Jesse Thorn
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{short description|American radio personality (born 1981)}}
{{Infobox presenter
| name = Jesse Thorn
| image = Monsters of Podcasting NYC 2009 - Jesse Thorn 1.jpg
| caption = September 2009
| image_upright = 1
| alt = Photo of Jesse Thorn speaking into a microphone. He is caucasian and wearing a coat and tie.
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|4|24}}{{cite web
|url = http://www.maximumfun.org/jordan-jesse-go/jordan-jesse-go-episode-166-dress-mess-maria-bamford
|title = Jordan, Jesse, Go! Episode 166: Dress Mess with Maria Bamford {{!}} Maximum Fun
|website = www.maximumfun.org
|publisher=Maximum Fun
|date=March 8, 2011
|access-date=September 8, 2014
|author1=Thorn, Jesse
|author2=Morris, Jordan
|number=166
|time=1:16:00}}
| birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S.
| show = Bullseye with Jesse Thorn
| station = Maximum Fun
| network = {{ubl|National Public Radio|Public Radio International (former)}}
| timeslot =
| style = Interview
| country = United States
| spouse = {{marriage|Theresa Hossfeld|2008}}
| children = 3
| prevshow =
| website = {{url|www.maximumfun.org}}
}}
Jesse Michael Gabriel Thorn{{cite web |url = https://maximumfun.org/episodes/judge-john-hodgman/episode-615-this-is-the-name-of-your-mullet/ |title = Episode 615: This Is The Name Of Your Mullet {{!}} Maximum Fun |website = www.maximumfun.org |publisher=Maximum Fun |date=26 April 2023 |access-date=May 5, 2023 |author1=Thorn, Jesse |author2=Hodgman, John |number=615 |time=4:05}} (born April 24, 1981) is an American media entrepreneur and public radio and podcast host/creator. He is the founder of the Maximum Fun podcast network, and the host and producer of the podcasts Judge John Hodgman and Jordan, Jesse, Go!{{Cite web|url=http://www.maximumfun.org/jessethorn|title=Jesse Thorn {{!}} Maximum Fun|website=www.maximumfun.org|language=en|access-date=May 10, 2017}} and the radio show and podcast Bullseye. Bullseye (formerly The Sound of Young America), is distributed by National Public Radio{{cite web|last=Ellis |first=Justin |url=http://www.niemanlab.org/2013/02/jesse-thorn-hits-a-bullseye-moves-his-show-to-npr/ |title=Jesse Thorn hits a Bullseye, moves his show to NPR » Nieman Journalism Lab |publisher=Niemanlab.org |date=February 11, 2013 |access-date=November 2, 2013}} to several hundred public terrestrial radio stations.[http://www.maximumfun.org/about-bullseye List of stations], at Maximum Fun website. In 2024, Thorn was elected to the Podcasting Hall of Fame.
In addition to his work in radio and podcasts, Jesse Thorn also hosted the television program The Grid, which formerly aired on IFC, and The Sound of Young America, which aired on Current, and runs a blog and web video series devoted to men's fashion called Put This On.{{cite web|url=http://putthison.com/post/10287901291/put-this-on-season-one|title=Put This On • Put This On: Season One|date=September 16, 2011|publisher=Putthison.com|access-date=November 2, 2013}} As an actor, he has appeared on stage with the sketch comedy group Prank the Dean, on FX’s Archer and on IFC's Comedy Bang Bang.{{Cite web|url=https://maximumfun.org/about/team/jesse-thorn/|title=Jesse Thorn|date=April 25, 2019|website=Maximum Fun|language=en-US|access-date=February 12, 2020}}
Early life
Thorn grew up in San Francisco, where he attended Discovery Center School, The Nueva School{{Cite web|url=http://www.nuevaschool.org/news/alumni-news/1362-thorn-95-featured-in-fast-company|title=The Nueva School - Thorn '95 Featured in Fast Company|website=www.nuevaschool.org|access-date=October 5, 2016}} and Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/fashion/weddings/07VOWS.html?scp=1&sq=jesse%20thorn&st=cse|title=Vows: Theresa Hossfeld and Jesse Thorn|newspaper=New York Times|date=September 6, 2008}} He graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he cofounded The Sound of Young America and worked as news director of the campus radio station KZSC.{{Cite news | last = Rappaport | first = Scott | title = Maximum Fun: Alum Jesse Thorn woos young listeners with a new brand of radio show | newspaper = UC Santa Cruz Review | location = Santa Cruz, California | date = April 2, 2008 | url = http://www.ucsc.edu/news_events/text.asp?pid=2073 | access-date = October 23, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100222041304/http://www.ucsc.edu/news_events/text.asp?pid=2073 | archive-date = February 22, 2010 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }} The Sound of Young America began as a college radio variety show featuring Thorn and two other cohosts, Jordan Morris and Gene O'Neill.{{cite web|first=Jesse|last=Thorn|url=http://www.metrosantacruz.com/metro-santa-cruz/08.23.06/tsoya-0634.html|title=My Life As America's Radio Sweetheart|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703235224/http://www.metrosantacruz.com/metro-santa-cruz/08.23.06/tsoya-0634.html|archive-date=July 3, 2008|website=Metro Santa Cruz|date=August 23–30, 2006}}
