Talk:Owen Benjamin/Archive 1

Notability Tag
Wow, so this talk page vanished. Anyway I this Owen Benjamin meets notability requirements.--0pen$0urce (talk) 08:13, 19 October 2009 (UTC) Someone drive by tagged this and didn't discuss. Please see guidelines on tagging, don't just tag without explanation.Removing Tag.--0pen$0urce (talk) 08:15, 19 October 2009 (UTC)

Why does this person have a page on Wikipedia? He's dated Christina Ricci and that seems about it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.22.229.109 (talk) 01:10, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just added archive links to 1 one external link on Owen Benjamin. Please take a moment to review my edit. If necessary, add after the link to keep me from modifying it. Alternatively, you can add to keep me off the page altogether. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/20080704103733/http://www.palltimes.com/entertainment/x681527682 to http://www.palltimes.com/entertainment/x681527682

When you have finished reviewing my changes, please set the checked parameter below to true to let others know.

Cheers.—cyberbot II  Talk to my owner :Online 12:55, 25 January 2016 (UTC)

Edit request: remove or at least place elsewhere pointless sentence in Personal Life section
"His website, HugePianist.com, is a play on words on the fact that he is a trained pianist and stands 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) tall."

While that is his website's URL (owenbenjamin.com redirects there), it seems pointlessly patronizing to explain how it is a play on words and the two facts that involve it either aren't notable on their own or should be mentioned elsehwere.

181.115.8.231 (talk) 21:56, 6 April 2018 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 12 July 2018
May be worth noting that it says Owen was born in 1980, then to the right, it says he was born in 1960, and that he's 58. 2600:6C51:7C7F:C221:0:E940:5583:C44D (talk) 12:21, 12 July 2018 (UTC)
 * Pictogram voting wait.svg Already done --Danski454 (talk) 13:03, 12 July 2018 (UTC)

This Sentence Just Looks/Feels Wrong
"Scheduled shows of his have been cancelled and he has been suspended from Twitter on account of this behavior"

I know just enough grammar to be considered dangerous, so I could be wrong here, but the construction "scheduled shows of his" seems/feels wrong to me in terms of Readability. I think "his scheduled shows" is more positive, more direct. Also I don't like the word "behavior" to describe what happens on Twitter. The word "behavior" has connotations of physicality, and does not seem appropriate for an electronic speech environment. It would be more accurate to say that he's been "suspended from Twitter" for his "speech". "Behavior" could also be a euphemism to hide the fact that his speech is being censored. One corrects, or punishes the "behavior" of a child who doesn't know how to control themselves, but one censors the speech of a comedian whose speech is politically incorrect. Obviously the text is source-driven, but still I wonder if it can be tweaked to attempt to remove at least some of the bias, or at least make the text grammatically correct. Tym Whittier (talk) 18:16, 12 December 2018 (UTC)

Why is this article locked from editing?
86.93.208.34 (talk) 19:52, 26 December 2018 (UTC)

Because the article reads like a propaganda leaflet. "Alt-right comentator" ? Any impartial source for that?

Semi-protected edit request on 17 March 2019
Make mention of his antisemitism 37.26.148.168 (talk) 17:56, 17 March 2019 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Begoon 07:11, 18 March 2019 (UTC)

Seriously, you need to sort this out:

"For example, Benjamin has told his audience on YouTube that it is “infinitely more probable” that the Nazis over-worked Jews to death during the Holocaust than it was that they subjected them to execution in gas chambers. He went on to say that he was “a big fan” of Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler’s art.

“Really what he was trying to do was clean Germany, clean it of the parasites, of the fleas. He did not hate Jews. He hated filth and he was trying to clean up,” Benjamin said."

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/owen-benjamins-rhetoric-is-growing-more-extreme/

https://vimeo.com/325019623 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 129.67.198.31 (talk) 16:01, 19 March 2019 (UTC)
 * Pictogram voting wait.svg Already done MrClog (talk) 19:47, 2 April 2019 (UTC)

Source discussion
, Forbes contributed pieces (those which have "contributor (i)" in the byline) are unreliable, see WP:RSP. w umbolo  ^^^  09:30, 7 April 2019 (UTC)
 * Is pittsburgh city paper better? They refer to him using the same language. ModerateMikayla555 (talk) 03:00, 8 April 2019 (UTC)
 * yes, but headlines are unreliable. If it is not in the source's body, it should not be cited. w umbolo   ^^^  08:32, 8 April 2019 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 12 April 2019
Owen lives on the west coast, now. 67.249.173.160 (talk) 03:09, 12 April 2019 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. aboideautalk 13:15, 12 April 2019 (UTC)

Name change?
The subject’s birth name was apparently "Smith.” No mention of when or why he began to go by the name of Benjamin. Orthotox (talk) 20:32, 2 May 2019 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 23 May 2019
2605:E000:8840:AC00:F53D:58FB:2387:D296 (talk) 00:10, 23 May 2019 (UTC)Why don't you say Owen is a Good father, loving husband, he works hard with his hands. He is 1 in 10,000 is it? An IQ of 147. These are the things people need to hear also about owen. Try to understand the the way he looks at life, he is on a different wavelength I believe, able to see things and present them in such a truthful way, most people can't handle it. That's what I see in Owen in 2019, in a brief... 2605:E000:8840:AC00:F53D:58FB:2387:D296 (talk) 00:10, 23 May 2019 (UTC)


 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: The relevance of any of this information would need to be explained by reliable sources, which would almost certainly also have to be independent sources. Grayfell (talk) 00:22, 23 May 2019 (UTC)

Source and claim issue
Footnote [24] cites https://www.jta.org/2019/04/08/opinion/how-did-conservative-comedian-owen-benjamin-became-a-darling-of-the-alt-right as a source for writing "Benjamin has also posted fabricated verses from the Talmud to demonize Jews". The given source does not contain any evidence for said claims, and the said source is an opinion article, that I reiterate, does not contain any sources for this claim, as it's an opinion piece and clearly identified as such. Either an actual source should be made, or the passage itself reworked. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.246.143.100 (talk) 03:05, 7 June 2019 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 10 July 2019
I would like to request the ability to add to the content of this page. Wer23567 (talk) 18:28, 10 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Please read and follow the instructions. You need to give a complete and specific description of the edit you wish to make. Railfan23 (talk) 18:30, 10 July 2019 (UTC)


 * The edit semi-protected template is not for requesting access to edit a page but a template to request a change be made to a page. Semi-protected pages can be edited by any autoconfirmed account (an account that is at least four days old and has made at least ten edits to Wikipedia) or confirmed account. Alduin2000 (talk) 23:09, 10 July 2019 (UTC)

