A constant theme in the Fauci Diaries is celebrity. Fauci was absolutely obsessed with the adoration he received from celebrities. He would list all the famous people at parties he attended. He bragged how Barbara Streisand called him to ask for advice on vaccines. Julia Roberts called Fauci her "personal hero." Kim Kardashian organized a Zoom call with Fauci and other A-list celebrities. And so on.
Fauci, who had previously toiled in obscurity, ate it all up. Indeed, I would wager part of his motivation to always be on camera was to gain even more affection from his loving crowd. Thus, Fauci became an overnight celebrity--in his own estimation, one of the most famous people in the world. I'm sure Fauci thought, like John Lennon, that he was bigger than Jesus.
That sort of narcisism can go to a person's head. Perhaps Fauci may have approached his role with more humility and uncertainty if he wasn't playing up for elites, who suffered no consequences from lockdowns. They could go outside in their palatial estates and have gourmet dinner at the French Laundry unmasked.
