Joel Stein
A witty American columnist who turned cultural anxiety into sharp, self-deprecating prose for Time and beyond.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American journalist·Birthday: July 23·Generation X
Biography
Joel Stein mastered the art of the metropolitan worrywart column. For nearly two decades, his voice in Time magazine was a reliably funny, often neurotic guide to the absurdities of modern life, from parenting and technology to food and fame. A Los Angeles native, Stein honed his craft at the LA Times before his long run at Time, where his column mixed personal anecdote with broader cultural observation. He had a knack for inserting himself into unusual situations—attempting to join the US Army, profiling celebrities, or exploring subcultures—and reporting back with a blend of curiosity and mild panic. His writing, collected in books like 'Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity,' extends beyond periodicals, showcasing a humorist's quest to understand the world by reluctantly participating in it.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Joel was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Joel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Joel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Wrote a weekly column for Time magazine for 19 years, becoming one of its most recognizable voices.
- Authored the book 'Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity,' a humorous memoir-investigation.
- Served as a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times early in his career.
- His work has been featured in publications like The New Yorker, The New York Times, and GQ.
Did You Know?
He graduated from Stanford University, where he was editor of the Stanford Daily.
Stein appeared as a contestant on the game show 'Jeopardy!' in 1995.
He wrote a humor column for the now-defunct magazine 'Los Angeles' before joining Time.
His father was a plastic surgeon, a profession Stein has written about humorously.
“The only thing more embarrassing than catching a guy picking his nose is catching a guy looking at you catching him picking his nose.”
