Ezra Klein faces social media backlash over $40,000 to $70,000 speaking fees

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NYT columnist stands by 'polarizing' Charlie Kirk tribute piece

New York Times columnist Ezra Klein commented on the mixed reaction he received to his piece on Charlie Kirk after the activist's assassination last week.

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New York Times columnist Ezra Klein faced backlash on social media after users circulated details showing he charges anywhere from $40,000 to $70,000 for paid speaking engagements.

Klein's speaking fees, listed on the Washington Speakers Bureau website, ignited a firestorm on X this week, where critics lambasted the liberal columnist and podcaster for the pricing. 

One of the core complaints from users was that Klein, whose work often focuses on inequality and the wealth divide in America, charges more for speaking engagements than many middle-class Americans earn in a year.

"You can hire Ezra Klein to speak to your company for the low low price of <checks notes> roughly the yearly median income of a family of four but remember, any time a Clinton or Obama would give a paid speech there was a Chernobyl-level meltdown in the press," one user wrote.

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NYT columnist Ezra Klein is facing backlash on social media after users circulated details showing he charges $40,000 to $70,000 for paid speaking engagements. (The Ezra Klein Show YouTube channel)

X user Sam Haselby mocked that for "just between $40,000 and $70,000 you can hear Ezra Klein’s ‘trademark depth of policy knowledge and academic research’ in person."

Independent journalist Glenn Greenwald said it was "obviously laughable" to pay such a large sum of money to hear Klein's "vapid, DNC-donor-pleasing, liberal clichés."

Other X users seemed to share a similar sentiment as Greenwald, with one user railing that Klein's "sole skill is selling the donor class’s talking points to liberals through op-eds and podcasts, for which the donors reward him by paying him $70k an hour."

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As reported by the New York Post, Industry listings and Washington Speakers Bureau data show that premier broadcast journalists regularly command speaking fees of over $100,000 — something that seemed to go relatively unmentioned by most critics. The outlet added that, according to industry sources, Klein's $40,000 to $70,000 fee places him at the mid-tier level of pricing among his peers.

Although Klein is charging what seems to be the industry norm for speaking engagements, many detractors weren't arguing that the columnist was overpaid relative to his peers, but rather that the optics of the fee didn't sit right with them.

"Abundance," a children's book co-authored by Klein, made the case that Democrats lost power in part because the party's leaders imposed excessive regulations that slowed development in critical sectors such as housing and infrastructure.

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Journalist Eugene Scott wrote that it was understandable for people to be shocked by how much Klein charges for a short speech, especially considering "how many people make less than $70,000 a year."

While many criticized the columnist’s speaking fees, others defended Klein, questioning why critics were surprised that he was doing what many politicians and broadcasters do — charging for speaking appearances.

Author Jill Filipovic said she was "genuinely confused" by the backlash, questioning whether critics object to paid speaking engagements in general or only when the speaker is someone they dislike.

When contacted by the New York Post for comment on the backlash, a spokesperson for The New York Times told the outlet: "Ezra is a tremendous talent, whose interviews and columns shape political discourse. He adheres to our ethical standards including rules governing paid speaking opportunities."

"Times journalists are often invited to speak about their work and expertise, and our standards ensure that such opportunities are appropriate," the spokesperson added.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Klein for comment.

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