Ben Schwartz

@benschwartz_

Ben Schwartz is an Emmy-nominated writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, The New Republic, The New York Times, and many other publications. His Bluesky address is @benschwartz.bluesky.social.

Billy Wilder walks down a London street during the 1969 filming of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes.

Billy Wilder’s Battle With the Past Billy Wilder’s Battle With the Past

How the fabled Hollywood director confronted survivor’s guilt, the legacies of the Holocaust, and the paradoxes of Zionism.

Aug 18, 2025 / Ben Schwartz

LA can expect a lot more lurid tabloid coverage in its media future, to judge by the New York Post's track record.

Can Rupert Murdoch Conquer LA? Can Rupert Murdoch Conquer LA?

The tabloid baron will launch a West Coast version of the "New York Post" next year.

Aug 7, 2025 / Ben Schwartz

Jay Leno at the 2021 Britweek Luxury Car Rally in Los Angeles.

Jay Leno’s Phony Case for Balanced Comedy Jay Leno’s Phony Case for Balanced Comedy

The former "Tonight Show" host thinks a dose of bothsidesism will punch up the late-night scene.

Jul 30, 2025 / Ben Schwartz

Stephen Colbert on the set of

How CBS Decided It Couldn’t Afford to Let Stephen Colbert Speak His Mind How CBS Decided It Couldn’t Afford to Let Stephen Colbert Speak His Mind

The network claims it’s canceling "The Late Show" for financial reasons, but the real bottom line here is Trump appeasement.

Jul 21, 2025 / Ben Schwartz

Harvey Weinstein at a preliminary hearing last year for his retrial on rape charges in New York

How the MAGA Movement Is Erasing the Legacy of #MeToo How the MAGA Movement Is Erasing the Legacy of #MeToo

Sexual predators are getting free passes from Donald Trump and the right-wing mediasphere.

Jun 4, 2025 / Ben Schwartz

Mike Richards, The Daily Wire’s latest canceled rehabilitation project, accepting a 2016 Emmy Award for his work on “The Price Is Right.”

The Daily Wire’s Doomed Quest for Pop-Culture Relevance The Daily Wire’s Doomed Quest for Pop-Culture Relevance

Ben Shapiro’s aspiring entertainment empire can’t stop trolling to its base.

May 23, 2025 / Ben Schwartz

Donald Trump projects his cultural will-to-power from the presidential box at the Kennedy Center.

The Culture-War Furies Behind Trump’s Film-Tariff Plan The Culture-War Furies Behind Trump’s Film-Tariff Plan

The president doesn’t have the authority to impose tariffs on movies produced abroad, but he still wants to be the right’s designated culture commissar.

May 7, 2025 / Ben Schwartz

“Snow White” costars Gal Gadot (L) and Rachel Zegler flank DIsney studio head Marc E. Platt at the film’s global premier.

How “Snow White” Got Caught Up in Hollywood’s Culture Wars How “Snow White” Got Caught Up in Hollywood’s Culture Wars

Disney’s box-office bomb has spawned a series of Gaza-and-Trump-themed recriminations.

Apr 8, 2025 / Ben Schwartz

Tony Hinchcliffe panders for MAGA laughs at last fall’s Madison Square Garden rally.

The Not-So-Golden Age of MAGA Troll Comedy The Not-So-Golden Age of MAGA Troll Comedy

In a blind rush to appease a phantom Trump demographic, media executives and billionaire owners are granting influential platforms to bigots, hacks, and panderers. 

Mar 21, 2025 / Ben Schwartz

Backlash or Blacklist? Hollywood’s Pro-Gaza Protesters Feel the Heat

Backlash or Blacklist? Hollywood’s Pro-Gaza Protesters Feel the Heat Backlash or Blacklist? Hollywood’s Pro-Gaza Protesters Feel the Heat

In whisper campaigns and puzzling career reversals, pro-Palestinian actors say that they're being punished for speaking out.

Feb 26, 2025 / Ben Schwartz

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