Molly Jong-Fast (born August 19, 1978 ) is an American writer, journalist, author, political commentator, and podcaster.

Early life

Jong-Fast is the daughter of novelist Erica Jong and author Jonathan Fast, and the granddaughter of writer Howard Fast. She was raised in a Jewish family, though she has mentioned that her nanny "raised [her] Catholic," despite not partaking in the sacraments. Her parents divorced during her childhood, and she was raised as an only child. Jong-Fast graduated from the Riverdale Country School and attended Barnard College before earning a Master of Fine Arts degree from Bennington College in 2004.

Career

Jong-Fast is the author of two novels, Normal Girl and The Social Climber's Handbook, and a memoir, Girl [Maladjusted], or The Sex Doctors in the Basement. After the 2016 election, Jong-Fast began focusing her writing on politics. She became a regular contributor to The Forward, The Bulwark, Playboy, Glamour, and Vogue. In December 2019, Jong-Fast became an editor-at-large at The Daily Beast, hosting the podcast The New Abnormal. In November 2021, Jong-Fast became a contributing writer at The Atlantic, and the writer of The Atlantic's Wait, What? newsletter. In 2022, Jong-Fast joined Vanity Fair as a special correspondent and began hosting the Fast Politics iHeart Media podcast. In January 2024, Jong-Fast joined MSNBC as a political analyst. Kirkus Reviews has described her as "the Joan Rivers for slackers".

Personal life

In 2003, Jong-Fast married CUNY professor Matthew Adlai Greenfield. They have three children. Jong-Fast is a cousin of Lebanese-American political strategist Peter Daou and has written about her experience with Alcoholics Anonymous.

Publications