Removal of content
I removed a paragraph or two that mention some gross and antisemitic comments he made on his YouTube. Such things need to be provided with secondary sources, for various reasons--one of them being that if "person X said Y" is legitimate if sourced with a link to person X's YouTube channel, we might as well include everything. Drmies (talk) 02:10, 11 July 2019 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 14 July 2019
Owen Benjamin is an American conspiracy theorist and a controversial stand-up comedian. Happymerchant (talk) 03:03, 14 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Which is what the article says. What change are you requesting? Railfan23 (talk) 03:11, 14 July 2019 (UTC)


 * Nothing to do. –Deacon Vorbis (carbon &bull; videos) 04:08, 14 July 2019 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 28 July 2019
The Antisemitism claims are incorrect. He should be able to sue you people for this. 72.65.123.82 (talk) 00:23, 28 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please establish a consensus for this alteration before using the template. Melmann 08:52, 28 July 2019 (UTC)

Engagement to Christina Ricci
I noticed this recent removal by you, and I was wondering why you consider it gossip? It seems both true and appropriately sourced, when gossip normally implies untrue or unverified. While I would certainly agree on the removal if they had merely dated, the fact that they were engaged and their engagement was covered in multiple reliable sources would seem to be adequate for inclusion in my opinion. What do you think? – Wallyfromdilbert (talk) 19:37, 31 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Why is it the least bit important that this person was briefly engaged to some actress many years ago? Gossip doesn't imply untrue or unverified, certainly. In this case, it's idle talk about the private lives of other people. --jpgordon&#x1d122;&#x1d106; &#x1D110;&#x1d107; 20:44, 31 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Formal engagements are significant acts, and breaking off an engagement is a big deal in most people's lives. Also, they were engaged for over 3 months, which is not a brief engagement. "Personal life" details in a Wikipedia article are usually going to be about a person's private life, and some biographies even have a "relationship" section. This is not "idle talk" (at least in the usual sense of that phrase), but instead a factual statement about a major change in Benjamin's relationship status. This type of information is routinely covered in other biographies, as well as non-tabloid news. Do you think that no engagements are relevant to biographies or is the issue that the engagement never resulted in a marriage? Wallyfromdilbert (talk) 21:41, 31 July 2019 (UTC)
 * I'd be inclined to reduce it to the earlier mention of Ricci: In 2009, he played the lead role in the romantic comedy All's Faire in Love, co-starring with Christina Ricci (to whom he was briefly engaged). The sources provided there already are the ones the later mention was using. --jpgordon&#x1d122;&#x1d106; &#x1D110;&#x1d107; 00:47, 1 August 2019 (UTC)
 * I think the engagement belongs as part of his personal life rather than his career. If you feel that it needs to be short, what about: "In March 2008, he and Christina Ricci announced they were engaged, but they ended their engagement two months later." –Wallyfromdilbert (talk) 03:12, 1 August 2019 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 28 August 2019
Remove "Falsehood" from the section titled "Falsehoods and Controversial Statements". These are normally called "conspiracy theories." You may say argue that he has little evidence for transgender rights being a UN eugenics program, but you would be hardpressed to establish its falsity (proving a negative). More importantly, your links don't establish "falsity" of these claims, or even try to. 73.114.21.8 (talk) 01:23, 28 August 2019 (UTC)


 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: Wikipedia doesn't validate WP:FRINGE nonsense. Do not reopen this template until you have consensus. Grayfell (talk) 02:18, 28 August 2019 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 19 September 2019
Owen is not affiliated with any political group so alt-right statement is incorrect. He does not make statements about jews and LGBT. He makes jokes about them to make a point about free speech and liberty. He is against child abused and sees as so administrating hormones to child below 9 years old. Kauedb (talk) 07:27, 19 September 2019 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: this is not an edit request in the required format. You need to specify precisely what you want changed. The Mirror Cracked (talk) 07:30, 19 September 2019 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 3 October 2019
Qwen Benjamin is NOT Alt-Right. 128.227.212.177 (talk) 20:38, 3 October 2019 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please establish a consensus for this alteration before using the template. Sceptre (talk) 20:44, 3 October 2019 (UTC)

He is a flat earther
He was a main speaker of the "Flat Earth International Conference (USA) 2019" https://flatearthconference.com/featuring/ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2003:FA:AF09:2270:74E6:8D3D:A3B:3B81 (talk) 06:50, 16 November 2019 (UTC)

Talmud Verses mention
My reasoning for first deleting the information with a suggestion to add it back with attribution, and then by adding attribution to the information after my edit was reverted is based on RS: "A prime example of this is opinion pieces in sources recognized as reliable. When using them, it is best to clearly attribute the opinions in the text to the author and make it clear to the reader that they are reading an opinion."

The source is on the opinion section of the website and the page itself notes: "The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media." This means that the article's credibility relies on the author, not the hosting agency. This is why attribution is appropriate. The source is an opinion article. If you can find a RS that is not an opinion article then there would be no need for attribution. Otherwise there is, according to RS. AaronMP84 (talk) 21:51, 8 January 2020 (UTC)


 * I tend to agree that is it not appropriate to use an opinion article without in-text attribution. Opinion pieces are not subject to the same editorial oversight, and we are using it to make a serious negative claim about a living person. I also removed "to demonize Jews" as I could not find support for that in the article. I think it may be useful to include some additional information from the source, as it goes into the common perception that he has become more extreme and less comedic, which seems to be a increasingly frequent in reports about him. – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 22:56, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 15 June 2020
After observing Owen Benjamin for some time, it is clear that he is "Right-Leaning", and not, by Wikipedia definition, "Alt-Right". In these dangerous times, it would seem clarity is VERY important to ensuring people's safety and therefore, I suggest this minor, yet crucial change. Jeff The Aussie (talk) 11:53, 15 June 2020 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Your opinion is not a reliable source. RandomCanadian (talk / contribs)  13:39, 15 June 2020 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 30 July 2020
Requesting a citation needed for the accusation of Benjamin Owen being alt right at the end of the first paragraph, as there are no sources are listed for the claim per Wikipedia's rules. Unbiasedpredator (talk) 18:23, 30 July 2020 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: The statement is sourced. Danski454 (talk) 18:52, 30 July 2020 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 30 July 2020
To any wiki mod that sees this, you're basically asking someone to "prove" he's not alt right, a label given onto him by you. Please source your claims if you're going to add it in the article at least. Telling people "your opinion is not a reliable source" is rather hypocritical if you refuse to show sources for the opposing argument, no? Unbiasedpredator (talk) 18:26, 30 July 2020 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: The statement that Benjamin is alt-right is supported by sources. To change that, we would require sources that state otherwise. Danski454 (talk) 18:48, 30 July 2020 (UTC)
 * Struck some parts, as I didn't fully read the request. The statement had no inline citation when this request was made (although sources used in the body called him alt-right), but sources have since been added. Danski454 (talk) 19:26, 30 July 2020 (UTC)

Update: in addition, you seem to have quickly scoured the internet for any source you could find to back up the claim. Using a guilty until proven innocent modus operandi is incredibly dishonest. https://www.dailydot.com/debug/owen-benjamin-youtube-twitter/ In the source there are no personal comments, no self identifying remarks, at no point does Owen Benjamin claim to be alt right. I find the bias on this page to be on the extremes, no wonder you have to be approved to edit.

