So You've Been Publicly Shamed

Jon Ronson (b. 1967) is a British American journalist, author, and documentary filmmaker who has written about a wide variety of off-beat and fringe social contexts. Ronson is known for his humorous and self-deprecating method of reporting, which often features himself as a main character getting into unusual or strange situations and having conversations with outlandish figures. His best-selling books include The Psychopath Test (2011) and The Men Who Stare at Goats (2004), both of which inspired successful films. He is also well known for his BBC Radio 4 show and podcast Jon Ronson on… and his contributions to the American radio show and podcast This American Life.

Ronson’s work has been compared to that of other journalists known for their powerful narrative styles, such as British American journalist and TV presenter Louis Theroux and American writer and journalist Michael Lewis. Ronson’s writing and audio projects are often positively reviewed in traditional media like The Guardian (where he used to write a column), The New York Times, and the BBC for his unique subjects, storytelling, and gonzo-style reporting. Ronson has received criticism from some reviewers and on Twitter, as he notes in the Afterword to So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, for not sufficiently considering the perspectives of historically underrepresented groups, and the positive role of social media in advancing causes like the #MeToo movement.