The Pretty Face of Populist Rage

The UnitedHealthcare CEO gunman has become not just an antihero, but a sex symbol and fashion influencer. What does that say about us?

Posted by X user @CookedAirForce1.

The assassin who gunned down the CEO of UnitedHealthcare is the most wanted man in America—and not just by law enforcement. Since images of his face were revealed as part of a nationwide manhunt, the girls, gays, and theys have been thirsting over the suspect, who is still at large. In fact, authorities say they were able to get a clear image of him is because the woman checking him into his hostel was flirting with him, and asked him to pull down his mask and show her his smile. “Update: It has now been revealed to the public that the gunman is hot and has a dazzling smile,” commented one Twitter user on the photo. “He is so babygirl,” reads another. “Bro got assassinated by a cutie patootie.”

In the days since his escape, he’s risen not only to the status of sex symbol but an unlikely influencer. His backpack reportedly sold out after the shooting; so did his jacket.

In the days since his escape, he’s risen not only to the status of sex symbol but an unlikely influencer. On the Peak Design website, his backpack reportedly sold out after the shooting; so did his jacket, formerly on sale at Macy’s The internet has also been flooded with T-shirts, hoodies, and other items printed with the phrase found on his bullets: “Deny, Defend, Depose”; some even include the United logo. I’ve seen more than one “get his look!” meme duping his outfit, and this weekend, New Yorkers held a UnitedHealthcare gunman lookalike contest in Washington Square Park—the same place the Timothée Chalamet lookalike competition took place last month.

Posted by X user @slightly_0ff.

Though the pearl-clutching reporters are quick to call the swell of people thirsting over the killer “disturbing,” lusting over violent criminals is hardly new: witness our obsession with serial killers, the Mugshawty’s X account, or the Hot Felon whose crimes landed him behind bars, only for his face to wind up on the runway after modeling agencies noticed his mugshot. Still, the fact that he’s a perfect 10 begs the question: How much does his physical appearance factor into public perception of the crime—and how would the discourse shift if he wasn’t a hottie?

In this case, there’s a perfect storm of factors contributing to his virality: the clear political motivation of the crime, the smooth execution (no pun intended… well, maybe pun intended), and the V for Vendetta-level hijinks that make it feel less like a real murder and more like a movie of a murder-for-hire plot. His appearance is icing on the cake—an unserious thing people can talk about online, which also provides a level of plausible deniability: we’re not praising the killer for murdering the CEO, we just think he’s hot. Oh, and we believe in universal healthcare.

The fact that he’s a perfect 10 begs the question: How much does his physical appearance factor into public perception of the crime—and how would the discourse shift if he wasn’t a hottie?

There’s no link between physical beauty and morality, despite our absurd tendency to equate the two. This bias has real-world impacts in the criminal justice system; juries are less likely to give attractive people a guilty verdict, and even if they do, the criminals are more likely to receive reduced punishments. Say nothing of the difference between how white male criminals are treated compared to Black men persecuted for the same crimes.

At the same time, the celebratory sentiment around the CEO’s death existed prior to his assassin’s face reveal: “I’m sorry, prior authorization is required for thoughts and prayers,” one user commented on TikTok after the crime. “My empathy is out of network,” said another. The general sentiment seems to be that yes, murder is wrong, but so is profiting off suffering. And as Taylor Lorenz put it, “If you have watched a loved one die because an insurance conglomerate has denied their life-saving treatment as a cost-cutting measure, it's natural to wish that the people who run such conglomerates would suffer the same fate.”

I’m inclined to believe that the public sentiment surrounding the gunman is evidence not just of our desire for him, but our desire for a figurehead: a modern-day folk hero who expresses our collective frustration with a broken, sometimes corrupt American healthcare system. We’re fed up, disenfranchised, and sick of the status quo. And if the face of our populist rage over a corrupt industry just so happens to have a stellar jawline—well, who’s going to complain about that?

Update: One hour after this was posted, the suspect’s identity was revealed. We’re discussing in the Pleasure-Seeking group chat if you wanna chime in!