Many people have wondered if Eric Weinstein, the mathematician and podcast host, is related to Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced film producer and convicted sex offender. They share the same surname and both have connections to the entertainment industry, but are they actually family? The answer is no. Eric and Harvey Weinstein are not related in any way, shape, or form. They are just two public figures who happen to have a common Jewish last name.
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Who is Eric Weinstein?
Eric Weinstein is an American academic who specializes in mathematics and economics. He has a PhD in mathematical physics from Harvard University and has worked as a research fellow at the University of Oxford. He is also a former managing director of Thiel Capital, an investment firm founded by billionaire Peter Thiel.
Eric Weinstein is best known for coining the term “intellectual dark web”, which he used to describe a group of thinkers and podcast hosts who challenge the mainstream narratives on various topics. He is also the host of his own podcast, The Portal, where he interviews guests from different fields and perspectives. He has been featured alongside Ben Shapiro, Sam Harris, Joe Rogan, and others.
Eric Weinstein is married to Pia Malaney, an economist and senior fellow at the Center for International Development at Harvard University. They have two children together. Eric Weinstein also has a brother, Bret Weinstein, who is a biologist and former professor at Evergreen State College. Bret Weinstein was involved in a campus controversy in 2017 that led to his resignation.
Who is Harvey Weinstein?
Harvey Weinstein is an American former film producer who co-founded Miramax Films and The Weinstein Company with his brother, Bob Weinstein. He was one of the most powerful and influential figures in Hollywood for decades, producing and distributing many successful films such as Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love, The Lord of the Rings, and The King’s Speech.
Harvey Weinstein’s career came crashing down in 2017, when dozens of women accused him of sexual harassment, assault, and rape. The allegations spanned over 30 years and involved actresses such as Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, and Lupita Nyong’o. The revelations sparked the #MeToo movement, which encouraged women to speak out against sexual abuse and misconduct in various industries.
Harvey Weinstein was arrested and charged with rape and other crimes in New York and Los Angeles. In 2020, he was found guilty of rape in the third degree and criminal sexual act in New York and sentenced to 23 years in prison. In 2021, he was extradited to Los Angeles to face further charges of rape and sexual battery. He has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.
Why do they have the same surname?
Weinstein is a common Jewish surname that means “wine stone” in German. It is derived from the name of a town in Germany called Weinsteinn (now part of Baden-Württemberg). Many Jews adopted surnames based on their places of origin or residence during the 18th and 19th centuries, when they were required to do so by law or for administrative purposes.
According to Ancestry.com1, there are over 15,000 people with the surname Weinstein in the United States today. It is possible that some of them are distantly related to each other through their ancestors who came from Europe, but there is no evidence that Eric and Harvey Weinstein share any common ancestry or genealogy.
Conclusion
Eric and Harvey Weinstein are two different people with different backgrounds who share the same surname. They are not related by blood or marriage. They have never worked together or collaborated on any projects. They have never met or interacted with each other publicly. They have nothing to do with each other except for having a common Jewish last name.