Career
Near the end of 2004, Thorn began to make his show, The Sound of Young America, available as a podcast. A few months later, Thorn received a call from the director of programming at PRI, who had heard one of the podcasts and expressed interest in distributing the show. In 2006 WNYC-FM, a public radio station in New York City, picked up the show, and PRI decided to distribute it. By September 2008 the show was carried on 18 public radio stations, in addition to the podcast. This was the beginning of Maximum Fun, which Thorn owned until 2023, when it became a worker-owned co-op.{{cite web | last=Silberling | first=Amanda | title=Podcast network Maximum Fun is becoming a worker-owned co-op | website=TechCrunch | date=March 20, 2023 | url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/20/maximum-fun-podcast-co-op-worker-owned/ | access-date=October 31, 2024}}
Thorn and the show were mentioned in The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine and Salon.com,{{cite news|first=Keith|last=Huang|title=Blog Watch: "The Sound of Young America"|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=July 24, 2006|url=http://www.maximumfun.org/blog/2006/07/todays-wall-street-journal.html}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1189268,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060620155756/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1189268,00.html | archive-date=2006-06-20|title=The Pick of the Podcasts|magazine=TIME|date=May 2, 2006}} with Salon describing Thorn's interviewing style as combining "the civility and preparedness of [Terry] Gross leavened with the good humor of [Conan] O'Brien."{{cite web|first=Ira|last=Boudway|url=http://archive.salon.com/ent/audiofile/2005/11/14/listens/index.html|title=Longer listens: Peter Guralnick, Art Spiegelman and some lost Van Morrison tracks on the 'Sound of Young America'|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705135639/http://archive.salon.com/ent/audiofile/2005/11/14/listens/index.html|archive-date=July 5, 2009|website=Salon|date=November 14, 2005}} Thorn's discussion of the concept of "New Sincerity" was noted in a 2007 USA Weekend featureDennis McCafferty, [http://www.usaweekend.com/07_issues/070114/070114tech.html "Top podcast picks: Favorites from experts in their category,"]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} USA Weekend, January 14, 2007. (Thorn's program was the in-print "podcast pick" of comedian Patton Oswalt.) and a 2008 scholarly article.Alexei Yurchak, "Post-Post-Communist Sincerity: Pioneers, Cosmonauts, and Other Soviet Heroes Born Today," in Thomas Lahusen and Peter H. Solomon, What Is Soviet Now?: Identities, Legacies, Memories (LIT Verlag Berlin-Hamburg-Münster, 2008), {{ISBN|978-3-8258-0640-8}}, p.258 n.3, [https://books.google.com/books?id=3GonhERyzwEC&pg=PA258 excerpt] available at Google Books. Andrew W.K.(Noting that "the turn to post-postmodern sincerity . . .is associated with the events of 9/11" and "'new sincerity' has been popularized since 9/11 by some youth media (for example, by Jesse Thorn, the host of a popular music program Sound of Young America, on New York's National Public Radio station WNYC).
In 2006, Thorn and former Sound of Young America co-host Jordan Morris launched another podcast, Jordan, Jesse, Go! Thorn has also produced several other podcasts for MaximumFun.org, including Elizabeth Gilbert's Magic Lessons, the scripted comedy series Bubble, Coyle & Sharpe: The Imposters{{cite web | last=Whiting | first=Sam | title=Mal Sharpe, ‘The Man on the Street’ radio gag man, dies at 83 | website=Datebook | date=March 12, 2020 | url=https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/comedy/mal-sharpe-the-man-on-the-street-radio-gag-man-dies-at-83 | access-date=October 31, 2024}} and The Kasper Hauser Comedy Podcast.[http://www.pri.org/jesse-thorn-bio.html "Jesse Thorn Bio"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090517032102/http://www.pri.org/jesse-thorn-bio.html |date=May 17, 2009 }} at PRI website. He was also a part of sketch comedy group Prank the Dean,Ben Kharakh, [http://gothamist.com/2006/11/02/jesse_thorn_ame.php "Jesse Thorn, America's Radio Sweetheart"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929115220/http://gothamist.com/2006/11/02/jesse_thorn_ame.php |date=September 29, 2008 }} in Gothamist, posted November 2, 2006. along with Morris, Lauren Pasternak and Jim Real.
