Head of lettuce outlasts U.K.'s Liz Truss in viral tabloid gag

If you think your day is off to a bad start, well, at least you're not short-lived U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss, whose extremely-truncated tenure was outlived by a well-dressed head of lettuce.
The embattled Truss resigned from her position as leader on Thursday, after her policies triggered economic turmoil and inspired rebellion within her Conservative party. She served for just six weeks.
But independent British tabloid The Daily Star has been preparing for this moment since at least Oct. 14, when it shared a livestream titled "Can Liz Truss outlast a lettuce?" The popular video, reportedly inspired by a quip from The Economist, per The New York Times, originally featured a photo of Truss next to a bland head of lettuce purchased at a Tesco grocery store for about 68 cents, per the Times. The leafy green was later dressed up with eyes, a smile, and a floppy head of blonde hair, among other gags.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

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.
Of course, the lettuce won out in the end. After she resigned, "[s]omeone flipped the photo of [Truss] face-down on the table, colorful lights swirled, and a recording of 'God Save the King' played on repeat as nearly 20,000 people watched live," the Times writes.
As of 10 a.m. ET Thursday morning, the stream also featured some celebratory alcohol and a few fruit and vegetable friends to keep the lettuce company. The text "This lettuce outlasted Liz Truss" was plastered in big letters onto the screen, just above the ticker: "Breaking: The lettuce will make a speech to the nation at 18:00."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
5 artfully drawn cartoons about Donald Trump's Epstein doodle
Cartoons Artists take on a mountainous legacy, creepy art, and more
-
Violent videos of Charlie Kirk’s death are renewing debate over online censorship
Talking Points Social media ‘promises unfiltered access, but without guarantees of truth and without protection from harm’
-
What led to Poland invoking NATO’s Article 4 and where could it lead?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION After a Russian drone blitz, Warsaw’s rare move to invoke the important NATO statute has potentially moved Europe closer to continent-wide warfare
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government building
Speed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to US
Speed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU offices
Speed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20
Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peace
Speed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'