Owen Benjamin

{{bronze}}[[File:Owen Benjamin.jpg|165px|thumb|Owen Benjamin. ''Terrifying''.]]
{{alt-right}}
'''Owen Benjamin Smith''', also known as '''Owen Benjamin''' and '''Big Bear''' {{lived|1980}}, is an [[American]] 
conservative
 [[alt-right]] [[internet]] personality,<ref>Bethany Mandel, [https://www.jta.org/2019/04/08/opinion/how-did-conservative-comedian-owen-benjamin-became-a-darling-of-the-alt-right How did conservative comedian Owen Benjamin became a darling of the ‘alt-right’?] Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 8 April 2019.</ref> former actor, [[pseudoscience]] promoter, [[conspiracy theorist]],<ref name=red-pill-overdose>Jared Holt, [http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/owen-benjamin-another-red-pill-overdose-victim/ Owen Benjamin: Another ‘Red Pill’ Overdose Victim]. Right Wing Watch, 12 February 2019.</ref><ref name=transgender>Jared Holt, [https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/owen-benjamin-transgender-rights-movement-is-a-u-n-sponsored-eugenics-program/ Owen Benjamin: Transgender Rights Movement is a U.N.-Sponsored Eugenics Program]. [[Right Wing Watch]], 29 November 2018.</ref> [[racist]] "comedian", extreme [[antisemite]], and white supremacist cult leader.<ref name=extreme>Jared Holt, [http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/owen-benjamins-rhetoric-is-growing-more-extreme/ Owen Benjamin’s Rhetoric is Growing More Extreme]. Right Wing Watch, 18 March 2019</ref><ref name=jew-hater>Dexter Van Zile, [https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/theres-a-new-jew-hater-in-town-owen-benjamin/ There’s a New Jew-hater in Town: Owen Benjamin]. The Times of Israel, 2 April 2019.</ref><ref>Dexter Van Zile, [https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/owen-benjamins-rants-are-not-comedy-but-incitement/ Owen Benjamin’s Rants Are Not Comedy, But Incitement]. The Times of Israel, 5 April 2019.</ref> A one-time standup and actor in mainstream film and television between 2008 and 2015, he's since descended into insane [[wingnut|wingnuttery]] and built a [[cult]] of [[internet]] followers known as "bears" through his (now-terminated) [[YouTube]] channel. Before being kicked off most mainstream social media platforms, he reached thousands of viewers daily. He was also a guest speaker in several  [[PragerU]] videos.<ref name="red-pill-overdose /><ref>Owen Benjamin, [https://www.bitchute.com/video/OYPS-9N2IP4/ Why You Can't Argue with a Leftist.] PragerU, 4 February 2019.</ref> Despite his prevalent antisemitism, Benjamin himself is of Jewish descent on his father’s side.<ref>[https://archive.is/DO5iN I wrote this in 2016.] Archived from Owen Benjamin on Twitter, 20 March 2024.</ref>

==Before the fall==
Before outing himself as a [[bigot]] and general [[wingnut]] of questionable mental stability, Benjamin was a rising comedy star thanks to his association with {{wpl|Adam Sandler||'s}} production company {{wpl|Happy Madison Productions||.}} While touring the stand-up circuit, Benjamin appeared in several Happy Madison films including ''{{wpl|The House Bunny}}'' and ''{{wpl|Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star||.}}'' The latter starred Christina Ricci, his one-time fiancé. He also had a starring role in a TBS sitcom, ''{{wpl|Sullivan & Son||,}}'' and hosted several variety and light entertainment shows; he also served as a correspondent on the ill-fated primetime ''{{wpl|The Jay Leno Show|Jay Leno Show|}}'' during its brief run.

==The troubles==
Benjamin's troubles began in the mid-2010s, when he started appearing on [[Steven Crowder]]'s YouTube channel while his content edged closer and closer into far-right and conspiratorial territory. It didn't help that Benjamin was (allegedly) quite volatile and prone to arguments, which when combined with his increasingly-fringe politics led his former colleagues to distance themselves from him, while he became a bit of a darling of the "anti-PC" right.

Benjamin's descent started in October 2017, when the University of Connecticut Student Union Board of Governors canceled his comedy show after he tweeted an objection to hormone replacement therapy for children identifying as transgender.<ref>Bethany Mandel, [https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/jta/how-did-conservative-comedian-owen-benjamin-became-a-darling-of-the-alt-right/article_e18ac95f-cb94-57ee-80ab-7aa00759d78b.html How did conservative comedian Owen Benjamin became a darling of the ‘alt-right’?] Cleveland Jewish News, 8 April 2019.</ref> Just a few weeks earlier and for the same reason, Benjamin’s talent agency dumped him, forcing him to start representing himself. Not to be deterred by this setback, Benjamin doubled down on pushing the free speech envelope, which made a him enough of a mainstream conservative figure to appear in two [[PragerU]] videos and on [[Ben Shapiro|Daily Wire]] podcasts. It was around this time he was caught using racial slurs during a self-booked comedy show, which led to his YouTube channel becoming demonetized. As Benjamin continued to descend into extreme alt-right lunacy, the [[Washington Times]], citing Benjamin, whined that liberals are killing comedy.<ref name=moonie-times>Jeff Mordock, [https://archive.is/1nvcC Conservatives get canceled, liberals quit laughing: How Trump's election killed comedy]. Archived from the original at The Washington Times, 24 December 2017.</ref>

Throughout 2018, his personality slowly began to unravel in between intermittent appearances on ''Louder with Crowder'' and [[Joe Rogan]]'s podcast. He appeared on [[Alex Jones]]' [[Infowars]] for the first time that September, and soon after moved to rural Washington and began posting long rants online which usually descended into conspiracy theories and blatant [[antisemitism]].