Nice one. You are unbiased but you didn't even fully read the request. Really shows what's going on here.

— Preceding unsigned comment added by Unbiasedpredator (talk • contribs) 19:34, 30 July 2020 (UTC)
 * (Moved the updated request into chronological order, it is difficult to follow the order of events when comments are amended) We should maybe attribute this inline, since it is a somewhat contentious label. – Thjarkur (talk) 20:14, 30 July 2020 (UTC)
 * Citations look fine to me, though I would also support simply "right-wing" if alt-right is too contentious. ◢  Ganbaruby!   (Say hi!) 03:55, 31 July 2020 (UTC)

Are mods here just absolutely insane? There’s a clear distinction between alt right, and right wing. These ‘sources’ are a complete joke and simply points at the guy while calling him alt right. Benjamin has no clear ties to any alt right groups or individuals based on the sources given. Recommend updating the article as this entire talk page is just filled with requests to edit this very contentious point. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Unbiasedpredator (talk • contribs) 05:52, 31 July 2020 (UTC)

He's Not Alt-Right
In the first 2 minutes of this interview Owen Benjamin categorically denies being Alt-Right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fbxhl-qbT0

So is that something the press (and Wikipedia editors) can determine about a person when the person says they're not? ElizaBarrington (talk) 09:37, 2 August 2020 (UTC)

As dialectical exploration (Benjamin's oeuvre)
A placement somewhere in the article - perhaps in the antisemitic or flat earth section - of Benjamin's dialectical process should be mentioned - for many reasons - would bring the whole page together and settle context of all the controversy vs zeitgeist. He is the son of two tertiary level Professors after all (his intellectualism is lost in media headline branding/blackballing). See Identity politics, Satire, The Emperor's New Clothes, Khazar hypothesis of Ashkenazi ancestry, Dialectic. The inherent application of comedy to society has historically a de facto truthyness that is being eroded with social media & limited ownership of mass media opportunities (See "Gatekeeper (disambiguation)").

"Owen Benjamin has publically stated he is a proponent of free speech and for the dialectical exploration of what is considered "taboo" or "politically incorrect". This lens of "dialectical exploration" should be used upon all of Benjamin's more controversial "antisemitic" statements - both as a comedian and as critic in the 21st century situ." (See WDTL799, & nightstream). Text mdnp (talk) 21:03, 13 April 2020 (UTC)
 * All of this looks like original research, and it looks like it verges on WP:FORUM, which is not allowed on talk pages. If your content is not based on reliable published sources, then it is not appropriate to include on Wikipedia. – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 21:10, 13 April 2020 (UTC)


 * I have sources but need to read more about thirdpartyness to those sources (& html to link) ... his page does need a reminder he is a well established comedian (& dialectic is inherent to that situ) ... "everything is political" ... thank-you for the assist Text mdnp (talk) 21:29, 13 April 2020 (UTC)


 * I believe in Wikipedia's editing policy ... I am in no way inventing a "original research/discussion/persuasion value" to mutate the article - I am using the article's 'talk' page to perhaps get an assist on bettering the article (pure & simple) Text mdnp (talk) 21:41, 13 April 2020 (UTC)


 * The entire antisemitic section should be removed. Too sensational & source/quote heavy that does non fit typical good article structure (Wikiquote is for that?) Text mdnp (talk) 07:29, 6 September 2020 (UTC)

Benjamin's jokes should not be conflated with his views.
Benjamin's comedy is intentionally absurd and often provocative. Just because he joked that the moon landing was a hoax doesn't mean that he sincerely believes it was a hoax. Likewise, he might claim that he wants to bring back slavery, but that was clearly a dig at Shaun King. When writing a biography of a living person, especially a comedian, it's important to differentiate between what's real and what's not. I suggest erring on the side of caution, and taking much of what Benjamin says with a grain of salt. Humor, especially bad humor, should not be conflated with sincerely held views. Good examples of Wikipedia articles that do not have this issue include Dave Chappelle and Andy Kaufman. –Sebanderson (talk) 21:28, 3 August 2020 (UTC)


 * We can dig through WDTL & source his quotes on these things - the whole article needs tidying up. I just deleted the anti-semitic section (as too passionate & tabloid'esque in sources/rhetoric vs a reasoned stance?) Text mdnp (talk) 07:51, 6 September 2020 (UTC)

Delete anti-Semitic section as has become a tabloid style mess
Wikipedia & Comedy deserve better than this unusual inclusion of obscure websites as sources in the article's very text vs a standard reference tag? Text mdnp (talk) 21:30, 6 September 2020 (UTC)


 * In Benjamin's comedy special 'Art Before The Horse', he makes fun of a post-NAZI legacy in culture & infrastructure ... is he anti NAZI or anti Semitic? The views section has become a farce - we must wiki-standardise the subject's tropes/grammar vs zeitgeist/fashion lexicons to clear the article. I say we delete & absorb a condensed version of the anti-semitic sub-section into the Views section? Text mdnp (talk) 21:30, 6 September 2020 (UTC)
 * Content on Wikipedia is base on reliable sources. To the best of my knowledge and based by community consensus at WP:RSP, most sources in this section are generally reliable. Could you describe in particular which of these sources you deem unreliable for these purposes and why?
 * In addition, Wikipedia is not based on WP:Original Research. It is totally possible that Benjamin is doing something complicated in his work, but we must base that judgment on what exists in RS. Do you have secondary sources that describe this? Jlevi (talk) 21:43, 6 September 2020 (UTC)
 * The website sources being included in the very text vs a "cherry picking nature" is non objective/consistent to what I have experienced with article quality & WP:Original Research in the past. There is actual & lateral evidence of passionate article muddling here. "Anti-Semitic" subject reflects the complicated passions of the land-bridge/silk road politics "Semitism" is. I am non "soap boxing/forum/weasel words" here &c.
 * A condensed absorption of 'Anti-Semitic' section into 'Views' could look like this:


 * Benjamin in his live shows & streams has expressed many ideas that some outlets claim supports anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
 * Thank'you for the assist Jlevi. Text mdnp (talk) 22:29, 6 September 2020 (UTC)
 * "Insider Inc." using the term "White Nationalist" is OK here? Text mdnp (talk) 22:36, 6 September 2020 (UTC)
 * New intro sentence to views section could look like this: "Using a classical moral stance & dialectical lens to explore zeitgeist taboos, his comedy is intentionally offensive and frequently uses slurs. Benjamin describes his comedy as a ..." Text mdnp (talk) 22:48, 6 September 2020 (UTC)
 * "Classical moral stance"; "dialectical lens"; "zeitgeist taboos", these terms challenged/questioned with WP:WEASEL? Text mdnp (talk) 22:54, 6 September 2020 (UTC)
 * "Some outlets claim" is falsely implying that this is disputed by other sources, or that this is a subjective opinion. Sources support this in direct language. When reliable sources say something, Wikipedia reflects that without editorializing on how much of a claim it is. Your personal interpretation of Benjamin's "moral stance" etc. is original research. The burden is on you to cite reliable sources for all of this flattering cruft. Otherwise, we are not interested in that, and this isn't the place to share these perspectives.
 * To repeat for clarity, we are interested in summarizing reliable sources. Editorializing by casting doubt on reliable sources based on first-hand opinions is inappropriate. Further, we are mainly interested in independent sources, and Benjamin should not be directly cited as reliable source without attribution and context, which must be provided by a reliable source. Grayfell (talk) 23:07, 6 September 2020 (UTC)


