{"id":22104,"date":"2026-07-30T15:05:38","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T10:05:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=22104"},"modified":"2026-07-30T15:05:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T10:05:38","slug":"conservatives-mock-james-talarico-over-resurfaced-pic-celebrating-fauci-action-figure-keep-playing-with-your-dolls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=22104","title":{"rendered":"Conservatives Mock James Talarico Over Resurfaced Pic Celebrating Fauci Action Figure: \u2018Keep Playing With Your Dolls\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5746643\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5746643\" class=\"wp-image-5746643 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/am14.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Untitled-design-2026-07-29T135427-786.jpg\" alt=\"James Talarico is mocked for a resurfaced picture of a Dr. Anthony Fauci action figure he celebrated\" width=\"1250\" height=\"720\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-5746643\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Photos via: Jame Talarico on X and YouTube)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Dr. <strong>Anthony Fauci&#8217;s<\/strong> Fifth Amendment-filled testimony before Congress on Wednesday led to some social media grief for Texas Senate candidate <strong>James Talarico<\/strong> (D), with conservatives skewering the liberal lawmaker for a resurfaced picture of a Fauci action figure he giddily posted years earlier.<\/p>\n<p>The X post from 2021 showed Talarico holding up a doll of Fauci in front of a Christmas tree. Fauci is seen wearing a white mask and lab coat, which has a stethoscope tucked into it; the box points out Fauci comes with a &#8220;removable mask!&#8221; and says the toy is for ages 14+, which seems a bit overly cautious.<\/p>\n<p>Talarico was absolutely stoked about his doll.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I got the coolest action figure for Christmas!&#8221; he posted. &#8220;Thank you to all the health care superheroes working today. Let&#8217;s help by getting vaxxed and boosted!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He added a Christmas tree emoji and a syringe emoji to his Christmas Day 2021 post.<\/p>\n<p>Talarico&#8217;s post turned into a gift for right-wingers on Wednesday, though.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. <strong>Ted Cruz<\/strong> (R-TX) mocked him for it, while noting Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/congress\/anthony-fauci-5th-amendment-testify-covid-hearing-rand-paul-rcna589793\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">more than 100 times<\/a> during his Senate testimony earlier in the day.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Apparently accountability was sold separately,&#8221; Cruz posted.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"267ebcc9e3b0645195f51e8331dbc8fc\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">James Talarico called Fauci a superhero.<\/p>\n<p>Today, Fauci took the Fifth 111 times.<\/p>\n<p>Apparently accountability was sold separately. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Mm4UYgaNPy\">https:\/\/t.co\/Mm4UYgaNPy<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/tedcruz\/status\/2082514579469254807?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/dem-lawmaker-shocked-by-hateful-question-on-somali-immigrants-almost-brought-to-tears-just-now\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Brandon Gill<\/strong><\/a> (R-TX) made fun of Talarico for it as well, asking &#8220;Do you think James Talarico still plays with his Fauci action figure?&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"360302dde0746727e78d5b61726526e0\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Do you think James Talarico still plays with his Fauci action figure? <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZdTxxzoktN\">https:\/\/t.co\/ZdTxxzoktN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Brandon Gill (@realBrandonGill) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/realBrandonGill\/status\/2082505143690432541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>Texas Gov. <strong>Greg Abbott&#8217;s<\/strong> (R) campaign account rep-also shared it.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Christmas in July&#8221; the account posted, along with a Christmas tree emoji and a masked emoji.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"d9306a37041edd08180390fcf30bc3b9\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Christmas in July<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/72x72\/1f384.png\" alt=\"\ud83c\udf84\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em;max-height: 1em\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/72x72\/1f637.png\" alt=\"\ud83d\ude37\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em;max-height: 1em\" \/> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6mPNOP7epu\">https:\/\/t.co\/6mPNOP7epu<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Governor Hot Wheels (@GovHotWheels_TX) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GovHotWheels_TX\/status\/2082511964358492320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>Rep. <strong>Ronny Jackson<\/strong> (R-TX) shared Talarico&#8217;s post too.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The Fauci fan club was LOUD in 2021,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;It\u2019s funny how QUIET they got when the questions started. Keep playing with your dolls, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/rnc-chair-skewers-james-talafreako-argues-texans-dont-want-a-creep-vegan-who-wants-to-mutilate-kids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TalaFREAKo<\/a>. Republicans will continue to expose the TRUTH! Fauci is a FRAUD!!&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"0c1576cf1e9b73ce8a77af68339684de\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Fauci fan club was LOUD in 2021. It\u2019s funny how QUIET they got when the questions started.<\/p>\n<p>Keep playing with your dolls, TalaFREAKo. Republicans will continue to expose the TRUTH! Fauci is a FRAUD!! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/X4Fm3dZ3Aw\">https:\/\/t.co\/X4Fm3dZ3Aw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Ronny Jackson (@RonnyJacksonTX) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RonnyJacksonTX\/status\/2082545651871568119?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>Some conservative media figures got in on the action as well, including right-wing pundit <strong>Benny Johnson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"066793cd8eebb67f10f90317faa917a3\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It comes as no surprise that James Talarico has a Dr. Fauci action figure. