Media suggest Fauci was 'perplexed' by attention during pandemic, despite gaining celebrity status

Some media outlets suggested Dr. Anthony Fauci did not like the attention he gained during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet for months he appeared to oblige as the press gave him celebrity status.

"Dr. Anthony Fauci was perplexed - and even disturbed - by the public fascination around him that emerged early on in the Covid-19 pandemic," Forbes declared on Tuesday in its report on the newly released Fauci emails.

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Critics recalled Fauci was featured in several magazines over the past year, including his photo shoot with InStyle that captured him lounging by a pool in shades.

"In March of 2020, Fauci emailed a colleague to say of the Fauci fandom, ‘Hopefully, this all stops soon...It is not at all pleasant, that is for sure’ (Fauci sat for a photo shoot of In Style magazine three months later)," RealClearNews reporter Phillip Wegmann tweeted.

Fauci granted several interviews to entertainment-based outlets such as People, where he was featured in a cover story and named one of the magazine’s People of the Year. In the piece, People referred to him as a "pop icon" and noted he’s "rubbed shoulders with lots of celebrities eager to help him get that message across, such as when Julia Roberts interviewed him in May for ONE.org’s #PassTheMic campaign."

"So well-deserved. Thanks Dr. Fauci for all you do. We are grateful," CNN's Wolf Blitzer tweeted when Fauci graced the cover of TIME Magazine in September.

Fauci also appeared on late night talk shows like "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" and was amused when actor Brad Pitt portrayed him in a "Saturday Night Live" skit.

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Fauci is also releasing a book this year, entitled "Expect the Unexpected: Ten Lessons on Truth, Service, and the Way Forward."