The star of the show is, of course, Jared Kushner, playing the Tadzio in this knockoff of Mann’s literary classic. Up till now, I’ve only known of Kushner from the outside, and I didn’t like what I’d seen. Thanks to Mrs Mercer, I can now envision this Jersey Shore Caligula from the within the inner circle. Sylphlike, languid, nepotistic, limbic, androgynous, and above all privileged, America behold the “waxy perfection” of Little Lord Fauntleroy, the icon of your ruling class. In his heart of hearts, there is no end to the number of charming neighborhoods he would condemn to eminent domain, nor of people he would displace (including to the charnel house), in order to erect more gilded architectural lollipops to the vainglorious tribute of the tastelessness of his beloved father-in-law, the dying Aschenbach of Mann’s classic 2.0.

Meanwhile, Bibi reclines on his chaise, waiting for the lickspittle Vance to report today’s news, secure in the knowledge that he controls the whole noxious lot of them.