New book • Out August 25, 2026
Reality TV for Snobs
Everything You Need to Know About the Shows You're Too Intellectual to Watch
Ali Barthwell Witty Hot Takes on everything.
Ali Barthwell is an Emmy winning writer delivering Witty Hot Takes on Reality TV, Pop Culture, & Current Events.
Listen, I've written a lot of stuff.
Reality TV for Snobs
Everything You Need to Know About the Shows You're Too Intellectual to Watch. A crash course in the 20 reality shows that shaped television, from The Real World to The Traitors. The best reality TV shows, what happened behind the scenes, and the moments that turned into internet memes.
Read More →Writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Five-time Emmy award winning writer. Two Writers Guild Awards. A Peabody. Brag.
Watch Clips →TV Recaps & Criticism
Serious Thoughts about Fun TV. Celebrity TV recaps and pop culture commentary on The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, Love is Blind, Real Housewives of Atlanta, Real Housewives of Potomac, How to Get Away with Murder, Empire, Claws, and Ballers.
Read on Vulture →More TV Recaps & Criticism
Grace and Frankie, Luke Cage, Rise, She's Gotta Have It, Game of Thrones (Newbies).
Read on A.V. Club →Essays & Listicles
Silly Stuff about Chicago. Humorous essays and social commentary. Every Room at King Spa Ranked. The Realest Damn Tiki Bar. My Romantic Bermuda Triangle.
Read on Chicago Mag →Wakandacon Co-Founder
A fan convention dedicated to Afro-futurism, tech, and Black nerdery. Panels, a marketplace, and a fantastic cosplay contest in Chicago.
Read on The Verge →
Writer for
Last Week Tonight
Writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Five-time Emmy award winning writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Two Writers Guild Awards and a Peabody. First Black female director at The Second City. Actor, teacher, writer.
Episodes I Wrote
Get in Touch →About Ali Barthwell
What's up, nerds! I'm Ali Barthwell. I'm a five-time Emmy Award winning writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and a two-time Writers Guild Award and Peabody Award winner. You might know me as Vulture's longtime Bachelor Cinematic Universe recapper, covering The Bachelor franchise and the wider world of reality TV since 2015.
Before television writing, I was an actor, teacher, and the first Black female director at The Second City. I also co-founded Wakandacon, a celebration of Afrofuturism in pop culture, gaming, and technology.
A proud Wellesley College graduate, leukemia survivor, and Chicago native, I live in Chicago, where I write about reality TV, comedy, and modern culture.
