California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) doesn’t seem like a fan of social media customers likening him to The Wall Avenue businessman-turned-serial killer, Patrick Bateman, from the 2000 movie “American Psycho.”
In an ungainly trade throughout a Wednesday interview with ABC Information’ Jonathan Karl, the journalist out of the blue introduced up the comparability amid their wide-ranging dialog.
“What do you make of all the Patrick Bateman talk?” Karl blurted out.
“I don’t know, but—” Newsom started with a seemingly nervous snigger.
Karl then held up printed pages of memes depicting Newsom as the fictional character, who was performed by Christian Bale, telling the politician, “People say that you are like ‘American Psycho.’”
“Jesus, yeah, like I said, ‘Newscum,’ I mean—” a flustered Newsom responded, referring to President Donald Trump’s nickname for him.
“But even your friends, like, say that,” Karl added.
Visibly caught off guard, the California governor then questioned, “Oh, do they?” earlier than teasing, “I’m gonna reevaluate my guest list.”
Including gas to the hearth, Karl then learn aloud a line from an unnamed comic who apparently known as Newsom “a literal comic book villain from central casting” who has “Patrick Bateman vibes.”
“He definitely had someone killed or may have killed someone himself,” Karl added of the comic’s remarks about Newsom, prompting the politician to chuckle.
Quipping that he’s “glad” to “still have some humor left,” Newsom then took on a graver tone, telling Karl, “This is a rough business. Particularly if you’re willing to fight. And I just hope we have more fighters.”
He added, “I have no problem being out there with the arrows in my back, as long as it gives some space for people to run over me and move forward.”
Elsewhere within the interview, the subject of Bateman arose once more after Karl requested Newsom what the most important false impression about him was.
“I don’t know about the misconception. I think some of this, you know, some of the Bateman, the looks, you know, the whole thing, right?” Newsom stated, gesturing to the printed memes. “The hair, all that, you know, and so I think people then see that [and] believe certain things.”
In search of clarification, Karl requested if he was referring to individuals believing he’s a “lightweight.”
“Is that what you’re saying?” he questioned.
“I think they think [I have] just a little more style versus the substance. I put the substance in terms of policy making up against … and I mean that, that’s not braggadocious … I’m really proud of the policy work we’ve done.”
Watch Newsom’s ABC Information interview beneath.
