Did not know; only knew about Otis by happenstance. I suppose this is now so commonplace it's not considered newsworthy. NYT front page does however consider whether a reader should not attend estranged friends' holidays.

No but strongman rhetoric makes people feel safer when their lives become increasingly perilous and uncertain, so we're likely going to see it more often. It's unfortunate but it's kind of like a positive feedback loop of assholes making things worse for the people, which makes the people more desperate and open to the rhetoric that led to their worsening state.