 * With Editorializing/OR aspect, see Benjamin's podcast WDTL799 (& nightstream) for his discussing dialectic & being the son of two professors; see WDTL930's "I make fun of everybody" (ts38m18s). I will draft a "more anti-antisemitic" section that omits sources from the actual article text & is just the ref-tag as should of been originally. Sources being included in the article's actual text reads corny/sensationalized/tabloid to me. That is what I was trying to do initially. Thank'you for the assist. Text mdnp (talk) 00:02, 10 September 2020 (UTC)


 * See above "In Benjamin's comedy special 'Art Before The Horse', he makes fun of a post-NAZI legacy in culture & infrastructure ... is he anti-NAZI or anti-Semitic‽" Text mdnp (talk) 00:04, 10 September 2020 (UTC)
 * "That voice is insane" (JRE998 1h27m56s-1h28m15s) - regarding scapegoating & identity politics - using example of the NAZI Germany reaction to post Versailles Treaty era - same thread goes on to discuss Genghis Khan/Native Americans vs cultural taboos vs idols/icons with social issues to/in history. Text mdnp (talk) 22:59, 10 September 2020 (UTC)
 * Not really fair in a BLP to say he has antisemitic conspiracy theories and memes without telling readers what those theories/ memes are. Even the sources cited don’t explain what those ideas are. Raquel Baranow (talk) 20:58, 3 October 2020 (UTC)


 * Benjamin's podcast is almost never going to be a reliable source. Joe Rogan isn't a reliable source, either. Any quotes from podcasts should be directly supported by a reliable sources, or should be uncontroversially relevant to an issue raised by a reliable, independent source. Articles are based on reliable and independent sources. Your personal interpretation of Benjamin's comments, or Rogan's for that matter, are not usable. This is not a platform for sharing your personal interpretation of sources, because your interpretation of sources is original research. Per WP:PRIMARY: Do not analyze, evaluate, interpret, or synthesize material found in a primary source yourself; instead, refer to reliable secondary sources that do so. If reliable, independent sources discuss Benjamin's views on Nazism, summarize those sources with as little analyzes as possible. Grayfell (talk) 07:05, 11 September 2020 (UTC)
 * Cheers for the assist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability Text mdnp (talk) 19:38, 16 September 2020 (UTC)
 * "Benjamin's podcast is almost never going to be a reliable source" ... really? Text mdnp (talk) 19:38, 16 September 2020 (UTC)
 * Yes, really. We cannot use unreliable WP:PRIMARY sources to demonstrate importance, or for any information which requires interpretation. Very basic biographical information might be supported by a podcast. This means things like birth year, name of schools attended, country of birth, and not much else. Even then, it is always better to use independent sources. Grayfell (talk) 20:08, 16 September 2020 (UTC)
 * OK thank'you for the assist. I am reading about reliable third party sources. I non wish to troll here as I understand the guideline's "psi process" to 'anti-semitic' views sub-section staying as is. User talk:Grayfell stated above "We cannot use unreliable WP:PRIMARY sources to demonstrate importance" - as an article about a comedian involved in gate keeper media politics why would the very article subject's direct comedy experience be "unreliable"? This talk page's assist function (non being a OR/"personal opinion"/forum) to clear up the article is touching upon the very feedback issues for his comedy reinforcing persecution tropes - & is why this article needs clearing up regarding the inherent dialectical process comedy has to social issues? That in the "anti-semitic views" section, the listed source "Insider Inc." using the term "White Nationalist" is OK here projects a bending of public psi life where permitted sources seems arbitrarily selective to slyly skew the article which is illkeeping with a objective stance to the article's very existence - & with Wikipedia's de facto mainstream use vs Wikipedia being non permitted in legally binding arenas we have again a feedback loop to the "anti-semitic" views tabloid style sub-section being a travesty to Wikipedia's very existence? Text mdnp (talk) 22:06, 16 September 2020 (UTC)
 * This talk page is not a forum for discussion on philosophy or rhetoric.
 * If you have a reliable source discussing the "dialectical process comedy has to social issues" and that source discusses this in relation to Owen Benjamin then you should propose it to this talk page.
 * Otherwise, please get to the point. Grayfell (talk) 21:14, 16 September 2020 (UTC)
 * A good Wikipedia article should use archonic language to express the subject - & non use a zeitgiest's tabloid style superficial fleeting terminology & pazuzu'd identity politics? The Anti-semitic sub section features subpar sources & is expressed in a non objective manner - as a Wikipedia article should (be objective*). I am reporting some of those sites as hate-speech to my local authorities. Thank'you. I hope the psi flow of the article/talk remains intact. I will refrain from posting here untill I have drafted a more objective 'views sub-section' text. Text mdnp (talk) 22:06, 16 September 2020 (UTC) (* Text mdnp (talk) 20:14, 3 October 2020 (UTC))

The page should accurately reflect the extremist hate filled views expressed by Benjamin
Benjamin is now a full on holocaust denying, racist neo-nazi. The page unfortuantely does not convey this serious racist that Benjamin has now become. Moreover Benjamin is a disinformation machine, spewing daily lies on his platforms that still remain.

