Ben Meiselas, lawyer-turned-viral-podcaster, turned media mogul, has quickly become one of the most dynamic forces in political media with his rapidly-growing network, MeidasTouch. The network has quickly emerged as one of the most popular platforms in America, with 5.5 million subscribers. Meiselas’s journey from a legal career to a media powerhouse reflects his commitment to addressing political and social issues that resonate with many Americans today.
Meiselas, an only child until age 10, was born and raised on Long Island, New York, where he grew up with his two younger brothers Brett and Jordan. Kenny Meiselas of Staten Island, one of the entertainment world’s most well-connected lawyers, has worked with high-profile clients such as Lady Gaga, the Weeknd, and Nicki Minaj. This rich background would prove a ripe environment for Ben’s future career. Upon graduating from law school, those first steps led him to a tiny legal practice in the state of California.
This year, Meiselas took the historic step of completely phasing out his legal work to dedicate his energy to media. His network, MeidasTouch, produces shows that focus on politics, law, and economic matters, and it has been successful in challenging established media giants. As of today, it has surprisingly outperformed Joe Rogan’s podcast in both the audio and video categories. It has consistently beaten Fox News’ YouTube view counts.
Meiselas has not shied away from pushing the envelope. He notably represented Colin Kaepernick when the NFL quarterback sued the league for colluding against him due to his peaceful protest during the national anthem. The two are still friends and business partners today, bonded through their dedication to social justice causes.
Meiselas has been a powerful and committed commentator on political issues, and his disgust with the current state of U.S. media is palpable. Farid thinks what we’re seeing in the media today since Donald Trump’s presidency has been a failure. He states, “We’re beyond a constitutional crisis. America’s living in a dictatorship right now. And the question is, how will an opposition respond to a dictatorship?”
The urgency of his mission calls out from his podcast, where every week he tackles another chronic issue plaguing our society. He reflects on the struggles faced by many Americans, stating, “What are you going to do to fight for my life? What are you going to do to fight for my healthcare? My community is under attack right now.” What’s different is that his perspective is clearly based in empathy and a desire to see real positive change.
Meiselas has had ongoing and direct conversations with other pivotal Democratic leaders, such as Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries. She has further cultivated a personal relationship with newly-elected Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva. His thoughtful and thought-provoking remarks always shift back to community, compassion, and civic stewardship.
With his podcasting approach, Meiselas is taking a different tact, intending to infuse levity into serious topics. He says, “I do my best to keep it still as much as possible suitable for all ages. In contrast, characters who are downright dastardly completely live the WWE cosplay characters they’ve taken on. I think that framing them like this gets at the core of what they are. It’s this balancing act that lets him both entertain people and explore everyone’s favorite grim dystopian days.
As much as Meiselas loves to play the political game, he confesses that he doesn’t like the political game. “I don’t like politics. To me, politics distorts from what the human issues really are,” he explains. Instead, he makes the case for focusing on the deep values that connect people — values of shared compassion, dignity, respect and inclusion.