Jon Hein
He coined the cultural phrase 'jump the shark' and turned a TV fan's gripe into a lasting lens for analyzing pop culture decline.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American broadcaster·Birthday: November 24·Generation X
Biography
Jon Hein's career is a testament to the power of a perfectly timed idea. While working in tech and dabbling in comedy at the University of Michigan, he created a simple website in 1997 to catalog the moment TV shows passed their prime, using 'Happy Days' infamous water-skiing episode as the archetype. 'Jump the Shark' exploded, becoming a national catchphrase and landing Hein a recurring role as the pop culture expert on The Howard Stern Show. He leveraged that notoriety into books and a media presence, but his interests have always been eclectic. A self-proclaimed fast food fanatic, he authored a deep-dive guide to chain restaurants, proving his knack for applying obsessive, analytical humor to everyday American life. Hein's path shows how a clever observation, amplified by the early internet, can create a lasting footprint in the language.
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.
Jon was born in 1967, 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 Jon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Jon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created the seminal website JumptheShark.com, which entered the phrase into the cultural lexicon.
- Served as the longtime 'pop culture guru' and contributor on The Howard Stern Show.
- Authored the book 'Fast Food Maniac,' a comprehensive and personal guide to American fast-food chains.
- Co-wrote and published 'Jump the Shark: When Good Things Go Bad,' expanding the concept beyond television.
Did You Know?
He was a member of the University of Michigan's Comedy Company troupe alongside future actor and writer Jon Glaser.
He originally registered the domain name jumptheshark.com for just $70.
He is a dedicated fan of the band KISS and has interviewed member Gene Simmons multiple times.
“The Jump the Shark website was about identifying that moment when a show loses its magic.”