TruthBuster21223 (talk) 23:17, 21 September 2020 (UTC)
 * Find reliable sources that describe this behaviour and do so! Bear in mind that Wikipedia at time falls behind current events--it often cannot reflect recent events, and it cannot reflect events that are not covered in the news. For this reason, descriptions of individuals at times fall behind their current patterns of behaviour, and that is expected. I don't know whether what you describe is reflected in RSes right now, so you'll need to do a little legwork to add your proposed content. Feel free to ask me for help if you need any feedback or suggestions. Jlevi (talk) 23:26, 21 September 2020 (UTC)


 * The "views" section needs to be cleaned up a bit to read more like a Wikipedia article rather than a news story &c. This is happening more & more with Wikipedia where the "views/personal life/controversy" sub sections become just a ill-suited rehash of news/tabloids reports instead of the archetypal serious tone to a article. These are articles on a subject non a news delivery service &c. Text mdnp (talk) 20:10, 3 October 2020 (UTC)

Removal of material sourced to unreliable websites
I recently removed three unreliable sources and inaccurate information sourced to them. I am leaving this comment here primarily for, who incorrectly stated those sources were "established papers with their own pages" (none of them appear to actual published newspapers). The first source is Rewire News Group, an online news site. It is not clear what their editorial oversight is and they do not seem to distinguish articles written by staff and those submitted to them by email. Regardless, the source says "One, posted by Owen Benjamin pleads, 'I did not want to kill Jews. But they have given us no other option... the Jew—with his genocidal instincts—is insistent on poking the bear.'" No additional information is provided at all regarding this quote, and there is nothing to suggest that the "Owen Benjamin" is the same person as the subject of this page. I could also find no other source for this quote at all on Google. Without more information, that is clearly not reliable for inclusion, especially for a quote like that. The second source is an opinion piece from GOD TV (although the website does not appear to distinguish between opinion articles and more "news" oriented content), and the single sentence mentioning Benjamin is, "For example some of comedian, Owen Benjamin's comments could lead people to violence." Nowhere does the article call him a "hateful antisemite". The third source appears to just be a random website, and I'm not sure how its content would be noteworthy at all, and especially as a source for an inflammatory label. For highly contentious information, I think it would be beneficial if everyone looked critically at the sources, especially when restoring content. – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 00:01, 31 October 2020 (UTC)


 * JTA is considered a legitimate source. The fact you are so obsessed with giving Benjamin a false image, hiding his quotes from Right Wing Watch, and views is extremely suspicious. Just because it is Jewish, that does not automatically mean it is unreliable. I understand removing the other sources, but Bethany Mendel, while a conservative, is not considered completely unreliable. If your name is any indication of your political views, then it is clear you are highly biased and attempting to push a political narrative on Wikipedia. TruthBuster21223 (talk) 19:53, 31 October 2020 (UTC) — TruthBuster21223 (talk&#32;• contribs) has made few or no other edits outside this topic.
 * The opinion article by Bethany Mandel from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency was never removed. I shortened it to remove the phrase "blaming Jewish people for every societal ill" (diff). Considering you are a single-purpose account who has almost exclusively edited this article, I think you need to focus less on attacking other editors who don't agree with your perspective on what an encyclopedic biography should look like. I personally think the quotes are still excessive in the article. – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 03:03, 1 November 2020 (UTC)

The page does not accuracately convey Owen Benjamin Smith
Owen Benjamin is no longer a "comedian". For years now he has been a far right, holocaust denying conspiracy theorist. There are 5+ articles from reliable sources, including non-profits (SPLC) and regular news that describe him as such. As of now, the article does not convey that Benjamin no longer is simply a 'comedian'and he no longer performs shows. Moreover, he is more so a 'former' actor than an actor as he has not been involved in film in years. — Preceding unsigned comment added by TruthBuster21223 (talk • contribs) 08:56, 8 January 2021 (UTC)
 * The article has been cleaned up to keep in line with a objective wikipedia page - & is watched closely to stay clean. Comedians are inherently - & sometimes invisibly - a deeply philosophical area of society - see "dialectic"/"safe space" ... sometimes we forget that with political fashions/passions. Benjamin has naturally found more relevant platforms where his content has more positive flow. The article does need balancing that Benjamin is non really against any one group - he just likes deconstructing the zeitgeist (see talk archive for more). Text mdnp (talk) 01:09, 20 January 2021 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 16 February 2021
article uses pc jargon like *hate speech* (?). please rewrite in plain English. 2600:1006:B044:D29B:3CB3:446F:4057:EB7E (talk) 00:50, 16 February 2021 (UTC)
 * ❌ Those are two pretty basic English words. – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 04:14, 16 February 2021 (UTC)
 * "Hate speech" is slang/buzzword - that fails as objective english for use in a Wikipedia article's main descriptive text &c. Benjamin's article is far from perfect. Sub-tabloid type websites as sources for main text is what negated my interest in Wikipedia as anything other than a really good search engine type hyper-concordance &c. Text mdnp (talk) 01:33, 20 February 2021 (UTC)

Article states false information regarding verses in Talmud. The reference provides no evidence just a one sentence opinion of this topic. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:6C55:700B:100:D4DD:5C4D:E93:6A1F (talk) 22:35, 9 April 2021 (UTC)

About his Social media Bans
Can you please add that he is currently blocked on Dlive? This makes the news that mentions that two of the biggest earners of Dlive are Nick Fuentes and Owen Wilson outdated. I think it is important to mention this
 * Do you have a source that mentions this? A secondary source (a news source probably) would be preferred. A primary source could also be useful (from Dlive press release or something from Benjamin). Thanks! Jlevi (talk) 19:15, 13 May 2021 (UTC)

Missing Info about Zoning and Housing Issues
A certain user continues to remove valid and sourced information regarding complaints to local officials about Benjamin's compound. What are everyones thoughts on this. It is a valid and sourced issue. One user continues to revert these edits. I am looking for guidance. TruthBuster21223 (talk) 20:46, 26 May 2021 (UTC)
 * One of the sources in your edit is a self-published website by Mike Weland ("Kootenai Valley Times" about page). The other source does not support most of the information you added, including the "potential cult or 'Aryan Style' compound" allegation, which seems like a clear violation of the WP:BLP policy to me. This type of information should ideally have multiple high-quality sources, but you have not even provided one reliable source for those specific allegations. – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 21:43, 26 May 2021 (UTC)

The Opening Description
Owen Benjamin Smith's politics and controversial statements should be described in the opening sentence. The fact that he claims to be a comedian, and was a former actor should follow that lead. As it is now, the opening statement does not do the best job at accurately reflecting why Benjamin is notable in the first place.

The fact is, Benjamin has not been cast in any role for years. He has not been booked for a comedy shows either, other than hosting and creating his own shows.

Benjamin has been described multiple times as a conspiracy theorist and racist. He has been described as an anti-semite multiple times as well, and a holocaust denier, a racist and a white nationalist.

A better opening would be: 'Owen Benjamin Smith (born May 24, 1980) is an American conspiracy theorist and alt-right political commentator.' The bit about his history in comedy and acting should follow in the body of the article under history/career.

