About Stephanie Hayes

Stephanie Hayes

Stephanie Hayes

Stephanie Hayes is a columnist with the Tampa Bay Times. She has been at the Times since 2003, when she became an editorial assistant and just kind of hung around until her bosses gave her more jobs. Before taking on her current role writing humor, she was an editor, leading arts and lifestyle coverage. In that capacity, she oversaw a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and James Beard Award, as well as winners of the National Headliner Awards, Society for Features Journalism and more. Prior to editing, she was a reporter covering local governments, higher education, nightlife, feature obituaries, fashion and performing arts. She won first place for criticism in the Green Eyeshade Awards and a first place National Headliner Award for lifestyle blogging. She’s the author of the novel "Obitchuary," inspired by her time on the death beat. She is a graduate of the University of South Florida and lives in Dunedin, Florida, with her husband, stepdaughter, giant cat and tiny dog. Read her column here.

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How To Name Your PAC Aug 08, 2026

Do you want to start a political action committee? Congratulations on taking the exciting first steps! There are a few key things to know. First, what is a PAC? Such a baby is born when two or more people give or take funds to support a candidate, pa... Read More

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Free the Leggings! Aug 01, 2026

Every so often, a school dress code materializes with a subtext like so: Students cannot learn amid the existence of boobs, hips or butts that curve at any juncture. These features indicate the possibility of sex, which is not real, as evidenced b... Read More

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The Manatees Apologize for Being an Inconvenience Jul 25, 2026

The manatees are sorry. The manatees apologize that groceries and gas are expensive, that there are wars and sickness. The manatees don't know if that's their fault, but they are pretty sure it is. The manatees keep getting in the way of things human... Read More

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Americans Can't Handle a Diarrhea Apocalypse Jul 18, 2026

Delightful poo-poo memes are going around. In one of my faves, people list stuff that doesn't have cyclospora. It's not salads. It's Snickers, mac and cheese, and cookies. Hilarious, I thought after a scroll. Solid creative energy from the internet h... Read More