Michael John Knowles (born March 18, 1990) is an Americanconservative political commentator, author, and media host. He has been affiliated withThe Daily Wire since 2016, where he has hostedThe Michael Knowles Show, a daily politicalpodcast, since 2017.
A graduate ofYale University, Knowles previously trained as an actor and appeared in several independent film and web productions before turning to political media. His early prominence came in 2017 with the publication ofReasons to Vote for Democrats: A Comprehensive Guide, a satirical book consisting of blank pages that became a bestseller. He published a second book,Speechless, in 2021.
Known as one of the most prominent Catholic political commentators in theAmerican conservative movement,[1] Knowles is a frequent speaker and commentator within conservative circles and has been involved in projects includingVerdict with Ted Cruz, a podcast he co-hosted with U.S. SenatorTed Cruz for two years.
In 2008, Knowles enrolled atYale University and graduated with honors in 2012, double majoring in history and Italian literature.[8][9][10] In college, he was a contributor to theYale Daily News, an inaugural student fellow of the William F. Buckley Jr. Program, and produced the first English rendering ofNiccolò Machiavelli's playAndria.[11][8][12]
As a Yale student, Knowles became involved in politics, co-founding the Students for Daniels organization, which sought to draft Indiana governorMitch Daniels for the2012 United States presidential election;[13] the group later endorsedJon Huntsman, with Knowles becoming his national youth co-chair.[14][15] He also worked for CongresswomanNan Hayworth in supporting her campaign for reelection, founded a political consulting group in senior year, and created sketches withJimmy McMillan.[16][17][18]
Career
Acting
Knowles began training as an actor when he was 7 years old and studied at theStella Adler Studio of Acting.[18] Knowles pursued acting in college. His appearance in the 2012 student filmHouse of Shades as aqueer man who seduces another man attracted attention from several media outlets in 2023 after comments Knowles made abouttransgender people.[19][20] Upon graduation from Yale, Knowles trained withWynn Handman at his acting studio in New York City.[18][19] Knowles starred in various television movies, music videos, and web series, frequently flying between New York and Los Angeles for his career.[18][21]
Knowles joined theThe Daily Wire in 2016 as a guest and cultural correspondent forTheAndrew Klavan Show. Starting in 2017, he began theMichael Knowles Show, a daily politicalpodcast, also underThe Daily Wire.[22]
In April 2019, Knowles gave a speech at an event sponsored by theYoung America's Foundation at theUniversity of Missouri–Kansas City titled "Men Are Not Women."[23][24] When students protested the event, one assaulted him and sprayed him with an unknown mixture (later determined to belavender oil). The student was subdued by police and later charged for several violations.[24][25] ChancellorC. Mauli Agrawal initially condemned Knowles and praised the protests, before clarifying the university is committed to free speech after backlash.[25][26] Knowles criticized the response while several Missouri lawmakers threatened to cut the school's budget.[27]
In January 2021, radio networkWestwood One syndicated theMichael Knowles Show to help target a young conservative demographic.[31] The network decided to not renew the show in 2024.[32]
Knowles published his second book,Speechless: Controlling Words, Controlling Minds, in 2021.[35] According toPublishers Weekly, it was the number one weekly bestseller for hardcover nonfiction with 17,500 copies sold.[36][37] It was the number two bestseller for nonfiction onAudible.[38]
In September 2019, while on theFox News programThe Story, Knowles called climate activistGreta Thunberg a "mentally ill Swedish child."[49] The network apologized for Knowles's statement, saying his comment was "disgraceful," and announced that they would not book him as a guest in the future.[49][50] Knowles refused to apologize and roughly two years later, reappeared as a guest on Fox News during a segment with hostTucker Carlson.[51]
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