A fly spent 2 mesmerizing minutes on Mike Pence's head during the debate

There is nothing more sacred and indispensable to American democracy than the electoral process, that time-honored opportunity for citizens to hear out their potential leaders and decide the course of the country for the next four years.

But then sometimes a fly lands on a candidate's head, and the electorate collectively short circuits.

Midway through the vice presidential debate, a Musca domestica — that is, a humble housefly — decided to rest its weary wings on the snowfield of Pence's hair. Though what the candidates were discussing at the time was surely Important and Serious, no one heard a moment of it because their eyes were glued on the fly:

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Watch the two full minutes of the fly that you didn't know you needed, below. Jeva Lange