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This American Life
This American Life

888: Not Today, Hades!

June 07, 2026 • 59m

Summary

⏱️ 10 min read

Overview

This episode explores three modern-day parallels to Greek myths: Pablo Manriquez's Icarus-like attempt to become the Capitol's official portrait painter, Jeremiah Schofield's role as guardian of the government's 'Death Master File' facing pressure from DOGE, and writer Daniel Alarcon's humbling encounter with soccer deity Lionel Messi. Each story examines what happens when ordinary people challenge established systems or meet their heroes.

Pablo's Journey to Become the Capitol's Portrait Artist

Reporter Pablo Manriquez discovers art supplies on his doorstep and decides to become Washington DC's go-to oil portrait painter, despite never having painted before. Through sheer hustle and confidence, he watches a 10-minute YouTube tutorial and begins painting politicians. His first subject is Mitch McConnell, and after selling 18 portraits of the senator, he builds a thriving side business painting politicians, eventually even getting a FaceTime call from President Biden praising his work.

  • Pablo finds abandoned art supplies and decides to become an oil painter with zero experience, imagining a monopoly on political portraits in DC
  • He learns to paint faces from a 10-minute YouTube crash course called Paint Coach
  • Paints Mitch McConnell as his first subject, selling 18 McConnell portraits before moving on, starting at $25 and eventually charging $500 for 24x36 inch paintings
  • Gets interviewed by C-SPAN while painting the State of the Union live in Statuary Hall
  • Receives a FaceTime call from President Joe Biden praising his portrait of Biden and Dr. Jill Biden from the 1970s
" I thought to myself, somebody painted every painting in the Capitol, in the White House, in the Department of Justice, all these agency buildings, they have oil paintings. And yet, in the 15 years that I've been in Washington, I've never met an oil painter. "
" If I become an oil painter, I would basically be the only oil painter I know. And in some sense, have like a monopoly on oil painting in Washington. "
" I can't think of a single Mitch McConnell I ever did that was good. But they were good enough. "

The Dream of Official Recognition in the Capitol

Pablo's ultimate goal isn't just selling paintings but having one officially hung in the US Capitol by the Architect of the Capitol. When the House renames the press gallery after Frederick Douglass, Pablo sees his opportunity. He sneaks his portrait of Douglass into the ceremony, gets approval from lawmakers present, and formally requests the Standing Committee of Correspondents hang it permanently - only to face an unexpected rejection that creates a new rule.

  • Pablo wants his painting hung officially in the Capitol for centuries as his legacy, since no one will remember his journalism
  • He sneaks his Frederick Douglass portrait onto a table at the press gallery renaming ceremony without permission
  • Speaker Mike Johnson, Representative Byron Donalds, and a Frederick Douglass descendant all approve of the painting at the event
  • The Standing Committee of Correspondents votes 4-1 to reject the painting and creates a new rule prohibiting credentialed reporters from having artwork hung in the Capitol
  • Pablo launches a campaign to run for the Standing Committee in 2028 to repeal the prohibition on journalist art
" I have no legacy. You know what I mean? And while no one might remember any story I write ever, right, the painting will be there for centuries, centuries if it's on the wall. "
" At every point along the way it was driven by ego. A lot of it was ego. Maybe like 91, 92%. I definitely wake up every morning excited to be Pablo Manriquez. "
" The humility could not possibly have created that scenario to begin with. "

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