Until further notice, this is now a radhika jones fan club

So much of what we the media have glommed onto over the past two years about Radhika Jones’s ascension to the Vanity Fair editor-in-chiefdom has to do who she’s not (i.e., Mr. Newsletter But Make It For The 0.001 Percent), what she’s not getting paid (her salary discrepancy to Carter’s is even on her Wikipedia page, jesus christ), the snobby Conde Nastiness* about her first day outfit, and some straight up racist reactions to things like putting a breakout star on the magazine cover in a t-shirt. BUT WE ARE OVER IT.

Because while it might have taken this fall’s promotional tour for her Women on Women book to get Jones fully in the spotlight via a Longform podcast interview, a “How I Get It Done” piece in The Cut, and a “Top Shelf” interview in Into The Gloss (the woman-in-media EGOT, as far as we are concerned), each one of those interviews is here to cement Jones’ status as one of the wisest and chillest (seriously, how can you listen to the Longform one and NOT be soothed by that voice) editors of our time. Like, at one point, Max Linsky asks her if she ever gets stressed by her job, and she’s just like………..no? it’s not brain surgery?? I’m here to have a good time??? (this is deeply paraphrased but the serene unbothered-ness of the sentiment is there).

Anyway, it was all so deeply refreshing at a time when being the face of an outlet these days seems to require you to have one of those personalities that’s just like FULL THROTTLE HERE ARE MY PERSONAL MANTRAS HERE IS MY INSTA HANDLE I MUST BE UNE PERSONALITÉ, and it is just so clear that Radhika is not about that.

You kind of suspect that at any point, she’d rather be at home reading an obscure novel, grazing on a stellar cheese plate, and wearing fabulous silk slippers, but hey, while she’s here, she can also rock couture and eviscerate your second draft as well as anyone else. So, in summary, we are BIG fans.

*yes i have been waiting a long time to use that

//

Deez Links is a dailyish media newsletter from Delia Cai. Catch more links at deezlinks.substack.com and in real time @delia_cai!