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Renowned media critic Eric Boehlert passed away at the age of 57 after suffering a fatal bike accident earlier this week. The news of his tragic demise was announced by his fellow journalist and family friend, Soledad O'Brien, on Twitter:
“Just got crushing news from Tracy Breslin, @Eric Boehlert has died in a bike accident, age 57. Adored his kids Jane and Ben, his dogs, biking and running and basketball and good friends, a fierce and fearless defender of the truth.”
Media Matters for America also issued an official statement to confirm Boehlert’s death. The organization mentioned that they were “heartbroken” over the passing of a “beloved friend and former colleague”:
Former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also took to social media to mourn the loss of Boehlert:
Boehlert was reportedly riding a bicycle near his home in Montclair, New Jersey, when he was fatally struck by a commuter train. He is survived by his wife and their two children.
A look back into the life of Eric Boehlert
Eric Boehlert was an American media critic and writer. He was born on December 6, 1965, in New York and initially lived with his family in Indiana before moving to Connecticut. Boehlert graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a bachelor's degree in Middle Eastern Studies.
The media personality worked as a staff writer on Billboard and served as the contributing editor for Rolling Stone. He also became the founding editor of news and opinion website Salon. Boehlert joined Media Matters for America in 2006 and remained associated with the organization for over 10 years. He also held the role of media critic in the Daily Kos.
The critic established his own newsletter called Press Run in 2020 and described it as "an unfiltered, passionate, and proudly progressive critique of the political press in the age of Trump.” Boehlert also authored two books called Lapdogs: How The Press Rolled Over For Bush and Bloggers on the Bus: How The Internet Changed Politics and the Press.
In 2002, Boehlert won the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' Deems Taylor Award for music journalism for his work on a series of articles about the radio industry. The same series was also shortlisted for the Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism.
Twitter mourns the loss of Eric Boehlert
Eric Boehlert was one of the most popular media critics in America, who garnered a significant following with his unfiltered commentary and passion for exposing misinformation.
Following the news of his demise, his wife, Tracy Breslin, described him as “a fierce defender of truth but also the nicest guy in real life.” Several people also took to Twitter to mourn the loss of the critic:
As tributes continue to pour in online, it is certain that Boehlert will be missed by his family, friends, followers, colleagues, and well-wishers. However, he will always be remembered for his work and contributions to the media.
Boehlert leaves behind his wife of 29 years, Tracy, their children Ben and Jane, and his siblings, Bart, Thom, and Cynthia.