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PI8aFhaOMo\">https:\/\/t.co\/PI8aFhaOMo<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/bennyjohnson\/status\/2082530463101415695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"39a3fbd400ff29f3a98fb53696505277\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Never forget they literally made action figures of this man&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zvsyYSpCAa\">https:\/\/t.co\/zvsyYSpCAa<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Brad Polumbo (@brad_polumbo) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/brad_polumbo\/status\/2082505524872949953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"887dc1f1f278489c4b5d734e35b51163\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Talarico\u2019s Fauci doll has a \u201cRemovable mask!\u201d but only when he\u2019s playing with the Jake Tapper doll <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/MYA92BX3Jp\">https:\/\/t.co\/MYA92BX3Jp<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/ChuckRossDC\/status\/2082541656465694869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"660b8cf1f360fca5fcbaa98029b1fb78\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Does Talarico\u2019s action figure say I plead the fifth <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6X7Z8V97kq\">https:\/\/t.co\/6X7Z8V97kq<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RyanGirdusky\/status\/2082523688163742071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"7fa8059a4e6855c6b25b474e30f11f22\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Ok, so this isn&#039;t from <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TheBabylonBee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheBabylonBee<\/a>. James Talarico actually posted about getting a Fauci action figure during Covid. <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/72x72\/1f602.png\" alt=\"\ud83d\ude02\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em;max-height: 1em\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/72x72\/1f633.png\" alt=\"\ud83d\ude33\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em;max-height: 1em\" \/> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/fMv4A14m3r\">https:\/\/t.co\/fMv4A14m3r<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/72x72\/1f1fa-1f1f8.png\" alt=\"\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em;max-height: 1em\" \/> David J. Urban <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/72x72\/1f1fa-1f1f8.png\" alt=\"\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em;max-height: 1em\" \/> (@DavidJUrban) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DavidJUrban\/status\/2082529978722271669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed_container\" id=\"a8dbf7be9f90d097cbc5b915c7fd5e0c\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"ht\" dir=\"ltr\">lmao <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6dsegaIa48\">https:\/\/t.co\/6dsegaIa48<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Tim Rice (@TimRiceDC) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TimRiceDC\/status\/2082539713244655638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>Talarico did not respond to the doll-bashing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"qualified qualified-2\">The social media mockery followed Fauci refusing\u00a0to answer questions ranging from whether <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/did-he-partner-with-china-gop-senator-asks-fauci-if-bill-gates-had-a-role-in-covid-pandemic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bill Gates partnered with China\u2019s communist government<\/a>\u00a0on \u201csensitive research\u201d to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/news\/gop-senator-tries-and-fails-to-get-fauci-to-stop-pleading-the-fifth-before-accusing-him-of-money-making-scheme\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">what color tie he was wearing<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>He accused Sen.\u00a0<strong>Rand Paul<\/strong>\u00a0(R-KY) of holding the hearing \u2014 which was focused on Fauci\u2019s role in leading the government\u2019s response to Covid-19 \u2014 because Paul had\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/dr-fauci-calls-out-rand-pauls-unhinged-obsession-with-him-in-fiery-opening-statement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">an \u201cunhinged obsession\u201d<\/a>\u00a0with him. Fauci then invoked the Fifth Amendment for the first time about 30 seconds later.<\/p>\n<p>Fauci ripped the lawmaker a few days after Paul published his diary from the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"qualified qualified-2 qualified-3\">The diary showed Fauci was<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/media\/dr-fauci-celebrated-flattering-washington-post-and-ny-times-coverage-in-unearthed-2020-diary-press-is-going-wild-with-me\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u00a0fixated on media coverage<\/a>, often jotting down notes on press interviews and private conversations he had alongside stats on the rising death toll. Fauci\u2019s diary also revealed his<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/opinion\/5-underreported-media-stories-from-the-fauci-diaries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u00a0close ties to several prominent journalists<\/a>, including the doctor writing about a \u201crelaxed\u201d dinner with CNN star\u00a0<strong>Jake Tapper<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 a week after Fauci told Americans to \u201csacrifice\u201d Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n<p>Fauci wrote after his October 2020 supper with Tapper the anchor \u201cclearly believes that Trump is totally nuts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After the hearing on Wednesday, President <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> told reporters he was never<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/trump-says-hes-never-been-a-big-fan-of-fauci-after-docs-congressional-grilling\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> a &#8220;big fan&#8221;<\/a> of Fauci.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/politics\/conservatives-mock-james-talarico-over-resurfaced-pic-celebrating-fauci-action-figure-keep-playing-with-your-dolls\/\">Conservatives Mock James Talarico Over Resurfaced Pic Celebrating Fauci Action Figure: \u2018Keep Playing With Your Dolls\u2019<\/a> first appeared on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mediaite.com\">Mediaite<\/a>.<\/p>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(Photos via: Jame Talarico on X and YouTube) Dr. Anthony Fauci&#8217;s Fifth Amendment-filled testimony before Congress on Wednesday led to some social media grief for Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (D), with conservatives skewering the liberal lawmaker for a resurfaced picture of a Fauci action figure he giddily posted years earlier. The X post from&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22105,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/am14.mediaite.com\/med\/cnt\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Untitled-design-2026-07-29T135427-786.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22104"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22104\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/22105"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}