Jesse Thorn

Biography

Jesse Thorn is the host and producer of Bullseye and Jordan, Jesse, Go!, and the co-host and producer of Judge John Hodgman. He’s also the founder of the original Maximum Fun.                        

Maximum Fun, which produces and distributes dozens of podcasts, helped set the template for the modern podcast network, and continues to be a leader in independent, audience-supported media production. In 2023, Thorn led the company through a trailblazing transition to a fully employee-owned cooperative. He remains at the company both as talent and as a creative executive. Fast Company magazine called Thorn “the most important person in entertainment you’ve never heard of.”

Bullseye began as The Sound of Young America in 2000, while Thorn was still a student at the University of California at Santa Cruz. In 2007, the show began to be distributed by Public Radio International, making Jesse the youngest national host in public radio history. The show became Bullseye in 2012, and in 2013 it began being distributed by NPR. It currently airs on NPR stations around the country.

Judge John Hodgman, among other accolades, received a Webby award for “Best Comedy Podcast.” Jordan, Jesse, Go! has been selected as a favorite by the editorial staff of iTunes Podcasts.

In addition to his work at MaximumFun.org, Thorn hosts and helps produce Put This On, one of the country’s most popular web series and blogs about men’s style. He also hosted The Grid, a culture recommendation program on IFC, The Sound of Young America on Current TV, and has appeared on IFC’s “Comedy Bang! Bang!” and FX’s “Archer” among other television outlets.

A native of San Francisco’s Mission District, Jesse lives in Los Angeles with his wife, podcaster and author Theresa Thorn, three children, and two dogs.