[[ImageFile:Image554836xBen stein.jpg|right|thumbthumbnail|250px|Ben Stein]]'''Benjamin Jeremy Stein''' (, born November 25, 1944 (age {{age|1944|11|25}}), in Washington, DC) , is a lawyer, writer, actor and economist.He is a [[conservative]] writersocial activist, public speaker, social activist, game show host and presidential speechwriter.<refname="trailer"> [http://www.wingclips.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16682&category_id=779 "[[Expelled]]" trailer] </ref> His father was [[Herbert Stein]], a famous Economist. Stein earned a law degree from [[Yale]]. Having He has also been a speech writer and lawyer for former United States Presidents [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Gerald Ford]] as well as a publisher of conservative thought in newspapers, Stein unexpectedly turned up with a new career on television after getting his start in the movie ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' as the most boring high school teacher on the planet due to his monotone voice. Most of the scene was unscripted. In a sense Ben showed a key knowledge for understated humorgame show host.
His father was economist [[Herbert Stein]]. Stein earned a law degree from Yale. Having been a speech writer and lawyer for former Presidents [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Gerald Ford]] as well as a publisher of conservative thought in newspapers, Stein unexpectedly turned up with a new career on television after getting his start in the movie ''[[Ferris Bueller's Day Off]]'' as the boring high school economics teacher due to his monotone voice. In this scene, which was mostly unscripted<ref>Except for the famous line "Bueller...Bueller?", the entire scene -- a lecture on the Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930 and the then-current debate over supply-side economics -- was totally adlibbed by Stein based on his economics knowledge.</ref>, Stein showed a key knowledge for understated humor. Stein has been married for {{years ago|1968}} years - having married, divorced, and remarried the same woman. His son Tommy is "the only Jewish kid [at] a Presbyterian college".<ref>Paraphrased from YouTube clip of Jimmy Kimmel Show - Feb. 15, 2008 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI8N0Du7p_o&NR=1] </ref>
== TV ==
A man of considerable intellect, Stein starred in his own gameshow, ''Win Ben Stein's Money'', which would culminate in Stein taking on the winning contestant in a ten-question round to see who could answer more of the questions correctly. Most of the time Stein would emerge victorious. Stein had a subtle form of comedy playing the mostly straight man to [[Jimmy Kimbell Kimmel]] as the joking cohost; however much of the banter contained sexual innuendos not suitable for children.
Stein went on to host his own talk show ''Turn Ben Stein On''.
== Evolution and Intelligent Design ==
[[Image:Image554836x.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|Ben Stein]]Stein co-wrote and appears as the narrator<ref>[httphttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt1091617/fullcredits#writers IMDB listing] for ''Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed''</ref> in a movie (''[[Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed]]''), released in the US in April 2008 which portrays "Big Science" as suppressing [[Intelligent design]] from being discussed and considered in academic settings. Stein is interested in questions such as:*How did we get here?*Where are we going?*Is there a meaning and purpose in life? Or are we, the universe, and everything in it merely the result of pure dumb fate and chance? And he objects to the idea that we are nothing more than "mud animated by lightning".<ref name="trailer" />
Appearing on [[ABC]]'s Jimmy Kimmel show, Stein said:
* We made a documentary about the struggle between [[intelligent_designintelligent design|Intelligent Design]] and [[Darwinism]]. It's a big thing in the schools and universities, and we were concerned because we think [[Darwinism]] is a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant theory - beyond words brilliant - but it only takes you part of the way. It's like the New Jersey Turnpike only takes you part of the way between Washington, D.C., and New York.
*... and anyway who built the roads in the first place? Where did [[gravity]] come from, and where did the [[planets]] come from, and where did [[thermodynamics]] come from, where did the [[physics|laws of physics]] come from?
*So we just asked a whole bunch of questions: asked why academics are fired for asking those questions, and, believe me, none of us has anything but respect for [[Charles Darwin|Darwin]]. We just think a lot of questions should be asked that aren't being asked. <ref>[httphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI8N0Du7p_o&NR=1 Jimmy Kimmel Live 2-15-08]</ref>
== Quotes ==
:"I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat."<ref>http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp</ref>
:"I'm a rebel to my core ... and happy to be in an uphill struggle, as long as the cause is right."<ref>[http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?id=27761 Intelligent Design foes no match for Stein in 'Expelled' ] </ref>
== Works ==
====Movies====
*''The Mask''
*''Son of the Mask''
*''Ferris Bueller's Day Off''
*''Expelled'' (due for release released in April 2008)
====Books====
''CBS Sunday Morning Commentary'':
*[httphttps://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/28/sunday/main2405061.shtml "Bush Is Not All Bad"]*[httphttps://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/31/sunday/main2318344.shtml "Ben Stein Remembers President Ford"]
''New York Times''
* [httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/business/13every.html "Dear Watchdogs: Rein In Wall Street"] ==Further Readings==*[http://www.benstein.com/ Ben Stein's personal site]*[http://www.expelledthemovie.com/home.php The movie ''Expelled'']
==References==
{{reflist}}
==Further reading==
*[http://www.benstein.com/ Ben Stein's personal site]
*[http://www.expelledthemovie.com/home.php The movie ''Expelled'']
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[[Category:Jewish Conservatives]][[category:Authors]]
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[[Category:Fiscal Conservatives]]
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