Why I'm coming to Substack

A nervous Substacker arrives

I’ve always been resistant to Substack, worried I don’t have enough to say, or have too much to say, or will really annoy people if I say what’s in my head. But a lot of my most favorite people are on Substack and there’s a lot going on in the world right now which I, as an infamous opinion-haver, have opinions on and want to write about.

Also I’m leaving Vanity Fair. I spent three really great years there, but it’s time to go. I will still be writing essays though, opinion pieces where I will continue to share my opinion, but I’ll be writing them for the New York Times, where I’m becoming a contributing writer. But the stuff in my head, the stuff that’s happening in real time, I’ll share here. Sometimes I’ll focus on our democratic emergency and sometimes I’ll focus on the stuff that can distract us and give us a little solace, things like culture, shoes, and dogs.

Sometimes people come up to me on the street and tell me that I make them feel better about whats going on right now. I love making people feel better—it actually makes me feel better, if that makes any sense.

Here, I’m also going to be the most me that I can be. You’ll get the most Molly here, pure unadulterated Molly, God help you.

And without further ado, a few of the things that are occupying my brain right now.

And speaking of solace, I’m trying to convince my long-suffering spouse to adopt another dog, so if you see any hairless Chinese Crested-like rescues please tag him on social media, he will absolutely kill me. (non sequitur? needs more set up maybe)

Also, I saw Ben Stiller’s excellent documentary “nothing is lost” (is that capitalized) about his parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, which premiered at the New York Film Festival. It’s a really moving story about how his parents’ marriage provided lessons for saving his own. As someone who had parents who were married for, like, two years, I don’t totally relate but there’s so much interesting stuff in the doc about New York in the 1970s. I’m a little younger than Ben but I grew up in a very similar city, though on the East Side, which was a little less cool and exciting.

Meanwhile in American politics, Republicans continue to run screaming from the Epstein files.

Yesterday Trump mused about pardoning Maxwell, here’s the exchange from New York Magazine.

“I haven’t heard the name in so long,” he said. “I can say this: I’d have to take a look at it.”

Trump suggested he was totally ignorant of Maxwell’s appeal, asking Collins for details. “Well, I’ll take a look at it,” he repeated. “I will speak to the DOJ. I wouldn’t consider it or not consider it. I don’t know anything about it, but I’ll speak to the DOJ.”

Then Trump tried to deflect by noting that Sean Combs — another old pal recently convicted of sex-related offenses — had already asked him for a pardon.

“I have a lot of people that have asked me for pardons. Uh, I call him ‘Puff Daddy.’ He’s asked me for a pardon,” he said.

And then there are the elected Republicans who are still trying to prevent the release of the files.

RAJU: Earlier this year you swore in 2 Republican members during a pro forma session. So why not swear in Adelita Grijalva who was elected 2 weeks ago? Does it have to do with her 218th signature on the Epstein discharge petition? MIKE JOHNSON: It has nothing to do with that at all. We will swear her in when everybody gets back RAJU: Why not now? JOHNSON: Uh -- we’ll schedule it, I guess, as soon as she wants

Last edited2:29 PM · Oct 7, 2025

I continue to wonder what other madness Republicans will engage in, as to not have to deal with the Epstein files.

Anyway if you want what’s going on in my head, this is the way to get it, God Help us all. You can also follow my podcast Fast Politics here and you can subscribe to my Fast politics YouTube here