Ben Sheehan is the creator and host of Civics Made Easy, a new PBS show that explains the fundamentals of American government. He is also the bestselling author of What Does the Constitution Actually Say?, an entertaining guide that has been praised by legal scholars, historians, and politicians across the aisle (there’s also a kids version and Spanish translation).

As a commentator Ben has appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher, Good Morning America, CBS News, PBS Newshour, Amanpour & Co, and more. He also writes the bestselling Substack, Politics Made Easy, and has an active social media presence with more than 250,000 engaged followers. Before pivoting to media and politics Ben was a longtime producer at the comedy website Funny Or Die and has won Webby, Shorty, and Reed awards for his writing and production work. The Hollywood Reporter named him one of entertainment’s “NextGen 35 Under 35” and Ben was a finalist for Fast Company’s “World Changing Ideas” for his unique approach to civics education.

As a speaker Ben has lectured at the National Archives and given talks at middle schools, high schools, colleges, nonprofits, and corporations across the country.Originally from the D.C. area, Ben graduated magna cum laude from Emory University and was a member of the national political science honor society (Pi Sigma Alpha). You can usually find him in Pasadena, CA, hanging out with his wife, toddler son, and phantom poodle named Gary.

PRAISE FOR WHAT DOES THE CONSTITUTION ACTUALLY SAY?

"Ben Sheehan has given us a rare gift: A fun book about a serious subject. In this lively, illuminating, and memorable journey into our Constitution, he enables students (of really any age) to experience the complexities, contradictions, and genius of a document that shapes all our lives. At a time when democracy is under siege, Sheehan has written an important corrective. He does not preach, nor does he lecture—but he certainly teaches, and that is a great service to the nation."

—JON MEACHAM, Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer

"Ben provides a totally fresh departure for thinking about the Constitution for lots of people who don't make a livelihood out of it but need to understand it. A wonderful, breakthrough book."

―JAMIE RASKIN, U.S. representative and former constitutional law professor

"I wish this book existed 50 years ago when I moved to the United States. Ben's constitutional breakdown is a must-read for every current and aspiring citizen."

―ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, actor and former governor of California

“The thoroughly accessible civics guide America could use right about now.” ―WASHINGTON INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF BOOKS

“This is a honey of a book, wonderfully suited for anyone who wants to speak authoritatively but simply about the Constitution. It is confidently recommended for high-school-, public-, and college-library collections.”

—BOOKLIST