Ben Hoffman

Biography

Benjamin Isaac Hoffman is an American comedian, actor, writer, and musician. Hoffman is better known by his country musician alter ego Wheeler Walker Jr., as whom he has released five studio albums.
His first album as Wheeler Walker Jr., Redneck Shit×Redneck Shit12 February 2016 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Redneck Shit2:242Beer, Weed, Cooches2:363Family Tree3:204Can't Fuck You Off My Mind3:105Fuck You Bitch3:236Drop 'Em Out1:347Eatin' Pussy / Kickin' Ass3:128Fightin', Fuckin', Fartin'2:059Better Off Beatin' Off2:4910Sit on My Face4:1811Which One o' You Queers Gonna Suck My Dick?3:37 (2016), debuted at number nine on the Billboard Hot Country Albums chart and peaked the Billboard Top Comedy Albums chart, making it the first album in over a decade to debut in the top ten on both those charts simultaneously. Despite no FM radio play, Hoffman found success with streaming and social media.
Reception to Hoffman's music has been mixed, largely due to the raunchiness of his lyrics and themes. Some have called the Wheeler Walker Jr. character an "experiment in free speech" and "a platform to speak out against censorship and bias in the music industry". Hoffman has been vocal about his use of the character as a means to express his displeasure with the modern state of the country music industry, particularly the rise of the bro-country subgenre.

Early life

Hoffman was born in Lexington, Kentucky. He is the older brother of Scissor Sisters bassist Babydaddy (Scott Hoffman). Hoffman is Jewish and attended Tulane University. He graduated from the University of Kentucky.

Career

Hoffman created and hosted The Ben Show, which premiered on Comedy Central on February 28, 2013. The show was broadcast for one season.
He was a writer and correspondent for the Sports Show with Norm Macdonald, and has written for the MTV Video Music Awards, Archer, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. He has appeared in acting roles on Arrested Development, New Girl and Drunk History and has produced content for and appeared on InfoMania.
In 2020, Hoffman created the Netflix adult animated comedy series Hoops. In addition to writing, he provided voice talent and was also an executive producer alongside Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Seth Cohen, and Jake Johnson. The show was cancelled after the completion of one season.

Wheeler Walker, Jr.

Hoffman debuted an early version of the satirical country music artist Wheeler Walker Jr. character on a skit for The Ben Show in 2013 where he performed his song "Eatin' Pussy, Kickin' Ass".
He recorded and released his first album, Redneck Shit×Redneck Shit12 February 2016 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Redneck Shit2:242Beer, Weed, Cooches2:363Family Tree3:204Can't Fuck You Off My Mind3:105Fuck You Bitch3:236Drop 'Em Out1:347Eatin' Pussy / Kickin' Ass3:128Fightin', Fuckin', Fartin'2:059Better Off Beatin' Off2:4910Sit on My Face4:1811Which One o' You Queers Gonna Suck My Dick?3:37, on February 12, 2016, via Thirty Tigers and Pepper Hill Records. The album was produced by Dave Cobb out of Nashville and originally premiered via stream on the pornographic website PornHub. 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. It was the first album to debut in both the top ten of the comedy and country charts. It sold 5,900 copies in its first week.
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."