TruthBuster21223 (talk) 05:36, 14 June 2021 (UTC)
 * Those terms would violate WP:LABEL as they are not widely used by reliable sources. The term "racist" is not used in the article at all, and the content about conspiracy theories is mostly attributed to the sources because of issues with their reliability and bias. He is clearly most notable for his acting and comedy, which is the only reason his subsequent comments have been reported on. His antisemetic statements are also already covered in the lead. – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 19:05, 15 June 2021 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 17 December 2021
needs to be changed to

there is no evidence to connect Owen benjamin to the alt-right. Gravy1898 (talk) 21:23, 17 December 2021 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done for now: please establish a consensus for this alteration before using the template. In addition to the sources in the article, alt-right political commentator and comedian Owen Benjamin, Owen Benjamin, an American “alt-right” actor, comedian and political commentator who promoted anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and anti-LGBT views, and also far right A far-right comedian named Owen Benjamin was the highest earner on DLive. There is a fair amount of sourcing out there. You'd have to show the weight of the sources use a different descriptor. ScottishFinnishRadish (talk) 21:44, 17 December 2021 (UTC)

So is anybody "alt-right" so long as some biased "news" source brands the person as such? That seems to be the only way people justify the sourcing, but it doesn't make any sense. I'm sure I could find a right-wing article that calls Hillary Clinton a "despot", but that shouldn't allow people to put it at the top of her Wikipedia entry, even if it's "sourced". Is there a relevant official Wikipedia policy when it comes to smearing vs. objectivity? WillieBlues (talk) 04:58, 18 December 2021 (UTC)
 * Reliable mainstream publications such as USA Today and Variety are not comparable to "a right-wing article". – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 05:25, 18 December 2021 (UTC)

Alt Right?
What does it mean that he is alt right, and what is the source for that? It's a label that he denies, so by what metric does he fit the criteria? 66.232.212.131 (talk) 14:46, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
 * Citation #15, among several others. The "metric" is whether he is widely described as such in reliable sources, and it appears that he is—you can ctrl-f "alt-right" in the references section and see it appears several times. GorillaWarfare (she/her • talk) 17:35, 19 December 2021 (UTC)
 * I added cites to that description in the article from two of the sources discussed above on the talk page here so that the information is a little easier to find. – wallyfromdilbert (talk) 19:19, 19 December 2021 (UTC)

Bethany Mandel
Can someone explain to me why Bethany Mandel's view of Benjamin is in this article? Serious question. Robin J Thomson (talk) 00:58, 13 March 2023 (UTC)

Conspiracy theorist
Wikipedia calling him a conspiracy theorist instantly gives him cred. 72.211.65.133 (talk) 16:56, 1 August 2023 (UTC)

Reinstated to Twitter/X
As of now, Owen Benjamin's Twitter/X account has been reactivated. He has resumed posting race-based jokes, conspiracy theories, and updates about his "compound." This may be worth noting in the Social Media Bans section. 70.44.201.229 (talk) 13:07, 17 August 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 10 November 2023
There is misinformation and libel on this wikipedia and I want it corrected. Clearly the editors are biased. Thatguy3557 (talk) 07:22, 10 November 2023 (UTC)
 * Red question icon with gradient background.svg Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate. Cannolis (talk) 08:06, 10 November 2023 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 23 January 2024
Owen's name isn't Kares Troy- Omit Kares Troy- 129.101.71.39 (talk) 08:18, 23 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Shadow311 (talk) 20:02, 24 January 2024 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 24 January 2024
He has never supported or said anything to support white supremacy that is false!!! 2603:3020:2B00:A600:B851:F26F:A1DA:B954 (talk) 16:17, 24 January 2024 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Shadow311 (talk) 20:02, 24 January 2024 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 9 April 2024
Please change the following text in the Owen Benjamin article:

Remove: "Owen Benjamin Kares Troy-Smith (born May 24, 1980), known professionally as Owen Benjamin, is an American conspiracy theorist and internet personality known for promoting white supremacy, antisemitism, homophobia, and neo-Nazism."

Replace with: Owen Benjamin Kares Troy-Smith (born May 24, 1980), professionally known as Owen Benjamin, is an American free thinker, comedian, established actor, family man, and farmer. He has garnered attention as an internet personality for his thought-provoking perspectives. Benjamin, who values independent thinking, humor, and his commitment to his family and farm, has been involved in various forms of entertainment, including stand-up comedy and minor acting roles in mainstream film and television between 2008 and 2015. Nhaselton (talk) 19:12, 9 April 2024 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Furthermore, I have reverted your edit that introduced this change, as it introduced no new sources and misrepresents the ones currently on the page. GorillaWarfare (she/her • talk) 19:40, 9 April 2024 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 29 April 2024
Please remove the statement about repeatedly referring to an NPR host as a "child molester" as the source of this quote has been deleted and its reliability is heresay. Todaystomsawyer1981 (talk) 15:11, 29 April 2024 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: Both sources for that claim are still live. If you're having trouble accessing them, there are also archived copies of both sources provided in the references.
 * If you are referring to the tweet being deleted, that's not particularly material; at least two reliable sources reported on him making it, which suggests it's noteworthy enough to include. Deleting it after the fact doesn't change that. If you are concerned that two reliable sources independently decided to fabricate an identical tweet that Benjamin never made, that certainly stretches the limits of believability, but you're also welcome to look up the link in an archive platform like the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine if you would like to satisfy your own curiosity as to whether it ever existed. GorillaWarfare (she/her • talk) 15:36, 29 April 2024 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 29 April 2024 (2)
Dear Wikipedia Editors,

I am writing to propose a revision to the introductory section of the Owen Benjamin biography to ensure adherence to Wikipedia's guidelines on neutrality and verifiability.

Current text: "Owen Benjamin Kares Troy-Smith (born May 24, 1980), known professionally as Owen Benjamin, is an American conspiracy theorist and internet personality known for promoting white supremacy, antisemitism, homophobia, and neo-Nazism.    He was a stand-up comedian and actor who had minor roles in mainstream film and television between 2008 and 2015.

In the late 2010s, Benjamin began expressing more extreme political views. In 2019, he was banned from several mainstream social media platforms for violations of their policies, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. These included antisemitic remarks, homophobic remarks, and calling Barack Obama a "nigger". "

Proposed revision: "Owen Benjamin Kares Troy-Smith (born May 24, 1980), known professionally as Owen Benjamin, is an American comedian and actor. He gained initial recognition through stand-up comedy and had minor roles in mainstream film and television between 2008 and 2015.

In the late 2010s, Benjamin's public statements and political views became more controversial. He has been the subject of scrutiny and criticism for expressing viewpoints that have been characterized as promoting white supremacy, antisemitism, homophobia, and neo-Nazism by various sources. Benjamin's remarks have been described as offensive and have resulted in his removal from several mainstream social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube in 2019, due to policy violations. These included antisemitic remarks, homophobic remarks, and calling Barack Obama a "nigger". "

This revision aims to provide a more balanced and neutral representation of Owen Benjamin's career and controversies, ensuring factual accuracy and compliance with Wikipedia's content policies. The original references were preserved.

Thank you for considering this edit request.

Sincerely, Todaystomsawyer1981 (talk) 16:50, 29 April 2024 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia policy requires that articles reflect how reliable sources describe the subject, in proportion to how they are described in those sources. The current sources overwhelmingly describe Benjamin as a conspiracy theorist who promotes the stated viewpoints, and it does not appear you have introduced any new sources that present a different viewpoint.


