NEWS & EVENTS

Benoit Writes Pieces For Rolling Stone, Boston Globe Mag

In November, Benoit penned an essay for the Boston Globe Magazine about his flag football league. "Ours happens to be a gay league," he writes, "but we graciously let straight play, too." Two weeks later, Rolling Stone published Benoit's year-long immersion inside the life of young social media personality Christian Leave. Benoit explores the new world of teen celebrity, where "that Tiger Beat poster on the walll now talks to you." It's a lot of pressure for a goofy, sensitive 14-year-old. Benoit can't help but wonder: Can Christian Leave be Internet famous and not hate his life?

Benoit Has Busy Spring Speaking Schedule

Benoit will be speaking at a handful of conferences and literary events in March, April, and May. First (on March 21) comes the Woodstock Writers Festival, where Benoit is on a journalism panel with Guy Lawson and others. The following week, Benoit presents twice at the Power of Narrative Conference at BU. (He's on a panel with Sarah Koenig and others about access, and he'll give a separate presentation about covering outcasts.) In April, Benoit flies to Minneapolis to join Susan Orlean and others on a panel at AWP focused on writing about animals. Finally, on May 1, Benoit offers a class on breaking into magazines at The Muse & the Marketplace conference in Boston.

"I Am Michael" Sundance Premiere a Success

On Jan. 29, 2015, I AM MICHAEL premiered to a packed house at the Eccles Theater in Park City. Afterward, some of the cast and crew (including Benoit, James Franco, and director Justin Kelly) took questions from the audience. The film has been receiving extensive media attention: Indiewire gave it a strong review; The Huffington Post chronicled how the film came to be; Dot429 interviewed Benoit about his involvement; Peter Travers from Rolling Stone had fun with the cast and director at Sundance; Variety sat down with James Franco to talk about the film; and Larry King chatted with Franco and Kelly.

Benoit Speaks to KCRW about A&F CEO Mike Jeffries

In 2006, Mike Jeffries spoke frankly to Benoit in a rare interview from Abercrombie's Ohio headquarters. To put Jeffries's recent departure from A&F into perspective, KCRW in Los Angeles spoke to Benoit about the eccentric CEO's legacy.

"Travels With Casey" Makes NY Times Bestseller List

Benoit's book "Travels With Casey," which tells the story of his four-month cross country journey with his Labrador, debuted on The New York Times hardcover nonfiction list in August and has continued to garner positive reviews.