Michael John Knowles (born March 18, 1990) is an Americanconservative political commentator,YouTuber, author, and media host. He has worked forThe Daily Wire since 2016, and has hostedThe Michael Knowles Show, a daily politicalpodcast, since 2017.
Knowles was raised in theCatholic faith by his family but fell away during his adolescence, crediting in part the emergence ofChristopher Hitchens andNew Atheism.[9] While attending Yale, he experienced a reconversion to the Church, spurred at first byontological arguments.[10]
Career
Acting
Before graduating fromYale University, Knowles participated in two Web series,Never Do Business with Friends andSurvive. Upon graduation, Knowles trained withWynn Handman at his acting studio in New York City and appeared in various Web series, films, and television shows.[11] It was reported in March 2023 byThe Daily Dot that Knowles appeared in the student filmHouse of Shades (2012) as aqueer man that seduces another man at a night club.[12]
After moving toLos Angeles, he acted in the television pilot ofI'm Back and in the television moviesLife Coach andBlend In. He also starred as Alejandro in the comedy feature filmHóllyweird.[13]
Political commentary
In 2016, Knowles was invited to joinThe Daily Wire, beginning as a regular guest and cultural correspondent forThe Andrew Klavan Show podcast.[citation needed] He had worked withAndrew Klavan's son, Spencer, on theater productions while they were undergraduates at Yale.[14][15][better source needed]
In 2018, Knowles reiterated his opposition tosame-sex marriage and opposed attempts by some in the conservative movement to recognize such unions.[16][better source needed]
In April 2019, Knowles gave a speech at theUniversity of Missouri–Kansas City titled "Men Are Not Women" during hisYAF national college speaking tour. Student protesters disrupted his talk. One protester assaulted him and sprayed him with an unknown mixture, later determined to be lavender oil and other non-toxic household liquids. The protester was charged with assault and other violations.[17][18][19] ChancellorC. Mauli Agrawal praised the protestors and condemned Knowles, alleging that Knowles's "professed opinions do not align with our commitment to diversity and inclusion and our goal of providing a welcoming environment to all people."[20] Agrawal also acknowledged that how Knowles was treated "crossed a line". Many Missouri lawmakers were dissatisfied with Agrawal's response and threatened to cut the school's budget.[21]
In September 2019, Knowles called climate activistGreta Thunberg a "mentally ill Swedish child" onFox News programThe Story. The network apologized for Knowles's statement, saying his comment was "disgraceful — we apologize to Greta Thunberg and to our viewers." Knowles did not apologize and Fox stated they had "no plans" to have him on again in the future.[22][23] However, the channel welcomed him back shortly thereafter for a segment with hostTucker Carlson.[24] Knowles later said, "Obviously, there is nothing shameful about living with autism or any other psychiatric condition. What is shameful is exploiting children for political purposes."[25]
On November 13, 2020, Knowles was scheduled as the guest host ofThe Rush Limbaugh Show.[30] After this opportunity,The Daily Wire, in collaboration withWestwood One, announced that Knowles would be hosting his own daily radio show onWHLD.[31]
In February 2023, Knowles stated that those who identify as transgender are "laboring a delusion, and we need to correct that delusion". At theConservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in March, he further stated that "there can be no middle way in dealing withtransgenderism", and "if [transgenderism] is false, then for the good of society, and especially for the good of the poor people who have fallen prey to this confusion, transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely – the whole preposterous ideology."[32] His comments were criticized by people includingcivil rights attorneyAlejandra Caraballo, who interpreted them as "genocidal".[33] Knowles made legal threats to media outlets which reported that he was calling for the eradication of transgender people or the transgender community, stating that the outlets were beinglibelous, and that he was referring to "transgenderism" as anideology; critics considered the distinction meaningless.[34][35][36]
In 2017, Knowles released anempty book calledReasons to Vote for Democrats: A Comprehensive Guide.[38] The book, which contained 266 empty pages, became a bestseller onAmazon.[39] Shortly after Knowles lauded President Trump onFox & Friends, Trump called Knowles's book "a great book for your reading enjoyment".[38] That year, Knowles began his role as host ofThe Daily Wire's third podcast,The Michael Knowles Show.
Knowles's second book,Speechless: Controlling Words, Controlling Minds,[40] became a number one bestseller for hardcover nonfiction according toPublishers Weekly,[41][42] and a number two bestseller for nonfiction onAudible.[43]
^Kilander, Gustaf (March 4, 2023)."CPAC speaker sparks alarm with call for trans people to be 'eradicated'".The Independent.Archived from the original on March 4, 2023. RetrievedMarch 4, 2023. The full quote is from the video. The text of the article omits "and especially for the good of the poor people who have fallen prey to this confusion."