 * It might be helpful if you could clarify for the person reviewing your edit request whether you a) believe that the current wording does not reflect the existing sources (and provide specifics as to why), or b) believe that other sources exist that present Benjamin primarily as a comedian/etc. rather than a conspiracy theorist/provocateur (and provide these sources). GorillaWarfare (she/her • talk) 19:53, 29 April 2024 (UTC)
 * Thank you for your reply.
 * The following is an updated proposed revision with additional sources. References of "Twitter" are updated to "X". Named citations are taken from the article's source. I included a reference to conspiracy theories. The structure and readability was improved by summarizing controversial viewpoints and removing a specific quote from the introduction. The quote refers to using a racist slur. Retain the quote by moving it to the Views section or a separate section. Moving the quote to a separate section is outside the scope of this edit.:
 * "Owen Benjamin Kares Troy-Smith (born May 24, 1980), known professionally as Owen Benjamin, is an American comedian and actor.      He gained initial recognition through stand-up comedy and had roles in mainstream film and television between 2008 and 2015 including, The House Bunny, Jack and Jill, All's Faire in Love, and Sullivan & Son.
 * In the late 2010s, Benjamin's public statements and political views became more controversial, drawing scrutiny and criticism from various sources. Some viewpoints attributed to him have been characterized as promoting conspiracy theories, white supremacy, antisemitism, homophobia, and neo-Nazism by certain critics and commentators.   These remarks have been described as offensive and have led to his removal from mainstream comedy engagements and several social media platforms, including  X (formally known as Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, due to policy violations.
 * As of 2023, Benjamin continues to perform standup comedy and remains active on X and various  streaming platforms. "
 * This revision maintains its original aims to provide a more balanced and neutral representation of Owen Benjamin's career and controversies. The inclusion of Benjamin's initial recognition or primary occupation at the beginning of a biography of a living person (BLP) on Wikipedia aligns with the site's guidelines on establishing the subject's notability and providing a clear introduction to their career trajectory. This approach is recommended based on Wikipedia policies and best practices. Let me explain why:
 * Establishing Notability: Wikipedia's guidelines for BLPs emphasize the importance of establishing a person's notability early in the article.
 * Neutral Point of View (NPOV): Presenting a person's primary occupation or field of recognition at the outset helps maintain a neutral tone by focusing on factual information about their career rather than subjective evaluations or controversies.
 * Structural Consistency: Most Wikipedia biographies follow a standard format, starting with an introduction to the person's background and career highlights. Then, more detailed information is followed, such as controversies or personal life. This format helps organize information in a logical and reader-friendly manner.
 * Avoiding Bias: By beginning with the person's initial recognition or career highlights, Wikipedia editors can introduce the subject in a way that minimizes bias and focuses on objective facts about their professional achievements.
 * For example, you can observe this approach in various well-developed Wikipedia biographies, where the opening paragraphs typically start with a brief overview of the person's notable career or achievements before addressing other aspects of their life or controversies. Career and achievements provide context and establish relevance in the encyclopedia.
 * In summary, including Benjamin's initial recognition or primary occupation at the beginning of a BLP introduction on Wikipedia is in line with the site's content policies, supports verifiability, and helps establish the subject's notability in a neutral and structured manner.
 * Sincerely, Todaystomsawyer1981 (talk) 19:13, 30 April 2024 (UTC)
 * Please see Wikipedia's policies on what kinds of sources are appropriate. You'll be wanting secondary, reliable sources that describe Benjamin in detail — not user-generated listings of his acting from IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, or (often self-written) biographies published by venues where he appeared (apparently about 12 years ago, in the case of Laugh Factory, or 7 years ago, in the case of The Glee). If there are a substantial number of reliable, secondary sources (think newspapers, magazines, books, etc.) that describe Benjamin primarily as a comedian or actor, that could be a reason to introduce him as such. However, they would need to be weighed with the substantial number of sources that suggest Benjamin's notability is more thanks to his conspiracy theories and political comments. It may be that there was a time where he was more known as a comedian/actor — as evidenced by the fact that the new sources you have suggested mostly date back to 2009–2017 — but more recent reliable sources tend to remark more on his politics than his comedy. GorillaWarfare (she/her • talk) 21:32, 30 April 2024 (UTC)
 * Thank you for the reply and suggestions. The following is an updated proposed revision that includes secondary reliable sources. I added internal links that were missing. I modified citations to improve relevance. One of the most remarkable changes was updating Benjamin's profession to "right-wing comedian". This characterization strikes a balance between his characterization as a mainstream comedian of the past and his more recent right-leaning political statements while maintaining neutrality. I want to reiterate that the quote using a racial slur is still not included and suggested to be moved to the Views section as described previously.:
 * "Owen Benjamin Kares Troy-Smith (born May 24, 1980), known professionally as Owen Benjamin, is an American right-wing comedian and actor.         He gained initial recognition through stand-up comedy and had roles in mainstream film and television between 2008 and 2015 including, The House Bunny, Jack and Jill, All's Faire in Love, and Sullivan & Son.
 * In the late 2010s, Benjamin's public statements and political views became more controversial, drawing scrutiny and criticism from various sources. Some viewpoints attributed to him have been characterized as promoting conspiracy theories, white supremacy, antisemitism, homophobia, and neo-Nazism by certain critics and commentators.    These remarks have been described as offensive and have led to his removal from mainstream comedy engagements and several social media platforms, including  X (formally Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, due to policy violations.
 * As of 2023, Benjamin continues to perform standup comedy and remains active on X and various  streaming platforms.   "
 * This revision maintains its original aims to:
 * - Provide a more balanced and neutral representation of Owen Benjamin's career and controversies.
 * - Include initial recognition or primary occupation at the beginning of a biography of a living person (BLP) that aligns with the site's guidelines on establishing the subject's notability and providing a clear introduction to their career trajectory.
 * This approach is recommended based on Wikipedia policies and best practices outlined previously. Additionally, this avoids recentism, where the article has an imbalanced focus on recent events without an aim toward a long-term, historical view. Recent sources often label him as a "comedian" with additional descriptions to the right despite focusing on his conspiracy theories and political commentary.
 * Thank you for considering this edit request.
 * Sincerely, Todaystomsawyer1981 (talk) 15:54, 1 May 2024 (UTC)


 * I'm leaving this edit request open for another editor to handle, but I do think your concerns about recentism are misplaced. The lead sentence should describe Benjamin in terms of his primary notability, and that you're having to dig back to 2009 Christina Ricci engagement announcements to find sources that describe him primarily as a comedian or that highlight his acting career suggests that that is not be his primary source of notability. I would also oppose the tortured wording of "Some viewpoints attributed to him have been characterized as..." rather than simply "known for promoting". In my view, this is far less neutral than the existing lead, which well reflects the sourcing. GorillaWarfare (she/her • talk) 16:13, 1 May 2024 (UTC)


