Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying, as in the case of this summer's surreal race for New York City Mayor, which was hijacked in July by the revelation that disgraced former Congressman-turned candidate Anthony Weiner was up to his old tricks.
When TheDirty.com published an illicit exchange between Weiner and a woman named Sydney Leathers, Weiner admitted that he had continued to have inappropriate online relationships after resigning from Congress, but opted to stay in the race.
On the one hand, it's pretty disheartening that the battle for mayor of the largest city in America has been overshadowed by political slapstick. On the other, some of the stuff that's emerged from this scandal is so ridiculous you can't help but laugh.
Here are the ten most absurd things to come out of the Anthony Weiner sexting scandal, round two.
#1 Slate's "Carlos Danger" name generator
Nothing was more preposterous about this scandal than the pseudo-Spanish pseudo-superhero pseudonym Weiner picked for himself. Why shouldn't everyone be able to get in on the fun? Thanks to Slate, now everyone can have a sexting alter ego.
#2 The Sydney Leathers porno, "Weinergate"
In less-than-shocking news, the woman on the other end of Weiner's messages abandoned her desire for privacy in a matter of days, signing a deal with Vivid Entertainment to make a nude video describing all the things she and the mayoral candidate talked about doing to each other.
#3 The re-emergence of Formspring
Technically, a lot of what Weiner did wasn't sexting, because instead of sending pictures and messages via text, he used Formspring. The site is most popular amongst teenagers asking each other questions anonymously, but it does require a username to to answer, which is where Carlos Danger came from.
#4 The word "slutbag"
When Weiner spokeswoman Barbara Morgan heard that former campaign intern Olivia Nuzzi had given an unflattering interview to the New York Daily News, she handled things with grace and maturity by launching into a brutal tirade in Talking Points Memo. Morgan called Nuzzi a "b***h," "slutbag," "twat," and "c**t" and threatened to sue, but later apologized and claimed she didn't know she was on the record.
#5 Profiles of Huma Abedin (and her lipstick) that seemed shocked she could walk and talk
Everyone had something to say about Abedin, who had now weather two major sex scandals as Weiner's wife. Some people applauded her courage, others criticized her weakness, and some wanted her to run for office. Others were too busy being dazzled by her trip to the spa.
#6 Press Conference Floating Heads
Weiner's press conference immediately following the sexting revelation was ridiculous in itself, but the scandal-ridden former Congressman couldn't keep the spotlight when a mysterious "Cubicle Guy" appeared over his shoulder. Mustachioed and bespectacled, the photobomber made Weiner's announcement that he would stay in the race even more circus-like.
#7 The Sydney Leathers "10-Step Guide to Sexting Politicians"
They say it's only a mistake if you don't learn if you don't learn from it. On Tuesday, Leathers published her own guide for seducing and sexting politicians, complete with examples from her Formspring conversations with Weiner to back up her expertise. She reminds aspiring seductresses: "don't be too proud for a selfie."
#8 Anthony Weiner's shoe fetish
The exchange between Leathers and Weiners makes multiple references to shoes, specifically high heels, shining light on one of the politician's personal preferences. At one point, he expresses disappointment that Leathers didn't give him a sneak peak of a shoe picture; at another, she references "very tall gold wedges" when he asks for a description of her outfit.
#9 A complete disregard for numerical accuracy
For awhile, when Weiner admitted that the sexting that lost him his Congressional seat in 2011 had been far from an isolated incident, there were "a few" women. Then there were "six to ten." Then "no more than three." By then, there were other numbers to worry about: Weiner's poll numbers had dropped by 9 percent in the mayoral race, and 55 percent of New Yorkers viewed him unfavorably.
#10 Headline Puns
They were practically unavoidable, but some were definitely better than others. The New Yorker won hands-down for concept and art, with a cover featuring Weiner as King Kong trying to sext while straddling the Empire State Building, but others, like the Daily News, were a little more on the nose.
