currently private.
The publicist did not respond to a follow-up question about whether Vanity Fair intends to take down the offending video.
https://twitter.com/politicalmiller/status/946052010532573184
https://twitter.com/GovHowardDean/status/946119711779061761
Maybe it’s time for Vanity Fair to go fuck yourself with this sexist shit.
Anybody telling Biden to take up knitting? Romney? Sanders? Gore? Weird, I wonder what the difference is… 🤔
— Tara (@tara_atrandom) December 27, 2017
Hi, @VanityFair have you heard that @HillaryClinton was named the most admired woman in the world 16 years in a row? Do you still think she should take up a new hobby? https://t.co/7PlT57Lfik https://t.co/osiN9zKzaC
— Opal Vadhan (@OpalVadhan) December 27, 2017
3. With something as deeply offensive as suggesting the former Secretary of State – a feminist icon and the most admired woman in the U.S. – take up knitting as she's bullied from the public stage, only a swift and abject apology will do.
— Tom Watson (@tomwatson) December 27, 2017
Vanity Fair guy 1: 2017 has been rough for women. How can we end the year on a positive note?
VF guy 2: Maybe a video about how the woman who came closer to being president than any woman in history should stop talking and start knitting?
VF guy 1: (kisses fingertips)
— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) December 27, 2017
Vanity Fair tl;dr: Six young white people holding glasses of champagne would like Hillary Clinton to abandon her life's work and platform and just shut up. Good to know. https://t.co/cELDKdVmYd
— Summer Brennan (@summerbrennan) December 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/HRCpersists/status/945714314492571649