 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: No consensus. Per GorillaWarfare, the proposed wording seems far too verbose to be appropriate, and citation overkill doesn't help. I appreciate the intent, but the way to insure the article remains neutral is not to ignore less flattering sources. Likewise, balance should not be confused with false balance. To put it another way, softening the article to assist him in his PR is the opposite of neutral, so this edit does not support your stated goal. Grayfell (talk) 04:44, 4 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Thank you for the reply and suggestions. For consensus, this edit removes verbose language and strictly uses currently published approved sources to avoid citation overkill. It maintains the original intent of maintaining balance, neutrality, and structural consistency of BLPs. Nonsubstanstitive edits were made for clarity and consiseness.
 * "Owen Benjamin Kares Troy-Smith (born May 24, 1980), known as Owen Benjamin, is an American right-wing comedian and former actor. He rose to fame in stand-up comedy and mainstream film and television from 2008 to 2015, appearing in productions like The House Bunny, All's Faire in Love, and Inside Amy Schumer.
 * During the late 2010s, Benjamin began espousing increasingly extreme political views, including conspiracy theories, white supremacy, antisemitism, homophobia, and neo-Nazism.   In 2019, he was banned from multiple social media platforms for violating their policies, including  X (formally Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.   These included antisemitic remarks, homophobic remarks, and calling Barack Obama a "nigger".
 * As of 2023, Benjamin continues to perform standup comedy and remains active on X and streaming platforms."
 * Thank you for considering this edit request.
 * Sincerely, Todaystomsawyer1981 (talk) 14:27, 13 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Update for recently published changes.
 * "Owen Smith, known as Owen Benjamin, is an American right-wing comedian and former actor. He rose to fame in stand-up comedy and mainstream film and television from 2008 to 2015, appearing in productions like The House Bunny, All's Faire in Love, and Inside Amy Schumer.
 * During the late 2010s, Benjamin began espousing increasingly extreme political views, including conspiracy theories, white supremacy, antisemitism, homophobia, and neo-Nazism.   In 2019, he was banned from multiple social media platforms for violating their policies, including  X (formally Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.   These included antisemitic remarks, homophobic remarks, and calling Barack Obama a "nigger".
 * As of 2023, Benjamin continues to perform standup comedy and remains active on X and streaming platforms." Todaystomsawyer1981 (talk) 16:08, 13 May 2024 (UTC)


 * Heads up that you'll need a new edit request template if you want someone else to come along and formally review the request, but my guess is it's not worth doing given that you haven't substantively addressed the reasons Grayfell declined the last one. Are you using AI to write these? GorillaWarfare (she/her • talk) 22:51, 13 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Thanks for the suggestion. I'll create a new edit request template and address the Grayfell more clearly. I use AI for grammar assistance. Todaystomsawyer1981 (talk) 12:16, 14 May 2024 (UTC)


 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: closing since the OP intends on starting a new edit request that would hopefully address the raised concerns. M.Bitton (talk) 15:22, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

Too much WP:WEIGHT on The Daily Dot and Right Wing Watch
I marked up many of the citations with. These two sources are questionable WP:RSP. If you look at the citations themselves, the quality is very low. This article brings down the quality of the encyclopedia. Can someone please work to improve it? Tonymetz 💬  19:09, 13 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Where is Right Wing Watch on RSP? It's a WP:BIASEDSOURCE but it seems properly attributed throughout. As for Daily Dot, several of the statements you tagged are backed by multiple sources. Regardless, I'll see about augmenting the sourcing. No harm in it. GorillaWarfare (she/her • talk) 22:48, 13 May 2024 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 14 May 2024
In repsonse to Grayfell continued from 'Semi-protected edit request on 29 April 2024':

This lead section version removes verbose language as suggested by GorillaWare. Addressing false balance, I clarified his initial claim to fame through acting and comedy while recognizing he has become more notorious recently due to his controversial views. This version also acknowledges that he is actively performing stand-up comedy to reflect the sources. It maintains a neutral tone by stating the facts about his career and the controversies associated with his public persona while avoiding any endorsement or promotion of his views. It's not my intention to ignore sources. I removed repeated information in the summation and statements that I felt were out of place for a lead statement. This information includes the details of his remarks on social media. This information would be more appropriate in the body.

If the "softening" of the article shifts it back to neutral, this is correct. If you are suggesting "hardening" the subject's biography to tarnish the subject's PR, this is far from neutral.

"Owen Smith, professionally known as Owen Benjamin, is an American right-wing comedian and former actor. He gained initial fame from stand-up comedy and mainstream film and television between 2008 and 2015. He is known for promoting conspiracy theories, white supremacy, antisemitism, homophobia, and neo-Nazism.   In 2019, he was banned from multiple social media platforms for violating their policies, including  X (formally Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

As of 2023, Benjamin continues to perform standup comedy and remains active on X and streaming platforms."

Todaystomsawyer1981 (talk) 21:07, 14 May 2024 (UTC)


 * This is the proposal:


 * Per previous discussions, he is most notable now as a conspiracy theorist. The only real function change I see with this proposal is to downplay his extremism and indirectly advertise that he is still active as a standup comedian. The body of the article does not directly say that he is still a stand-up comedian. Instead it says that his mainstream stand-up comedy career has ended. Adding unsourced and promotional mateiral to the lead is inappropriate. Grayfell (talk) 21:36, 14 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Thank you for your reply. The source's majority refer him as a comedian in titles and content, even the less flattering ones. My version concurs that his mainstream career has ended while recognizing his recent activity. We could emphasize that he is active outside mainstream comedy, but this would read more like a heroic novel than a bibliography. For example, "Despite his fall from mainstream comedy, Benjamin continues to perform stand-up...".
 * Additionally, the current bibliography does not accurately reflect the sources regarding his stand-up comedy activity in the lead statement and body. See "Owen Benjamin: What You Need to Know". This specific source, as unfavorable as it is, notes his recent stand-up activity in 2023 while also acknowledging his initial notoriety in mainstream film and comedy. I fail to see how including his recent activities as "advertising" unless we are also to believe the ADL is promoting him.
 * My focus is the lead statement, but if you would like me to make body suggestions that accurately reflect the sources, please let me know.
 * Sincerely, Todaystomsawyer1981 (talk) 13:23, 15 May 2024 (UTC)


 * Your version of the lead does not mention that his mainstream career has ended. There is a timeline here: He was a minor actor and mainstream conservative comedian. His public statements became drastically more extreme. Now he is exclusively notable as an extremist and conspiracy theorist. In other words, he was not known as a white supremacist conspiracy theorist during his mainstream career, and it was his open racism which ended that career. Perhaps that might seem obvious, but what's obvious to us will not necessarily be obvious to readers.
 * As for the ADL, there are some unrelated problems with that source, but accepting it for the moment, it only mentions his performance as context for his extremism. It doesn't present him as a comedian who is also an extremist, it describes him as an extremist who has sometimes presented his extremism through the stand-up comedy format. Grayfell (talk) 19:46, 15 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: Per above. ABG (Talk/Report any mistakes here) 14:03, 29 May 2024 (UTC)