Biography

Joel Stein contributes regularly to TIME’s Arts and Society sections and frequently writes on Sports. His 1998 cover story on Michael Jordan was the No. 1 newsstand bestseller for TIME that year.

He is best known for his interviews and essays in TIME. In September 2002, he wrote about a two-year federal study concluding miracle-diet ads lie. His self-focused humor column (which once ran in TIME’s Notebook section alternating with Calvin Trillin) examined everything from shaving body hair and disliking dogs to his mother's remarriage and the SAT test. Commenting on Stein’s short celebrity Q&As, Brill's Content magazine wrote, "Stein has transformed TIME's Arts Q&A feature into a forum for questions few others would dare ask."

Since joining TIME in August 1997, Stein has written on Chelsea Clinton's arrival at his alma mater, Stanford University, attempts by the Internal Revenue Service to make people feel more welcome to drop by, and the remodeling of MTV. He also wrote cover stories on the "dot.com" revolution and lifestyle, as well as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. He has appeared on network morning television as well as CNN. Stein can be regularly seen on the HBO segment "Phoning It In," where he interviews celebrities from a phone booth, and as the host on Comedy Central’s "Reel Comedy." He also appears on the VH1 series "I Love the 80s" and "I Love the 70’s."

In 2001, Folio Magazine featured him on the cover of their "30 Under 30" issue in an article headlined "Stein’s Time." In November of 2000, Brill's Content named him to their "Influence List" along with media luminaries such as Fox News Network President Roger Ailes, Today anchor Katie Couric and Fortune managing editor John Huey. "This year he's become a bona fide celebrity journalist," Brill's Content wrote. "He had an admiring profile in The New York Times, a slyly anonymous turn as Vanity Fair's 'Calendar Boy,' and a stint as a model for Tommy Hilfiger in W magazine."

Prior to coming to TIME, Stein was sports editor and columnist at Time Out New York for two years. He had also served as a researcher at TV Guide and as a researcher/writer for Martha Stewart Living magazine.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Stein graduated from Stanford University with a BA and MA in English.

He currently resides in Manhattan.