Mark Ebner
Encyclopedia
Mark Charles Ebner is an American
investigative journalist and the host of TruTV's Rich and Reckless. Ebner writes primarily about issues in the Los Angeles
area, including pit bull
fighting in South Central
, Scientology
, and celebrity
scandal
. He has covered celebrity culture
for Spy
, Rolling Stone
, Details
, and Salon.com
. He has been featured as a guest or contributor on VH1
, The Daily Show
, South Park
, CourtTV, and Fox News.
in 1982, where he edited the Bard Times.
In 2002 he co-authored Ain't It Cool?: Hollywood's Redheaded Stepchild Speaks Out with Harry Knowles
. With Andrew Breitbart
, he wrote the New York Times and Los Angeles Times 2005 best-seller Hollywood, Interrupted
.
In early 2006, Ebner joined Tucker Max
's Rudius Media as a blogger and celebrity journalist.
Ebner was a consultant on South Park
's controversial Trapped in the Closet episode that was eventually nominated for an Emmy Award
.
In mid-2007, Ebner broke that actor and activist Sean Penn
was frequenting a Hawaiian resort in the center of a controversial debate between natives and visitors over an ancestral burial ground. Ebner also broke an investigative story implicating Bill Cosby
on allegations of sexual assault, a story that People Magazine originally planned to publish, but buried.
Shortly after the on-campus shooting at Virginia Tech, Ebner reported that Scientology
leaders had dispatched "grief counselors" to the scene. According to Ebner and a supposedly sourced document, their intent was to investigate the psychiatric history of killer Seung-Hui Cho
. This story was later picked up by Boing Boing
and made the front page of Digg
.com.
As of Summer 2008, Ebner was hosting Rich and Reckless, an original true crime series produced by and broadcast on TruTV.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
investigative journalist and the host of TruTV's Rich and Reckless. Ebner writes primarily about issues in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area, including pit bull
Pit bull
A Pit bull is any of several breeds of dog in the molosser breed group.Many jurisdictions that restrict pit bulls, including Ontario, Canada,, Miami, Florida, U.S...
fighting in South Central
South Central
South Central may refer to:* South Los Angeles , an area in Los Angeles, California* South Central Alaska, a region containing Anchorage metropolitan area* South Central Railway Zone , a part of Indian Railways...
, Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
, and celebrity
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
. He has covered celebrity culture
Celebrity culture
A celebrity culture is the structure that influences those deemed to be celebrities.-Brief history of celebrity culture:Any medium can be viewed as a vehicle for creating a celebrity culture. The famous religious books of the world's faiths are replete with examples of individuals who are well...
for Spy
Spy (magazine)
Spy was a satirical monthly magazine founded in 1986 by Kurt Andersen and E. Graydon Carter, who served as its first editors, and Thomas L. Phillips, Jr., its first publisher. After one folding and a rebirth, it ceased publication in 1998...
, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Details
Details (magazine)
Details is an American monthly men's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications, founded in 1982. Though primarily a magazine devoted to fashion and lifestyle, Details also features reports on relevant social and political issues.-History:...
, and Salon.com
Salon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
. He has been featured as a guest or contributor on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
, South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
, CourtTV, and Fox News.
Career
Ebner graduated from Bard CollegeBard College
Bard College, founded in 1860 as "St. Stephen's College", is a small four-year liberal arts college located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.-Location:...
in 1982, where he edited the Bard Times.
In 2002 he co-authored Ain't It Cool?: Hollywood's Redheaded Stepchild Speaks Out with Harry Knowles
Harry Knowles
Harry Knowles is known for his website called Ain't It Cool News. Knowles is a member of the Austin Film Critics Association.-Biography:...
. With Andrew Breitbart
Andrew Breitbart
Andrew Breitbart is an American publisher, commentator for the Washington Times, author, an occasional guest commentator on various news programs who has served as an editor for the Drudge Report website...
, he wrote the New York Times and Los Angeles Times 2005 best-seller Hollywood, Interrupted
Hollywood, Interrupted
Hollywood, Interrupted: Insanity Chic in Babylon - The Case Against Celebrity is the title of a book and website authored by Mark Ebner, with co-author Andrew Breitbart. The book was published in 2004 by John Wiley and Sons. The writing focuses primarily on what Ebner sees as the disconnected,...
.
In early 2006, Ebner joined Tucker Max
Tucker Max
Tucker Max is an American author and public speaker. He chronicles his drunken and sexual encounters in the form of short stories on his website TuckerMax.com, which has received millions of visitors since Max launched it for a bet in 2002, making him an Internet celebrity.Max's book I Hope They...
's Rudius Media as a blogger and celebrity journalist.
Ebner was a consultant on South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
's controversial Trapped in the Closet episode that was eventually nominated for an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
.
In mid-2007, Ebner broke that actor and activist Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
was frequenting a Hawaiian resort in the center of a controversial debate between natives and visitors over an ancestral burial ground. Ebner also broke an investigative story implicating Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
on allegations of sexual assault, a story that People Magazine originally planned to publish, but buried.
Shortly after the on-campus shooting at Virginia Tech, Ebner reported that Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
leaders had dispatched "grief counselors" to the scene. According to Ebner and a supposedly sourced document, their intent was to investigate the psychiatric history of killer Seung-Hui Cho
Seung-Hui Cho
Seung-Hui Cho was a senior-level undergraduate student at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University who killed 32 people and wounded 17 others on April 16, 2007, in the shooting rampage which came to be known as the "Virginia Tech massacre." Cho later committed suicide after law...
. This story was later picked up by Boing Boing
Boing Boing
Boing Boing is a publishing entity, first established as a magazine, later becoming a group blog.-History:...
and made the front page of Digg
Digg
Digg is a social news website. Prior to Digg v4, its cornerstone function consisted of letting people vote stories up or down, called digging and burying, respectively. Digg's popularity prompted the creation of copycat social networking sites with story submission and voting systems...
.com.
As of Summer 2008, Ebner was hosting Rich and Reckless, an original true crime series produced by and broadcast on TruTV.
See also
- Robert Greene
- Matt DrudgeMatt DrudgeMatthew Nathan Drudge is the American creator and editor of the Drudge Report, a news aggregation website. Drudge is self-described as being conservative and populist. Drudge has also authored a book and hosted a radio show and a television show.-Early years:Matthew Drudge was raised in Takoma...
- Scientology controversies
External links
- Hollywood, Interrupted (Ebner's official website)
- Meeting Mark Ebner, video footage by Mark BunkerMark BunkerMark Bunker is a television journalist. He won an Emmy Award in 2006 from the Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards division of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences...