Matt Taibbi Biography: Net Worth, Nationality, Children, Height, Age, Movies, Books, Wife

Matt Taibbi is an American author, journalist, and podcaster who has written on finance, media, politics, and sports.

He is best known for his work as a former contributing editor for Rolling Stone magazine, covering the 2008 financial crisis, the 2016 presidential election, and other major events.

He also authorizes several books, such as Griftopia, The Divide, and Hate Inc. He is known for his sharp and witty style, often using humor and sarcasm to expose the corruption and hypocrisy of the powerful.

He has been called “the most important voice on Wall Street” by Business Insider, “one of the few journalists in America who speaks truth to power” by Bernie Sanders, and “a traitor to his class” by The New York Times.

Profile

• Full name: Matthew C. Taibbi
• Date of birth: March 2, 1970
• Age: 53 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Author, journalist, podcaster
• Height: 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
• Parents: Mike Taibbi (father), Nancy Taibbi (mother)
• Siblings: N/A
• Spouse: Jeanne Taibbi (m. 2007)
• Children: Two sons
• Relationship status: Married
• Net worth: $5 million

Early Life & Education

Currently at 53, Matt Taibbi was born on March 2, 1970, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. His father, Mike Taibbi, is an NBC television reporter of mixed Filipino and Native Hawaiian descent adopted by an Italian-American couple.

His mother, Nancy Taibbi, is of Irish descent. He grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, where he attended Concord Academy, a private boarding school.

He was interested in journalism from an early age, inspired by his father’s career. He also developed a passion for sports, especially baseball and basketball.

He graduated from Bard College in 1992 with a degree in history. He spent a year studying at Leningrad Polytechnic University in the former Soviet Union, where he learned Russian and experienced the collapse of communism.

He began his journalism career as a freelance reporter in Russia, covering the social and political changes in the country. He later worked as a sports writer for The Moscow Times, an English-language newspaper.

Personal Life

Matt Taibbi married Jeanne Taibbi, a nurse, in 2007. They have two sons, who were born in 2009 and 2011.

They live in Jersey City, New Jersey. Taibbi is an avid Boston Red Sox and Boston Celtics fan. He also enjoys playing guitar and chess.

Career

Matt Taibbi co-founded and co-edited the satirical newspaper The eXile in Moscow with Mark Ames from 1997 to 2002. The paper was known for its irreverent and provocative style, often mocking Russian politicians, businessmen, and celebrities.

The paper also featured investigative reporting, exposing Russia’s corruption and human rights abuses. The paper was shut down by the Russian authorities in 2008 after a controversial article about the death of former president Boris Yeltsin.

Taibbi returned to the US in 2002 and founded the alternative newspaper The Beast in Buffalo, New York. He left a year later to work as a columnist for the New York Press, a weekly newspaper. He joined Rolling Stone in 2004 and became one of its most prominent writers.

He covered the 2004, 2008, and 2012 presidential campaigns, the Iraq War, the Occupy Wall Street movement, and other major events. He also wrote feature stories on topics such as the war on drugs, the prison system, the healthcare industry, and the media.

He won a National Magazine Award in 2008 for his columns on the 2008 presidential campaign. He also gained fame for his 2009 article “The Great American Bubble Machine,” which described Goldman Sachs as “a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity.”

The article exposed the investment bank’s role in creating and profiting from various financial bubbles, such as the dot-com bubble, the housing bubble, and the commodities bubble. The article was widely read and cited and sparked a public debate on the power and influence of Wall Street.

He has written several books, including The Great Derangement (2009), which explores the political and cultural madness of America; Griftopia (2010), which exposes the corruption and greed behind the financial crisis; The Divide (2014), which examines the growing inequality and injustice in the US; Insane Clown President (2017), which collects his essays on the 2016 election; I Can’t Breathe (2017), which investigates the death of Eric Garner and the issue of police brutality; and Hate Inc. (2019), which analyzes the media and its role in creating division and conflict.

He launched the podcast Useful Idiots in 2019, co-hosted by Katie Halper. The podcast features interviews, commentary, and comedy on current events and politics. The podcast has featured guests such as Edward Snowden, Noam Chomsky, Cornel West, and Glenn Greenwald.

He left Rolling Stone in 2020 and started publishing his online writing on Substack, a platform for independent writers and newsletters. He also renamed his Substack newsletter from TK News to Racket News. He continues to host Useful Idiots on Substack as well.

Controversy

Matt Taibbi has been involved in several controversies throughout his career, both as a journalist and person.

Some of the most notable ones are:

• In 2005, he wrote an article for Rolling Stone titled “The 52 Funniest Things About the Upcoming Death of the Pope”, which mocked the impending death of Pope John Paul II. The article was widely criticized as offensive and blasphemous by Catholics and others. Taibbi later apologized for the article, saying he regretted writing it.
• In 2010, he wrote an article for Rolling Stone titled “Tea and Crackers,” which ridiculed the Tea Party movement and its supporters. The article was accused of being biased, elitist, and racist by conservatives and Tea Party activists. Taibbi defended his article by reporting what he saw and heard at Tea Party rallies and events.
• In 2014, he was accused of sexual harassment and assault by several female journalists who worked with him in Russia in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The allegations included groping, kissing, and throwing a woman down the stairs.

Taibbi denied the allegations, saying they were false and motivated by personal vendettas. He also claimed that some of the incidents were taken out of context or exaggerated and that he had apologized and made amends with some of the accusers in the past.

• In 2017, he was criticized for his coverage of the 2016 election, especially his portrayal of Hillary Clinton as a corrupt and dishonest candidate. Some of his colleagues and readers accused him of being sexist, biased, and irresponsible.

He also faced backlash for endorsing Bernie Sanders, whom he praised as a genuine and progressive leader. Taibbi defended his coverage, saying he was trying to expose the flaws and failures of the political system and the media.

Filmography

Matt Taibbi has appeared in several documentaries and TV shows, usually as a commentator or an interviewee.

Some of the most notable ones are:

• The Bubble
• Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream
• Inequality for All
• The Divide
• All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception, and the Spirit of I.F. Stone
• Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press
• Fahrenheit 11/9
• The Swamp

Books

Matt Taibbi has written and co-written several books, both fiction and non-fiction. Some of the most notable ones are:

• The Exile: Sex, Drugs, and Libel in the New Russia (2000, co-written with Mark Ames)
• Spanking the Donkey: Dispatches from the Dumb Season (2005)
• Smells Like Dead Elephants: Dispatches from a Rotting Empire (2007)
• The Great Derangement: A Terrifying True Story of War, Politics, and Religion (2009)

Social Media

• Twitter handle: @mtaibbi
• Instagram handle [@mtaibbi

Net Worth

Matt Taibbi has an estimated net worth of $5 million. He earns income from his books, articles, podcasts, and subscriptions.

He is one of Substack’s most popular and influential writers, with over 100,000 subscribers.