While Washington melted down over government shutdowns, SNAP benefits, and the Epstein files, one 87-year-old writer took a sledgehammer to the ego of the richest man alive. Joyce Carol Oates has written 58 novels, a number of plays, and the tombstone epitaph for out-of-touch billionaire Elon Musk.

"So curious that such a wealthy man never posts anything that indicates that he enjoys or is even aware of what virtually everyone appreciates..." Oates tweeted, going on to name those basic joys of life. "The poorest persons on Twitter may have access to more beauty & meaning in life than the 'most wealthy person in the world.'"

Musk of course answered this was the examination of the richness of his intellect and soul... just kidding.

He tweeted, "Everything she says in her post about me can be shown to be demonstrably false with a simple search. Oates is a lazy liar and ... an abuser of semicolons!" In a later tweet: "Oates is a liar and delights in being mean. Not a good human."

On this episode of Dingus of the Week, hosts LYZ LENZ and ZACHARY OREN SMITH play that time-tested American game "Dingus Defense League" where the dingus of one week becomes the unlikely---and let's face it, still annoying---hero of the next.

Also on this week's show...

• Why you can run a Zohran Mamdani in Iowa and win (Men Yell at Me)

• JoJo Siwa's $900 VIP package... to help set up her shows. (NME)

• Light apologetics for cowards US Senators and Representatives who broke from Democrats to help Trump pass his funding package. (ABC News)

• Dingus nomination: Jeffrey Epstein's email etiquette teacher (The New York Times)

• Baby spit-up (@tristanmelano on IG)

• And Lyz's Feast of Favorites

DINGUS OF THE WEEK is a weekly comedy news podcast where writers Lyz and Zach light a fire under the American rogue's gallery to see who comes spilling out. If you're tired of doom-scrolling but know ignoring the problem doesn't get us anywhere, this is your new weekend listen. New episodes every Saturday.

SUPPORT THE SHOW by subscribing on Patreon.

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SEND US YOUR DINGUS. Record a voice memo and tell us who your dingus of the week is. Make it good and you'll hear your voice on the show. You can also email those to menyellatme@gmail.com. 

LYZ LENZ is the HBIC of MYAM Media. 

ZACHARY OREN SMITH writes about politics for Iowa Starting Line. He's the host of Cornhole Champions, a weekly Iowa podcast. 

LAURA BENITEZ wrote the theme song.

SHOW RUNDOWN:

(0:00) - a "mul-bev" situation...

(3:24) - Sean/Shawn violence

(6:05) - Why democratic socialists could win in the Midwest

(15:00) - Intro

(16:15) - Government shutdown fallout and defending the eight senators

(22:25) - Rand Paul saves your weed gummies

(29:40) - Lauren Boebert's spine and the Epstein files

(36:08) - Joyce Carol Oates murders Elon Musk on Twitter

(50:07) - Dingus defense league: JoJo Siwa's $900 labor scam

(58:01) - Baby vomit compilations

(01:04:29) - The Feast of Favorites

(01:10:24) - Outro