Michael Hobbes
American journalist and podcaster From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael Hobbes is a journalist and podcast host.[1] He was formerly a Senior Enterprise Reporter for HuffPost.[2][3] His writing has also appeared in Pacific Standard,[4] The New Republic,[5] and Slate.[6]
Michael Hobbes | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Journalist and podcaster |
| Known for | Maintenance Phase, You're Wrong About, If Books Could Kill |
| Website | https://rottenindenmark.org/ |
Hobbes currently co-hosts the podcast Maintenance Phase, which criticizes the science behind health and wellness fads,[1] and the podcast If Books Could Kill, which critically examines the premises of various popular non-fiction books.[7][8] He also previously co-hosted You're Wrong About, which explores the truth behind popular narratives about well-known historical events and phenomena.[9]
Before beginning his writing career, Hobbes worked in human rights for 11 years.[10] He was previously a reporter for the Huffington Post,[2] where he covered the new economy.[3] He also writes journalistic and personal essays for publications including Pacific Standard,[4] The New Republic,[5] and Slate.[6] His article on the plight of millennials[11] was nominated for a National Magazine Award.[12] He has also appeared in multiple episodes of WNYC's On the Media.[10][13]
Michael Hobbes, along with co-host Sarah Marshall, started the podcast You're Wrong About in May 2018.[14] Each episode centers a historical event or concept and breaks down the common myths and misconceptions that surround it. Unlike many history podcasts, one co-host researches the episode and the other blind-reacts to the information.[14] During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns the podcast gained a cult following.[14][10] Hobbes decided to step away from the podcast in October 2021, citing his wish to end his involvement on a high note.[10]
Hobbes and Aubrey Gordon have co-hosted the podcast Maintenance Phase since October 2020.[15] The show examines the myths and "junk science" behind health, nutrition, and wellness trends, and have discussed topics including popular diets and diet foods, anti-fat bias, and eating disorders.[1]
In November 2022, Hobbes and lawyer Peter Shamshiri launched If Books Could Kill, a podcast that breaks down popular non-fiction books like Freakonomics in the same style as Maintenance Phase and You're Wrong About.[7]
Hobbes questioned the veracity of a 2024 essay in The Atlantic by a former New York Times editor who said he had been chastised by human resources due to eating at Chick-fil-A, given the CEO's position against same-sex marriage. The Atlantic asserted that the story had been fact-checked and confirmed with multiple Times employees, and journalists Robby Soave and Erik Wemple also supported the magazine.[16][17] Jonathan Chait called Hobbes a "bad-faith media critic" who reflexively criticized stories inconvenient to left-wing causes.[18]
Hobbes is gay.[19][20] He has lived in Seattle, Berlin, the United Kingdom and Denmark.[21][10]
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