The Wheeler Walker Jr. persona has been compared to other artists such as Chinga Chavin, Andy Kaufman, and David Allan Coe. The character's fictional biography outlines his history as an unsigned Nashville talent too crude for mainstream radio due to his desire to revamp the classic outlaw country style by playing songs that would have "gotten him yanked off the Grand Ol' Opry broadcast in a matter of seconds", although he finally found success with the rise of uncensored satellite radio and the internet.
On April 16, 2016, Hoffman appeared as the character on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast episode #786. He has been a guest on a number of other podcasts including Your Mom's House with Tom Segura and Christina Pazsitzky, The Church of What's Happening Now with Joey Diaz, The official Podcast and Bertcast with Bert Kreischer. He also appeared and performed live on The Howard Stern Wrap Up Show on May 25, 2017.
His second album, Ol' Wheeler×Ol' Wheeler2 June 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1Pussy King3:38A2Fuckin' Around3:39A3Puss in Boots2:41A4Finger Up My Butt1:26A5Summers in Kentucky2:58B1Drunk Sluts4:29B2Ain't Got Enough Dick to Go Around3:05B3If My Dick Is Up, Why Am I Down?3:14B4Small Town Saturday Night2:25B5Pictures on My Phone2:58B6Poon2:36, was released on June 2, 2017, and debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, with 7,800 copies sold in its first week. It also debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Comedy Albums chart where it remained for three consecutive weeks, and peaked at number five on the Billboard Country chart. Prior to the album's release, crowd funding music site PledgeMusic removed the album's pre-sales and refunded fans due to obscenity complaints. Upset, Hoffman claimed censorship and angry fans responded by trolling a page promoting the band 311. The album was originally going to include a duet with Grammy Award-winning artist Maren Morris on the song "Fuckin' Around", but it was pulled by Sony Music Nashville. Hoffman had previously performed alongside Morris and Jake Owen at a party following the 50th Annual Country Music Association Awards in 2016. The duet was instead recorded with Nikki Lane, credited as "Kacey Walker".
Hoffman toured throughout the United States from 2016 through 2018. During the summer of 2018, he toured with Kid Rock and Brantley Gilbert in the Red Blooded Rock n Roll Redneck Extravaganza Tour. He also performed his song "Sit On My Face" alongside Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson at Hinterland Music Festival in 2018. Hoffman, outfitted as Wheeler, presented an award to Childers at the Americana Music Honors & Awards that same year. Hoffman concluded his tour on December 8, 2018, with a final concert at The Rave in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
His third album, WW III×WW III30 November 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Save Some Titty Milk for Me2:222I Like Smoking Pot (a Lot)3:283Even When3:564Fuck You With the Lights On3:065I Sucked Another Dick Last Night3:516Still Ain’t Sick of Fucking You3:547All the Pussy You Will Slay3:138Anal & The Dishes3:389Addicted3:4810Rich Sumbitch2:4311Fuckin’ It Up3:39, was released on November 30, 2018. The album topped the Comedy chart and also sat at number one on the iTunes Country chart. He released 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".
Worldwide, Hoffman was the third most streamed country artist in 2021. On March 8, 2022, Hoffman, outfitted in the Wheeler Walker Jr. persona, was removed by security from the Country Music Hall of Fame property in Nashville after protesting the Florida Georgia Line exhibit. He held a picket sign reading "FGL does not belong here", citing a belief that the duo's music is pop and not country.
On April 14, 2022, Hoffman commenced his "2022 Comeback Tour" when he headlined the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, his first live performance since 2018. He promoted the concert by joking about his desire to get "cancelled". The concert sold out, and broke records for alcohol and merchandise sales at the venue.
On April 15, 2022, he released his fourth album, Sex, Drugs & Country Music×Sex, Drugs & Country Music15 April 2022 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1Beaver Fever2:49A2Fucked by a Country Boy2:33A3She’s a Country Music Fan3:06A4Pussy & Beer3:15A5God Told Me to Fuck You3:47B1Sluts in Heaven3:29B2Honky Tonk Whore2:52B3Tears in My Jizz2:59B4Beavertown3:14B5Sex, Drugs & Country Music2:30B6Fuck That Guy4:13. It debuted at number one on the iTunes chart and number two on the Comedy albums chart. On May 1, 2023, Hoffman announced the "Spread Eagle Tour", with thirty-three concerts across the United States.
On July 19, 2023, Hoffman released the single "Money 'N' Bitches×Money 'N' Bitches19 July 2023 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Money 'N' Bitches3:29". That same day, he also announced his fifth studio album Ram, which was released on September 15, 2023. The album features a more rock-oriented sound than his previous albums.
Hoffman announced plans for his sixth and final album as Wheeler Walker Jr. titled Pullin' Out on June 8, 2026, along with a farewell tour and a new single titled "Fuck This Bar". The album is set for release on September 25, 2026.