==Banned from social media==

After the [[Parkland shooting]], Benjamin tweeted ''three'' taunts to David Hogg, a teenage survivor-turned activist, about Hogg's lack of pubic hair and talked about how "gay" college is. This activity got him permanently banned from [[Twitter]]. Shortly thereafter, he was banned from live-streaming on YouTube.<ref name=twitter-ban>Griffin Kelly, [https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2018/04/twitter-blocks-owen-benjamin/ Twitter blocks Owen Benjamin; YouTube also sanctions comedian after he mocked Parkland survivor]. Adirondack Daily Enterprise, 7 April 2018.</ref> In October 2019, Benjamin was kicked off Patreon after violating its policies against hate speech.<ref>Claire Goforth, [https://www.dailydot.com/debug/patreon-suing-owen-benjamin-fans/ Alt-right comedian asked his fans to sue Patreon. It backfired]. The Daily Dot, July 2021.</ref> On December 4, 2019, Benjamin's YouTube channel was terminated for attempting to circumvent the service's terms of service by live streaming on other channels.<ref name=youtube-ban>Zachary Petrizzo, [https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/owen-benjamin-youtube/ Owen Benjamin, alt-right comedian, banned from YouTube]. The Daily Dot, 4 December 2019.</ref> In December 2019, he was booted from [[Facebook]] and [[Instagram]], which cited multiple violations of site policies.<ref>Jared Holt, [https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/instagram-and-facebook-suspend-right-wing-comedian-owen-benjamin/ Instagram and Facebook Suspend Right-Wing ‘Comedian’ Owen Benjamin]. Right Wing Watch, 13 December 2019.</ref> In March 2020, The Daily Dot reported that Benjamin had returned to social media, circumventing his earlier bans using [[sock puppet]] accounts on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to spread [[COVID-19]] misinformation. This resulted in the suspension of several of the new accounts.<ref name=covid-denial>Claire Goforth, [https://www.dailydot.com/debug/owen-benjamin-youtube-twitter/ Banned ‘alt-right’ comedian returns to spread coronavirus misinformation]. The Daily Dot, March 2020.</ref>

==Views==

Benjamin defends his act as criticism of the American left and [[political correctness]]. In reality, he uses his platform to espouse [[bigot]]ed, [[antisemitism|antisemitic]], [[transphobic]], and [[homophobic]] beliefs, all mixed up into a fetid brew of [[pseudoscience]] and [[conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]]. Benjamin's so-called comedy act is best described as "the alt-right movement disguised as comedy."<ref name=pittsburgh>Ryan Deto, [https://www.pghcitypaper.com/Blogh/archives/2018/04/17/local-comic-day-bracey-clashes-online-with-alt-right-comedian-owen-benjamin-over-canceled-pittsburgh-show Local comic Day Bracey clashes online with alt-right comedian Owen Benjamin over canceled Pittsburgh show]. Pittsburgh City Paper, 18 April 2018.</ref>

Benjamin spews all sorts of antisemitic bullshit, typically including references to an [[international Jewish conspiracy]]. He's taken passages from the Talmud out of context,<ref name=jew-hater /> engaged in [[Holocaust]] denial and mocks Holocaust victims,<ref name=jew-hater /><ref name=extreme /><ref name=red-pill-overdose /> praises Adolf Hitler,<ref name=extreme /> says that Jews don’t want people to read books anymore<ref name=extreme /> (Ironic, since the Nazis were the ones burning books), and uses derogatory alt-right terminology to describe Jews.<ref name=covid-denial />

Benjamin believes that there is massive Jewish influence in [[pornography]], Hollywood and media,<ref name=extreme /> promotes antisemitic conspiracy theories,<ref name=jew-hater /> has stated that director Stephen Spielberg was involved in [[pedophilia]] crimes,<ref name=red-pill-overdose /> and said that the transgender rights movement is part of a [[eugenics]] program to lower the world population.<ref name=transgender />