Over time, The Sound of Young America (now Bullseye), which had featured a variety of segments, became more focused on interviews. Thorn has interviewed many notable personalities on his show, including Dolly Parton, Greta Gerwig, Jay Leno, Antonio Banderas, Jeff Goldblum and E-40. Thorn also interviewed Stephen Colbert as a part of iTunes's Meet the Author series.
Thorn has been an important leader in the podcast business. Fast Company called him "the most important person in entertainment you've never heard of" and "the Zelig of modern culture."{{Cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3049373/meet-the-most-important-person-in-entertainment-youve-never-heard-of|title=Meet The Most Important Person In Entertainment You've Never Heard Of|last=Rabin|first=Nathan|date=August 6, 2015|website=Fast Company|language=en-US|access-date=February 12, 2020}} In 2011, the magazine chose him as one of the 100 most creative people in business.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/person/jesse-thorn|title=Meet Jesse Thorn, one of Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People 2011|website=Fast Company|language=en-US|access-date=February 12, 2020}} In 2009, Jesse helped comedian and podcaster Marc Maron to set up the microphones and software necessary to produce his WTF with Marc Maron podcast from his garage. Maron thanked Jesse again for this on the podcast's 300th episode.WTF with Marc Maron - Episode 300 http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_300 Jesse is also the coproducer of the public radio broadcast version of Maron's podcast.
In 2012, The Sound of Young America was renamed Bullseye and now exclusively features interviews.
In 2017 and 2018, Thorn released a podcast series on the art of interviewing, entitled The Turnaround. It featured interviews with interviewers on interviewing, including guests such as Dick Cavett, Katie Couric, Werner Herzog, Larry King and Terry Gross.{{Cite web|url=https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/the-turnaround-with-jesse-thorn/|title=The Turnaround with Jesse Thorn|date=June 9, 2017|website=Maximum Fun|language=en-US|access-date=February 12, 2020}}
Personal life
In 2008, Thorn married Theresa Hossfeld. They have three children.{{cite web
| last = Thorn
| first = Jesse
| title = [Grace] Thorn, Born August 5th, 2011
| date = August 6, 2011
| url = http://www.maximumfun.org/2011/08/06/simon-thorn-born-august-5th-2011
| access-date = February 11, 2012}}{{Cite news|url=https://twitter.com/JesseThorn/status/822213416727105536|title=Jesse Thorn on Twitter|newspaper=Twitter|access-date=February 19, 2017|language=en}}
{{cite web
| last = Thorn
| first = Jesse
| title = JesseThorn: Oscar Thorn was born this morning...
| date = October 25, 2013
| url = https://twitter.com/JesseThorn/status/393765245748916224
| access-date = December 16, 2013}}
{{cite web
| last = Thorn
| first = Jesse
| title = Jordan, Jesse Go! episode
| date = February 13, 2007
| url = http://www.maximumfun.org/jordan-jesse-go/jordan-jesse-go-episode-467-live-very-very-fun-day-dave-shumka-and-tricia-bobeda
| access-date = February 19, 2017}}
From 2013 until the pandemic finally prompted her to step down in spring of 2022, Theresa Thorn co-hosted the Maximum Fun podcast One Bad Mother with Biz Ellis.{{cite web|last1=Thorn|first1=Theresa|title=One Bad Mother|date=March 6, 2013 |url=http://www.maximumfun.org/one-bad-mother/one-bad-mother-episode-0-who-we-are|access-date=August 26, 2014}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.maximumfun.org|name=Maximum Fun|Official Maximum Fun website}}
- [http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bullseye/about/ WNYC's website for Bullseye (formerly The Sound of Young America)]
- [http://putthison.com/ Put This On.com: website + web-video series about men's fashion]
- [http://manschoolshow.com/blog/2014/2/5/class-48-migraine-headaches-with-jesse-thorn Jesse Thorn discusses his history of migraine headaches]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thorn, Jesse}}
Category:21st-century American businesspeople
Category:American mass media owners
Category:Businesspeople from Los Angeles
Category:Businesspeople from San Francisco
Category:Public Radio International personalities
Category:Radio personalities from Los Angeles
Category:Radio personalities from San Francisco
Category:University of California, Santa Cruz alumni