Ben Hoffman

Benjamin Isaac Hoffman (born December 13, 1974[1]), better known by the stage name Wheeler Walker, Jr., is an American comedian, actor, singer, and writer.[2] As the Wheeler Walker, Jr. character, Hoffman has released three albums of country music noted for their comedic tone and offensive, off-color lyrical topics.

For the American triathlete, see Ben Hoffman (triathlete).
Ben Hoffman
Hoffman outfitted as his alter-ego Wheeler Walker, Jr.
Birth nameBenjamin Isaac Hoffman
Born (1974-12-13) December 13, 1974
Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Years active2005–present
Genres
Websitewheelerwalkerjr.com

Early life

Hoffman is originally from Lexington, Kentucky.[3][4] He is the older brother of Scissor Sisters bassist Babydaddy (Scott Hoffman).[4]

Career

Ben Hoffman created and hosted The Ben Show, which premiered on Comedy Central on February 28, 2013. The show was broadcast on Comedy Central for one season.

Hoffman was a writer and correspondent for Sports Show with Norm Macdonald on Comedy Central[4] and has written for the MTV Movie Awards. He has appeared on New Girl and Drunk History and has produced content for and appeared on Current TV's InfoMania.[4][5]

On October 3, 2018, it was announced that Netflix had given order for the production of the adult animation series Hoops. The series was created by Hoffman who was also expected to executive produce alongside Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Seth Cohen, and Jake Johnson.[6]

Wheeler Walker, Jr.

Hoffman recorded and debuted his first album in 2016 which was produced by Dave Cobb out of Nashville. According to Hoffman, "I took my fucking life savings, which I don’t want to mention here, ’cause it ain’t much to brag about, and I gave it all to Dave and said, “Let’s make the album without any fucking record company telling me what to do.” [7] Hoffman toured throughout the United States between then and 2018. [8]

Redneck Shit

His debut studio album Redneck Shit was released on February 12, 2016 via Thirty Tigers and Pepper Hill Records. The album originally premiered via stream on the pornographic website PornHub.[9] It debuted at number nine on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, number one on the Billboard Top Comedy Albums chart, and number 127 on the US Billboard 200.[10] It was the first album to debut in both the top 10 of the comedy and country charts. It sold 5,900 copies in its first week.[11][12]

Rolling Stone called it "Unfathomably obscene and undeniably offensive, the debut album from Nashville never-was Wheeler Walker Jr. is also goddamn funny. But Redneck Shit is far from just an X-rated novelty record."[13]

Ol' Wheeler

Walker released his second studio album Ol' Wheeler on June 2, 2017 via Thirty Tigers and Pepper Hill Records. It debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, with 7,800 copies sold in its first week.[14]

WWIII

Walker's third album WWIII was released on November 30, 2018 via Thirty Tigers and Pepper Hill Records.[15]

Fuck You Bitch: All Time Greatest Hits

Walker released his first greatest hits compilation entitled Fuck You Bitch: All Time Greatest Hits on May 1, 2020. It features material from his three studio albums along with two new tracks, "Drunk as Fuck" and "Go Big or Go Home".

Discography

Studio albums
Title Details Peak chart positions Sales
US
[16]		 US Country
[17]		 US
Indie
[18]		 US
Comedy
[19]
Redneck Shit
  • Release date: February 12, 2016
  • Label: Pepper Hill
 127 9 6 1
Ol' Wheeler
  • Release date: June 2, 2017
  • Label: Pepper Hill
 88 10 5 1
WWIII
  • Release date: November 30, 2018
  • Label: Pepper Hill/Thirty Tigers
 187 20 3 1

Controversy

On January 19, 2019, in response to seeing a video of an incident in Washington, D.C., involving, among others, a white student approached by a Native American during the March for Life, Hoffman posted to his Wheeler Walker Jr. Twitter account: "If you know this little shit, punch him in the nuts and send me the video of it and I’ll send you all my albums on vinyl, autographed", followed by a close-up picture of the face of an involved teenager.[23] A few days prior, he made a series of critical and "profanity-laced tweets" about Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Brett Young and other country musicians.[24]

References
  1. Ben Hoffman on Twitter: "Thanks for all the birthday wishes. That I'm hopefully gonna get. After this tweet." Twitter.com
  2. "WTF with Marc Maron Podcast".
  3. "Comedy Central® Sets Mid-Season Schedule Featuring New Series And Specials And The Return Of Network Favorites" (Press release). Comedy Central. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  4. Copley, Rich (22 March 2013). "Lexington native Ben Hoffman brings his Comedy Central show home". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  5. Andreeva, Nellie (June 28, 2012). "Comedy Central Orders Series With Anthony Jeselnik, Amy Schumer And Ben Hoffman". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  6. Andreeva, Nellie; Petski, Denise (October 3, 2018). "Netflix Orders 'Hoops' Adult Animated Series Starring Jake Johnson From Ben Hoffman, Phil Lord, Chris Miller & 20th TV". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  7. Hudak, Joseph (10 February 2016). "Wheeler Walker Jr.: Inside Country's Filthiest New Album". rollingstone.com. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  8. "Wheeler Walke, Jr.'s Concert History". concertarchives.org. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  9. Wheeler Walker Jr. Crosses Country's Fine Line Between Satire and Stupidity Houston Press
  10. Hudak, Joseph (23 February 2016). "See Wheeler Walker Jr. Taunt Horses, Bare Chest in 'Redneck Sh-t' Video". rollingstone.com.
  11. 'Redneck Shit' Debuts at #9 on Billboard's Top Country Album Chart Wheeler Walker Jr.
  12. Bjorke, Matt (February 22, 2016). "The Top 10 Country Albums Chart: February 22, 2016". Roughstock.
  13. "Wheeler Walker Jr. - 35 Most Anticipated Country Albums of 2016". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  14. Bjorke, Matt (June 13, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: June 12, 2017". Roughstock.
  15. "Wheeler announces new album "WWIII"". Wheeler Walker Jr. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  16. "Wheeler Walker Jr. Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. March 5, 2016.
  17. "Wheeler Walker Jr. Chart History: Top Country Albums". Billboard. March 5, 2016.
  18. "Wheeler Walker Jr. Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard.
  19. "Wheeler Walker Jr. Chart History: Comedy Albums". Billboard.
  20. Bjorke, Matt (June 13, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: June 12, 2017". Roughstock.
  21. Bjorke, Matt (June 19, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Sales Chart: June 19, 2017". Roughstock.
  22. Bjorke, Matt (January 14, 2019). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: January 14, 2019". Roughstock. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  23. Comedic Country Singer Wheeler Walker Jr. Under Fire for Inciting Violence Against Kentucky Teen in Viral Video, popculture.com, January 21, 2019
  24. Daniel S. Levine, Comedic Country Singer Wheeler Walker Jr. Goes off on Explicit Rant About Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, Other Country Artists', popculture.com, January 24, 2019.
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