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.

...

New Slogans for Tylenol Sep 27, 2025

The folks behind Tylenol have a rebranding conundrum. Overcoming the lasting harm of recent political stunts will require specificity and vivid description. It's going to take discussion of pelvic floor dysfunction, of discharge, of errant boobs. In ... Read More

...

The Tyranny of the Lawnmower Sep 20, 2025

Chores I will gladly outsource to qualified professionals: oil changes, mammograms, colonoscopies, hair color, anything involving shingles, pipes, wires and/or drywall. And lawn care. Where I live in Florida, the grass is fickle. That gnarly, matted ... Read More

...

Quiz: Should You Give That Baseball to a Child? Sep 13, 2025

Another sweaty, storied baseball season is sliding into home, but there's still time to steal a souvenir from the clutches of a wide-eyed child. With that in mind, let's review the lessons provided by a sporting season of televised misdeeds. There's ... Read More

...

Cracker Barrel Is a Distraction From a Darker American Rebrand Sep 06, 2025

On a rainy Monday, I slid into a seat at Cracker Barrel. The chain's new, doomed logo dotted flatware sleeves, the only sign of its widely mocked brand overhaul. For the astonishingly low price of $10, I got a hefty bowl of chicken and dumplings with... Read More