Leon Neyfakh

Leon Neyfakh is an American journalist, radio host and author. He is known for hosting the podcast Slow Burn and his book The Next Next Level: A Story of Rap, Friendship, and Almost Giving Up.

Leon Neyfakh
Born
Soviet Union
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma materHarvard University
OccupationJournalist, staff writer, radio host

Early life and education

Neyfakh was born in the Soviet Union and raised in Oak Park, Illinois. Both of his parents are Russian Jews[1] who immigrated to the United States when Neyfakh was a child.[2]

He graduated from Harvard University in 2007 with an A.B. in history and literature.[3] During his time at Harvard, he wrote for its student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson.[4]

Career

Neyfakh is best known for creating and hosting Slate's podcast Slow Burn, which has covered American political scandals. The first season of the podcast was about the Watergate scandal of Richard Nixon,[5][6] and the second season covered the Lewinsky scandal of Bill Clinton.[7]

Before joining Slate, Neyfakh worked for the Boston Globe as the Ideas staff, and was a reporter for the New York Observer. He has also written for The FADER, The New Republic, and Rollingstone.com.[3]

Neyfakh also wrote a book titled The Next Next Level: A Story of Rap, Friendship, and Almost Giving Up, about Juiceboxxx, a rapper from Wisconsin.[8][2]

In November 2018, Neyfakh announced on Twitter that he was leaving Slate to write and host his new podcast, "FIASCO"[9] which is offered exclusively on the Luminary podcast platform.[10] The first season of FIASCO focused on the Bush vs. Gore legal battle and the second season is centered around the Iran-Contra affair.[11]

In February 2019, it was announced that Epix would release a 6-part docu-series inspired by Slow Burn with Neyfakh as host. The series will premiere on February 16, 2020.[12]

Personal life

Neyfakh is married to Alice Gregory, a freelance journalist. The couple live in Brooklyn, New York City[13][14][2] and have a black toy poodle named Mickey.[15]

References
  1. Ep. 188: FiveThirtyEight politics writer Clare Malone and Fiasco host Leon Neyfakh, Unorthodox podcast, July 11, 2019.
  2. The Impulsive Life Not Chosen The New Yorker
  3. LEON NEYFAKH OF SLOW BURN PODCAST TO DISCUSS COVERING WATERGATE FOUR DECADES LATER Manhattan College
  4. Leon Neyfakh, The Harvard Crimson
  5. New podcast revisits Watergate in the Trump era Columbia Journalism Review
  6. Slow Burn’: Watergate Podcast Host on Avoiding Obvious Trump Parallels and Finding Out When Conspiracies Come True
  7. Slate’s Slow Burn Podcast to Return With New Season About the Clinton Impeachment Vulture
  8. ‘The Next Next Level’ by Leon Neyfakh: a tale of rap and friendship The Washington Post
  9. Slate’s Leon Neyfakh on Slow Burn’s success and political storytelling Columbia Journalism Review
  10. Larson, Sarah (June 4, 2019). "Three Podcasts to Listen to in June". ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  11. Alam, Rumaan (February 4, 2020). "Fiasco Tries to Make Iran-Contra a Teachable Moment". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  12. Bennett, Anita; Bennett, Anita (February 10, 2019). "Epix Greenlights Podcast-Inspired Docuseries 'Slow Burn' – TCA". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  13. New York Media Power Couples: The Varsity Lineup and the Incoming Class The Observer
  14. The Daily Grind of a Distracted Freelance Writer Fold magazine
  15. mickey the toy poodle knocks down a delighted baby, retrieved November 23, 2019
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