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Andrew Yang Is the Ultimate Alt Dad

Andrew Yang, NYC mayoral candidate and alt dad.
Andrew Yang, NYC mayoral candidate and ultimate alt dad. Photo: Andrew Yang for Mayor/Youtube

Darren Aronofsky is the Oscar-nominated, scarf-loving director of Black Swan (a horror movie in which ballerina Natalie Portman artfully loses her mind) and Requiem for a Dream (a disturbing psychological drama in which heroin addict Jared Leto artfully loses his mind). He’s the kind of filmmaker you might love if you were an edgy youth in the mid-’90s or early aughts. Yesterday, Andrew Yang, former edgy youth, officially joined New York City’s mayoral race … with a video directed by Aronofsky.

When the video was revealed, certain members of the Cut staff went “OF COURSE HE HIRED DARREN ARONOFSKY” and certain other members went “Wha?” Below, a group of old millennials attempt to explain to a group of young millennials that Andrew Yang, like his fellow politician Beto O’Rourke, is a textbook alt dad — skateboard and all.

Izzy Grinspan, deputy style editor: In this campaign video, directed by Darren Aronofsky (!!!), Andrew Yang rides a skateboard (!!!) and then plays piano on the street at Coney Island (!!!)

Jordan Larson, essays editor: Omg. He WOULD love Darren Aronofsky.

IG: It’s so perfect.

Kerensa Cadenas, culture editor: The skateboard! It’s all too much. He definitely loved Boondock Saints in college.

JL: Waiting for the Fight Club and Chuck Palahniuk references next.

IG: THAT IS WHAT I JUST SAID. I feel like I had a fight with him in college about whether Tyler Durden was a role model.

KC: “Maybe we can even save the Knicks.”

Callie Beusman, news editor: Okay, this is very much not my area of expertise — any of these words. I don’t know who Darren Aronofsky is.

Amanda Arnold, staff writer: I do know Darren’s name but I am also feeling a bit lost at the moment.

IG: He’s just a classic example of an arty guy of a certain age.

CB: Amanda and I are Gen Z.

IG: The energy emanating from Ethan Hawke when he’s writing a novel … that’s the vibe here.

KC: I hate that the skateboarders of my teendom are now able to run for public office??? Izzy, what pop-punk band did Andrew Yang listen to, do you think?

IG: Mmm, I bet he likes the Smiths.

KC: I think Andrew Yang has big “I made a mix for every girl I had a crush on” energy.

Bridget Read, writer: If it takes a former skater film guy to give us UBI, so be it.

CB: You know him well.

Lauren Leibowitz, editor: Are those wispy bangs?

KC: Ugh, why is this STILL my type?

BR: Andrew Yang dressed like Angel from Buffy.

CB: What stands out to me about Yang’s campaign so far is his desire to bring a hype house to New York City.

KC: OMG Callie, I saw that and promptly died.

CB: It would be sooo cursed. TikToks filmed in a Bushwick bathroom …

BR: It does feel like we should consider other economic drivers first!

KC: “What New York is REALLY MISSING.”

KC: Andrew Yang reopens House of Yes.

CB: Oh NO

BR: I don’t think this is quite grunge, right? Like he’s not stepping on Beto’s toes.

IG: I would say that Beto is a slightly different vintage. I get the sense that Beto sees a direct line between his taste in music (punk) and his politics (ostensibly progressive), whereas with Yang, his taste seems more like just a general indicator of coolness.

CB: Izzy, I love that you are an expert in alt dads. You know about every genre of alt dad. I’m always blown away.

IG: I’m raising children in Brooklyn with a man who rides a skateboard. I’m knee-deep in alt dads in my daily life.

BR: This makes me look at the leather jacket band crowd I went to high school and college with and try to predict whomst in 2028 will, like, try to make Twitch a public utility. The MGMT guys will run on one ticket, maybe?

Andrew Yang Is the Ultimate Alt Dad