Baratunde Thurston
Encyclopedia
Baratunde Rafiq Thurston (born September 11, 1977 in Washington, D.C.
) is an American comedian
based in Boston
and New York City
. He is a graduate of Sidwell Friends School
and a cum laude graduate of Harvard University
.
Thurston is the author of three self-published books:
As part of Laughing Liberally, Thurston emceed
the YearlyKos
convention in 2006 and also appeared in 2007.
Thurston has contributed to the Huffington Post and the Weekly Dig
. More recently Thurston has become a semi-regular panelist on the podcast this Week in Tech
with Leo Laporte.
Thurston began hosting the Popular Science
's Future Of television show on the Science Channel in August 2009.
Thurston is currently the Web Editor at The Onion.
He is writing his fourth book, due in early 2011, entitled How to Be Black, to be published by HarperCollins.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
) is an American comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
based in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He is a graduate of Sidwell Friends School
Sidwell Friends School
Sidwell Friends School is a Quaker private school located in Bethesda, Maryland and Washington, D.C., offering pre-kindergarten through secondary school classes. Founded in 1883 by Thomas Sidwell, its motto is "Eluceat omnibus lux" , alluding to the Quaker concept of inner light...
and a cum laude graduate of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Thurston is the author of three self-published books:
- Better than Crying: Poking Fun at Politics, the Press & Pop Culture (2004)
- Keep Jerry Falwell Away from My Oreo Cookies (2005)
- Thank You Congressional Pages (For Being So Damn Sexy!) (2006)
As part of Laughing Liberally, Thurston emceed
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
the YearlyKos
YearlyKos
Netroots Nation is a political convention for American progressive political activists, originally organized by readers and writers of Daily Kos, a liberal political blog. It was previously called YearlyKos...
convention in 2006 and also appeared in 2007.
Thurston has contributed to the Huffington Post and the Weekly Dig
Weekly Dig
Boston's Weekly Dig sometimes just called the Weekly Dig or even just the Dig is a free alternative newsweekly found in Boston, Massachusetts. It offers commentary on music, arts, politics, technology, film, sex, food, drink and more, as well as local bar, entertainment and club listings, and...
. More recently Thurston has become a semi-regular panelist on the podcast this Week in Tech
This Week in Tech
This Week in Tech–casually referred to as TWiT, and formerly known as Revenge of the Screen Savers–is the weekly flagship podcast of the TWiT.tv network...
with Leo Laporte.
Thurston began hosting the Popular Science
Popular Science
Popular Science is an American monthly magazine founded in 1872 carrying articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. Popular Science has won over 58 awards, including the ASME awards for its journalistic excellence in both 2003 and 2004...
's Future Of television show on the Science Channel in August 2009.
Thurston is currently the Web Editor at The Onion.
He is writing his fourth book, due in early 2011, entitled How to Be Black, to be published by HarperCollins.