Further cementing his status as a raving loon, Benjamin believes that the [[moon landing hoax|moon landing was faked]],<ref name=extreme /><ref name=red-pill-overdose /> the [[flat earth|earth is flat]],<ref name=flat-earth>Danny Gallagher, [https://archive.is/av7PA Discworld Is Real! Dive into Flat Earth Culture at their Global, Sorry, International Conference]. Archived from Dallas Observer, 10 December 2019.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Owen Benjamin and Flat Earth |date=2019-01-11 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10027844/ |access-date=2023-12-10 |series=Coffee with Chad |others=Chad Taylor, Owen Benjamin}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Flerfer Doesn't Understand Motion |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MswqkpzRxw |access-date=2023-12-10 |language=en}}</ref> [[dinosaur]]s are a "Smithsonian lie,"<ref name=flat-earth /> and that nuclear weapons are an elaborate hoax<ref>{{Cite web |title=Conspiracy theorists are trying to claim that nuclear weapons aren't real {{!}} indy100 |url=https://www.indy100.com/viral/nuclear-weapons-arent-real-conspiracy |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=www.indy100.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>Benjamin, Owen (@owenbenjamin). [http://web.archive.org/web/20230705023010/https://twitter.com/OwenBenjamin/status/1676079422489890816 It’s weird that the nuclear blasts vaporized brick houses but not the old timey camera recording it. It’s because nukes are fake. Hiroshima and Nagasaki never had any fall out radiation. The whole narrative and all the evidence is absurd."] 04 July 2023, 12:04 AM. Tweet.</ref> put forward by the 
[[United Nations]]
 [[One world government|One World Government]],<ref>Benjamin, Owen (@owenbenjamin). "[http://web.archive.org/web/20230705050759/https://twitter.com/OwenBenjamin/status/1676084854721777665 Yeah. Ever heard of something called the “United Nations”? It’s like the United States except it’s the United Nations. You see how the entire world all acted in lockstep during Covid? Yeah there already is a one world government and has been since at least WWII. It’s very public.]" 04 July 2023, 12:25 AM. Tweet.</ref> dismissing nuclear radiation as merely "thermal radiation."<ref>Benjamin, Owen (@owenbenjamin). [http://web.archive.org/web/20230705050031/https://twitter.com/OwenBenjamin/status/1676335108796866561 "...Nuclear “waste” is just hot rods that stay hot for a long time. It’s thermal radiation. And our plants were on Lake Ontario because they would use that water to cool the rods and send the water back into the lake. The pollution was just the temperature of the water...]" 04 July 2023, 5:00 PM. Tweet.</ref> He also spreads [[COVID-19|coronavirus]] misinformation.<ref name=covid-denial />

Benjamin believes that the United States should close the borders and halt all immigration, because all immigrants are "weak."<ref name=extreme /> His performances often include a song called "That Nigger Stole My Bike."<ref name=flat-earth /><ref name=twitter-ban /><ref name=pittsburgh />

Benjamin believes that transgender children are insane, and he engages in active harassment of parents of transgender children.<ref name=amazon>Joe Berkowitz, [https://www.fastcompany.com/90275862/why-is-amazon-promoting-this-anti-trans-alt-right-trolls-comedy-special Why is Amazon promoting this anti-trans alt right troll’s comedy special?] Fast Company, 3 December 2018.</ref> He called an NPR host a child abuser for raising a transgender child,<ref name=pittsburgh /><ref name=moonie-times /> and calls gay sex acts  "degeneracy."<ref name=red-pill-overdose />

Benjamin has shared the spotlight on streaming platforms with white supremacist [[Faith Goldy]] and Peter Brimelow, founder of the [[white nationalist]] [[webshite]] [[VDARE]].<ref name=red-pill-overdose /><ref name=youtube-ban /> Benjamin believes that the [[Ku Klux Klan]] is less offensive than [[abortion]], [[socialism]] and [[gun control]].<ref name=red-pill-overdose />

==The Great Bear Trail==

In 2020, Benjamin purchased ten acres in Boundary County, [[Idaho]] and immediately began implementing plans for "The Great Bear Trail", a community "self sufficient and not depending on those with ideologies that are oppressive to mankind."<ref>[https://thegreatbeartrail.com/info/ Info], thegreatbeartrail.com.</ref> Of course, he never applied for any permits for the construction work happening there. His neighbors were less than pleased, and alarmed at the prospect of "[a]nother racist [[Ruby Ridge|zealot with a “compound”]] nearby.<ref name=vestal>[https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/jun/08/shawn-vestal-the-last-thing-the-northwest-needs-is/ Shawn Vestal: The last thing the Northwest needs is another zealot with a compound]. The Spokesman-Review, 14 June 2021.</ref> After numerous complaints, county officials issued a formal complaint detailing potential land use violations to Benjamin in June 2021.<ref>Victor Corral Martinez, [https://bonnersferryherald.com/news/2021/may/25/new-compound-forming-residents-present-zoning-viol/ New compound forming, residents present zoning violations to commissioners]. Bonner's Ferry Herald, 25 May 2021.</ref><ref>Victor Corral Martinez, [https://bonnersferryherald.com/news/2021/jun/09/planning-and-zoning-issues-formal-complaint-owen-b/ Planning and Zoning issues formal complaint to Owen Benjamin]. Bonner's Ferry Herald, 9 June 2021.</ref>

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxFHMUUoD-I A peaceful Christian calling out Owen for calling for violence]
*[https://www.adl.org/resources/blog/owen-benjamin-what-you-need-know Owen Benjamin: What You Need to Know] ([[ADL]] profile)

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

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