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Nick Gillespie | |
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 Gillespie in 2013 | |
| Born | Nicholas John Gillespie (1963-08-07)August 7, 1963 (age 62)[1] New York City, U.S. |
| Education | Rutgers University (BA) Temple University (MA) State University of New York at Buffalo (PhD) |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
Nicholas John Gillespie (/ɡɪˈlɛspi/ghih-LES-pee; born August 7, 1963)[1] is an Americanlibertarian journalist who was editor-in-chief ofReason magazine from 2000 to 2008 and editor-in-chief ofReason.com andReason TV from 2008 to 2017. Gillespie joined Reason's staff in 1993 as an assistant editor and ascended to the top slot in 2000. As of 2025, he is an editor-at-large atReason.[2]
Gillespie has edited oneanthology,Choice: The Best of Reason[3][4] and has made media appearances onCNN,Fox News,MSNBC, andHBO'sReal Time with Bill Maher, where he advocates for libertarian perspectives.[5][6] His work addresses topics such asfree markets,limited government,free speech, andcriminal justice reform.[7]
Gillespie was born inBrooklyn, New York, and grew up inMonmouth County, New Jersey,[8] where he graduated fromMater Dei High School.[9] His educational history includes a B.A. in English and psychology fromRutgers University, an M.A. in English fromTemple University, and aPh.D. in English literature from theState University of New York at Buffalo.[10]
Before joining Reason, Gillespie worked at a number of small trade magazines and other journalistic outlets.
In an interview withCNN anchorJake Tapper, Gillespie and Tapper said they contributed articles for the alternative websiteSuck.com in the 1990s.[11] On Suck.com, Gillespie wrote under thepseudonym Mr. Mxyzptlk.[12]
In 2010,The Daily Beast named Gillespie number 18 on their list of "The Right's Top 25 Journalists".[13] Gillespie himself is a contributor toThe Daily Beast.[14]
Gillespie shared the award for "Best Advocacy Journalism" at the 53rd Annual Southern California Journalism Awards withDrew Carey and Paul Feine for their work "Reason Saves Cleveland." He also received an honorable mention for "Best News Organization Website."[15]
In 2011, Gillespie publishedThe Declaration of Independents: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What's Wrong with America withReason editor-in-chiefMatt Welch.[4]
As one ofReason's editors at large, Gillespie hostsThe Reason Interview, a weekly podcast series in which he interviews various experts about current events from a libertarian perspective.[16][17]
Gillespie married comedy writer and entrepreneur, Sarah Rose Siskind, in 2024.[18] He has three sons: Jack and Neal from his first marriage, and Levi Gillespie-Siskind (born December 6, 2025).[19]
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