Michael Malice

Last updated

Michael Malice
BornMichael Krechmer
(1976-07-12) July 12, 1976 (age 48)
Lviv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Pen nameMichael Malice
OccupationAuthor, columnist, media personality
Language
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater Bucknell University
Genre
  • Politics
  • Culture
Years active2006–present
Website
michaelmalice.com
Michael Malice
YouTube information
Channels
Years active2013–present
Genres
Subscribers230 thousand subscribers
(January 24, 2025)
Total views20.5 million views
(January 24, 2025)
Network Podcast One
Contents are inEnglish

Last updated: 19 December 2022

Michael Krechmer [1] [2] (born July 12, 1976), better known as Michael Malice, is a Ukrainian-American anarchist, author, and podcaster. He is the host of "YOUR WELCOME" with Michael Malice, a video podcast which airs on Podcast One. [3] [4] He has also been a ghostwriter and a Fox News commentator. [5] [6]

Contents

Early life and education

Malice was born in Lviv, a city in the former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. [7] [8] Malice has a sister and two nephews. [9] He is of Jewish heritage [1] [10] and grew up speaking Russian. [11]

When he was two years old, he moved with his parents to the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. [1] [7] [12] His father originally worked as a courier and attended Baruch College to study computer science. He later worked for Merrill Lynch. [7] Malice attended Bucknell University. [12] [13] Malice also worked for Goldman Sachs before quitting. [14]

Career

Blog and talk shows

Malice is the co-creator and founding editor of the humor blog Overheard in New York that posts submissions of conversations allegedly heard by eavesdroppers in New York City. [13] [15] [16] Launched in 2003, the site was inspired by a conversation overheard by co-creator S. Morgan Friedman. [16] [17] A book based on some of the site's submissions was published in 2006. [13] [16] [17] In 2017, Malice joined Compound Media as the host of the weekly talk show "YOUR WELCOME" with Michael Malice, whose title Malice has described as trolling. [4] The Guardian described him as "a fixture of the alternative media sphere" in a 2018 article about a right-wing gala in New York City called "A Night for Freedom" where he was a speaker. [18]

Writings

Malice has co-authored and ghostwritten books for celebrities. [5] He co-wrote MMA fighter Matt Hughes's 2008 autobiography Made in America: The Most Dominant Champion in UFC History. [1] He co-wrote Concierge Confidential: The Gloves Come Off – and the Secrets Come Out! Tales from the Man Who Serves Millionaires, Moguls, and Madmen (2011) with Michael Fazio, a concierge to New York City's rich and famous, [1] Malice also co-wrote comedian D. L. Hughley's 2012 book I Want You to Shut the F#ck Up: How the Audacity of Dopes Is Ruining America and his 2016 book Black Man, White House: An Oral History of the Obama Years. [1] His own 2014 book Dear Reader: The Unauthorized Autobiography of Kim Jong Il was crowdfunded through Kickstarter and published through Amazon's CreateSpace program. [19] It is written from the hypothetical first-person view of Kim and is a semi-farcical commentary on how he is portrayed to the North Korean people. [1] [20] [21] Much of it was based on English language propaganda that Malice collected while on a week-long trip to Pyongyang, North Korea in 2012. [1] [20] [21] He had previously recounted the trip in a 2013 article for Reason . [22] In a generally positive review for NK News, Rob York described Dear Reader as "informative, and surprisingly earnest." [23] Malice's 2019 book The New Right: A Journey to the Fringe of American Politics says that the American New Right movement should not be equated to Nazis and that some members are acting out in response to progressivism. Kirkus Reviews doubted some of his reasoning, noting that many of his interviewees "are disturbingly assured that Hitler, if not Jefferson Davis, had it right". [10] In 2021, Malice published The Anarchist Handbook, a collection of essays and writing from various anarchists throughout history, including Emma Goldman, Mikhail Bakunin, Max Stirner, Murray Rothbard, as well as an essay on anarchism by Malice himself. In 2023, Malice published The White Pill, a history of the rise and fall of the Soviet Union.

