John McDermott

Writer | Bylines: @NYTimes, @GuardianUS, @RollingStone, @Esquire, @GQmagazine | Alumnus: @AdAge, @Digiday, @WeAreMEL

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

The curse of being a formally trained print journalist is knowing the difference between an em dash (—), an en dash (–) and a hyphen (-) and having to see normies misuse all three, all of the time.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

Adam Silver might have overcorrected with having the Finals trophy decal on the court.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

@Helene1781 Where are you seeing them in Del Rey? I mostly see them along the Culver Boulevard park.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

And yet homeless encampments have reconstituted in Venice, Playa del Rey and near me in Del Rey.

Homelessness numbers have improved slightly, but mostly the problem gets moved from neighborhood to neighborhood, with few long-term successes.

[isaac @theisaacmed]

I know this is counter the narrative online, but the homelessness situation in LA has in fact improved.

How do I know?

I live in Hollywood. One of the neighborhoods that has a ton of homelessness.

I moved shortly after Covid when I got a really good deal on a lease (was broke) and have stayed ever since.

I believe the evidence of my eyes as a local.

1) In 2021, it was insane how many homeless there were. Whole sidewalks were blocked off, several underpasses were unwalkable. I remember there being an encampment across the street from a nearby school

2) In 2022, it was still bad. I would actively avoid walking my dogs past 10. I felt bad for tourists who would come to see the walk of fame, to only be greeted by weirdness.

This year is special because a close friend of mine flew in from Portugal, and he was crashing in my spare room. I remember walking by someone on the walk of fame using a needle, and he was visibly disturbed. He came out of that trip with a very negative view of LA.

3) In 2023, I noticed it slowly getting better. They cleared the underpasses, then slowly you'd see regular violent offenders (yellers, etc) just not be present anymore.

4) If you zoom into present day (2026), it is night and day. I don't notice the sheer quantity anymore, and there are no camps. I can walk my dogs past 10.

I also spend time in DTLA, and other homeless hotspots, and those are also all getting better.

I still think we need to devote more to fixing the issue.
I think LA should be clean and safe for all.

I am not denying the issue at all and this isn't meant to ruffle feathers.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

@gbaroth @theisaacmed Westside is on cycle 4 of encampment cleanup and return

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

@Charliemagne Good point. News orgs would be wise to show how the process works.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

An overlooked consequence of the death of news media and the literacy crisis: Most normies have no idea anymore how newsrooms function.

[Charlie J. Johnson @Charliemagne]

Newsrooms are far more pugnacious than typical corporate environments (e.g., law firms). Structure is usually “flatter”; seniors get far less cultural deference, particularly new/less qualified seniors. Judgements can differ on what is “too far,” but it’s a real difference imo.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

@217Showers She’s so good and I have TIGER’S BLOOD on repeat

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

@online__david It just openly lied to me. I had to show it a screenshot of its own results to get it to back down.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

I've been using Google Gemini for research (have never used it to compose any writing) and it will not stop citing Wikipedia despite me repeatedly telling it not to.

When I tell Gemini it cited Wikipedia again, it lies and says it didn't.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

The larger point is that it is not fascist to use legal pathways to force drug-addicted and/or mentally ill homeless into involuntary confinement.

It's literally democratic; the CA legislature voted for it.

CA SB 43, which expands the definition of "gravely disabled," thus making it easier to force people into psychiatric holds and conservatorships, went into effect the first of this year.

The all carrots, no sticks approach hasn't worked and people are tired of it.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

@eddiekimx @DisgracedProp Referring to homeless drug addicts as "zombies" is not nice, sure, but it's an evocative and not altogether inaccurate metaphor for people doing the fent lean in public space.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

@avidseries https://t.co/TsCpO5Ps5z

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

A good example of how crime statistics don’t capture the reality of crime in LA is the increase in young women being trafficked on Figueroa in South Central.

The state repealed a low allowing cops to arrest women loitering for prostitution. Gangs took advantage and trafficked underage girls out in the open.

Fewer arrests, more crime. https://t.co/NYeHOeZjSU

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

@eddiekimx @DisgracedProp It's fascist to enforce existing laws and remove drug use, vagrancy and crime from a neighborhood?

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

@AdamSinger @JTLonsdale I have had to tell Google Gemini multiple times to never reference Wikipedia and it will not comply

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

@dieter Thank you. Might have to write a piece about it.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

New York Times commission a male journalist to write about dating and gender relations challenge: FAILED

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

The irony is that both sides believe they will find some idealized partner who doesn't really exist, and when they inevitably don't, they get frustrated and blame the entire opposite sex.

[John McDermott @mcdermott]

Men and women in the dating pool have an infinite number of potential partners to choose from between the apps and social media.

There's also someone hotter, smarter, more interesting one swipe away. So why settle down at all?