Other appearances

Since 2014, Malice has been a regular guest on the Fox News and Fox Business Network shows The Independents , [24] Kennedy , [3] Red Eye , [3] The Greg Gutfeld Show , [25] The Story with Martha MacCallum , [26] and Tucker Carlson Tonight . [27] He is also a regular guest on The Tom Woods Show podcast [28] and has appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience [3] and The Rubin Report . [29] Malice is also a regular columnist at Observer . [30]

Tantaros lawsuit

Malice sued former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros in October 2016, saying that he was owed $150,000 for ghostwriting her book Tied Up in Knots: How Getting What We Wanted Made Women Miserable. [31] Tantaros disputed that Malice wrote her book, instead describing him as an editor. [32] In an argument to keep the lawsuit under seal, lawyers for Tantaros said that revealing Malice's claim to have ghost-written the book "would severely undermine her credibility in the eyes of her colleagues, fans, publisher, and the wider news-media world." [33] Tantaros countersued Malice for defamation, saying that he had submitted fabricated evidence and colluded with Fox News to harm her reputation. [34] Malice's lawsuit was dismissed; he appealed the dismissal and lost the appeal as well. [35]

Reception

Malice's early life was the subject of Harvey Pekar's 2006 biographical graphic novel Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story, illustrated by Gary Dumm. [36] [13] [15] As the title suggests, the biography deals with the development of Malice's egoic personality, a characteristic that Malice does not dispute. [37] [38]

Views

Malice describes himself as an anarchist or anarchist without adjectives. [1] [29] Reason described his politics as a combination of anarchism, objectivism, and libertarianism in 2006. [39] In 2014, he wrote an opinion piece for The Guardian explaining why he does not vote. [40] Malice has advocated for the peaceful dissolution of the United States. [41]

Malice is known for trolling others on social media, according to The American Conservative . [5] He has said his pseudonymous surname was inspired primarily by British punk singer Lora Logic, [42] and by nicknames such as Sid Vicious and Poly Styrene that were common within the punk movement and Andy Warhol's circle, which he has cited as influences. [1]

Personal life

Malice, formerly of New York City, [1] [7] [12] resides in Austin, Texas. [43]

Bibliography

As sole author:

As editor:

As co-author:

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Kassel, Matthew (May 28, 2013). "Forever Jong: Writer-Provocateur Michael Malice Takes on the Ghost of North Korea's Eternal Leader". The Observer. New York City, United States. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  2. McCauley, Dana (August 17, 2017). "Andrea Tantaros rejects claims her book on feminism was secretly written by a man". news.com.au. Sydney, Australia. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 De Pasquale, Lisa (June 27, 2017). "De Pasquale's Dozen with Author Michael Malice". Townhall. Townhall Media. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  4. 1 2 Malice, Michael (October 20, 2016). "Trolling in an Age of Earnestness: Plenty of Stupidity to Go Around". The Observer. New York City, United States. Retrieved April 1, 2019. [...] the present author often writes 'YOUR WELCOME'; the mildly intelligent only catch the "your" while the actually intelligent will additionally notice the needless quotes and capitalization, and deduce intentionality.
  5. 1 2 3 Derensis, Hunter (June 26, 2019). "The New Right, Dripping With Malice". The American Conservative . Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  6. Maddaus, Gene (August 11, 2017). "Ex-Fox News Host Andrea Tantaros Sued by Ghostwriter of Her Book 'Tied Up in Knots'". Variety. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Pekar, Harvey (2006). Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story. Random House Publishing Group. pp. 2–4. ISBN   0307415112.
  8. Fridman, Lex (October 2, 2020). "Michael Malice: Anarchy, Democracy, Libertarianism, Love, and Trolling - Lex Fridman Podcast Episode #128" (Podcast). Event occurs at 4:41. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  9. Malice, Michael (January 21, 2021). "Your Welcome: Lauren Southern – In The Outback – Episode 138" (Podcast). GaS Digital Network. Event occurs at 1:27. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  10. 1 2 "The New Right; A Journey to the Fringe of American Politic". Kirkus Reviews . May 14, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  11. Burrus, Trevor; Powell, Aaron. "North Korea 101 – Free Thoughts Podcast". Libertarianism.org. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  12. 1 2 3 Buhle, Paul (April 16, 2006). "It's Malice vs. the world". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, California, United States. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Kramer Bussel, Rachel (April 11, 2006). "Michael Malice, Evil Genius, Editor, Overheard in New York, Subject, Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story". Gothamist. WNYC. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  14. "Michael Malice". The Joe Rogan Experience. Episode #1300. May 20, 2019.
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  16. 1 2 3 "Web site chronicles N.Y. conversations". NBC News. New York City, United States. Associated Press. August 28, 2006. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  17. 1 2 Costa, Brian (March 9, 2006). "Popular web site gives readers a daily earful". The Orange County Register . Anaheim, California, United States. Columbia News Service. p. 63. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2019 via NewspaperArchive.com.
  18. Conroy, J. Oliver (January 22, 2018). "An evening with 'deplorables': inside the alt-right party in Manhattan". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  19. Malice, Michael (January 29, 2014). "KIM JONG IL: The Unauthorized Autobiography". Kickstarter. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  20. 1 2 Kassel, Matthew (February 27, 2013). "Help Michael Malice Write an Autobiography of Kim Jong-il". The Observer. New York City, United States. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  21. 1 2 Stevenson, Jim (April 16, 2014). "Q&A with Michael Malice: The Unauthorized Autobiography of Kim Jong Il". Voice of America. Washington, D.C., United States. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  22. Malice, Michael (July 23, 2013). "My Week in North Korea – A Soviet-born American tours the Hermit Kingdom and finds humanity in a most inhumane place". Reason . Los Angeles, California, United States: Reason Foundation. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  23. York, Rob (February 13, 2015). "'Dear Reader': The surprising earnest story of Kim Jong Il". NK News. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  24. Welch, Matt (October 21, 2014). "Tonight on The Independents: Anthony Fisher on Drug War Corruption in Texas, Mark Steyn on American Collapse, John Tierney on Ebola, Michael Malice on North Korea, and Two College Kids Who Got Harassed for Handing out Constitutions". Reason . Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  25. "Fox Nation: Greg Gutfeld and Michael Malice Break Down Trump's Expert 'Troll Game'". Fox News. New York City, United States. January 23, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  26. "Can Trump convince Kim Jong Un to give up his nukes?". The Story with Martha MacCallum . June 11, 2018. Fox News. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  27. "High alert for potential North Korea show of force". Tucker Carlson Tonight . April 14, 2017. Fox News. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  28. "Ep. 1372 Michael Malice on What Left and Right Mean". The Tom Woods Show. March 27, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  29. 1 2 "Michael Malice and Dave Rubin: The New Right: Journey to the Fringe of American Politics". The Rubin Report . May 24, 2019. Event occurs at 13:15. YouTube. Retrieved October 10, 2020. I'm an anarchist without adjectives.
  30. "Michael Malice". Observer. Observer Media. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  31. Gardner, Eriq (August 11, 2017). "Judge Won't Let Ex-Fox News Star Keep Secret Her Feminism Book Was Ghostwritten by a Man". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  32. "Andrea Tantaros fights claims that ghostwriter penned her book". New York Daily News . August 11, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  33. Klasfeld, Adam (August 11, 2017). "Ex-Pundit's Anti-Feminist Book Haunted by Male Specter". Courthouse News Service.
  34. St. Louis, Julie (January 31, 2018). "Andrea Tantaros Ups Ante in Fight Against Fox News". Courthouse News Service. Malice is desperate for notoriety," Tantaros says in the complaint... "He is a 'wannabe' television personality whose career as a comedian, writer and commentator never gained steam.
  35. "2nd Circ. Affirms Toss Of IP Suit Against Ex-Fox News Host". Law360. August 27, 2018.
  36. Pekar, Harvey (2006). Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story. Ballantine Books. ISBN   978-0345479396.
  37. Kassel, Matthew (May 28, 2013). "Forever Jong: Writer-Provocateur Michael Malice Takes on the Ghost of North Korea's Eternal Leader". The Observer. London, United Kingdom. Retrieved April 1, 2019. Mr. Malice doesn't suffer fools gladly, and neither did Mr. Pekar, whom Mr. Malice befriended through a mutual acquaintance. "He finally met a Jew who was more obnoxious than him," Mr. Malice quipped, explaining that Ego & Hubris, which he never expected to come about, is true to life. But it's only an accurate portrayal, he added, insofar as it represents one part of his identity—albeit a big one.
  38. Corsello, Andrew (October 29, 2009). "The Bitch is Back". GQ. New York City, United States: Condé Nast. Retrieved April 1, 2019. Does Michael Malice admit to being an unreconstructed 33-year-old Ayn Rand Asshole? He does not—he proclaims it. "My reviews were incredible," he says of 2006's Ego Hubris, the story of his life that Harvey Pekar of American Splendor fame told in graphic-novel form. "The Village Voice called me 'the face of jackassery.' Your magazine called me a 'slacker genius.' Did you know that? The Onion called me 'a hateful blowhard who touts his genius-level intellect and dismisses most of the world as inferior, deluded, or hypocritical.' They also called me a 'human cockroach,' because I'm indestructible. Which I am."
  39. Doherty, Brian (April 11, 2006). "To The Moon, Malice!". Reason . Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  40. Malice, Michael (October 14, 2014). "Why I won't vote this year – or any year". The Guardian. London, United Kingdom. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  41. "The Case for American Secession". Observer. June 29, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  42. Michael Malice (November 23, 2022). "YOUR WELCOME" with Michael Malice #234: Lora Logic . Retrieved January 19, 2025 via YouTube.
  43. Why Michael Malice moved to Austin [Lex Fridman Podcast Clips] (Video podcast). Texas, United States: YouTube. December 7, 2022.