American heir, filmmaker, and socialite (born 1979)
James Wittenborn Johnson (born 1979) is an American heir, filmmaker , and socialite . He is a great-grandson of Robert Wood Johnson I (co-founder of Johnson & Johnson ). He has also worked as a journalist and as a fashion designer.
Early life
Jamie Johnson was born in 1979 to Johnson & Johnson heir James Loring Johnson, son of John Seward Johnson I ,[ 1] [ 2] and Gretchen Wittenborn Johnson, sister of screenwriter and novelist Dirk Wittenborn .[ 3] Johnson grew up with his four older sisters and a brother on a New Jersey estate.[ 4] [ 5] The family also had residences in East Hampton, New York and Jupiter Island, Florida .[ 6] [ 7]
He graduated from Pingry School , a preparatory school in Martinsville, New Jersey .[ 4] [ 8] He graduated with a B.A. from the Gallatin School at New York University in 2003,[ 9] where he studied Medieval history ,[ 10] American history ,[ 11] and filmmaking.[ 12] [ 13]
Career
Filmmaking
In 2003, his documentary film Born Rich premiered at the Sundance Film Festival .[ 4] It discussed his experience, as well as the experiences of ten other young heirs, of growing up with inherited wealth.[ 14] [ 15] There were sold-out screenings of the film in New York City for weeks.[ 16] The film was broadcast on television by HBO , as part of its America Undercover series.[ 4] [ 17] Johnson received two Emmy Award nominations for the film, in 2004: Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming , and Outstanding Nonfiction Special ; with Johnson receiving the latter nomination as a producer.[ 18]
In 2006, Johnson's second film, The One Percent , premiered at the TriBeCa Film Festival . The documentary examines the system that allows a growing wealth gap in America , focusing on the one percent of Americans who control 40 percent of the country's wealth.[ 19] [ 20] The film featured Robert Reich , Bill Gates Sr. , Milton Friedman , and many others coming from various socioeconomic strata, including residents of Chicago's Cabrini–Green housing project and Hurricane Katrina victims.[ 19] [ 21] The film premiered on television on HBO's Cinemax in 2008.[ 21]
Television appearances and cameo roles
In 2003, Johnson was interviewed on The Oprah Winfrey Show about Born Rich in a namesake episode that also featured Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton .[ 22] He was also interviewed about the documentary on Paula Zahn Now on CNN and CNN Sunday Morning before the film's television debut on HBO.[ 23] [ 24] In 2004, he was interviewed about the film on 60 Minutes on Australia's Channel 9 .[ 25]
In 2006, he was on Oprah discussing The One Percent in an episode on "Class in America ", along with Nicole Buffett , who was in the film.[ 26] Warren Buffett 's disowning of Nicole shortly after the interview garnered media attention and was included in the HBO version of documentary.[ 27] [ 28] In 2008, Johnson was interviewed about the film on The Early Show on CBS on the day of the film's television debut on HBO.[ 29]
Johnson was on Oprah in 2009 discussing how the recession affects rich families[ 30] in an episode about the declining American middle class .[ 31] The wealth gap widened in the Great Recession that occurred after the 2006 episode on social class,[ 31] where Johnson stated that historians always list a growing wealth gap among the reasons for the decline of great civilizations .[ 26] In 2013, Johnson commented on meritocracy in America on All In with Chris Hayes on MSNBC on the day Prince George was born.[ 32]
In 2011, he had a cameo role as himself on Gossip Girl .[ 33] [ 34] In 2012, he had a cameo role as Julie's suitor in Arbitrage .[ 35]
Writing
From 2008 to 2011, Johnson wrote an online weekly column for Vanity Fair titled "The One Percent" on various perspectives, practices, and issues of the wealthy.[ 36] [ 37] He wrote an article titled "The One Percent" for The Huffington Post in 2008.[ 38] In 2014, he wrote for The New York Times about a White House summit for 100 young philanthropists and heirs to billionaire family fortunes where he was an invitee.[ 39]
Fashion
In 2010, Johnson launched a high-end fashion collection called Black Sweater.[ 40] The clothing line was launched at Bergdorf Goodman in 2011.[ 41] [ 42] He started by making garments for friends and family after friends commented on custom clothing he had designed for himself.[ 43]
Filmography
References
^ "Jamie Johnson" . The Huffington Post . Retrieved 2016-09-18 .
^ Serwer, Andy (2003-11-24). "Too Young, Too Rich? The problem of inherited wealth, seen through the camera of an heir" . Fortune . Retrieved 2016-09-20 .
^ Gurley, George (2007-08-20). "Fierce People" . The New York Observer . Retrieved 2016-09-28 .
^ a b c d Chaplin, Julia (2003-10-12). "Biting the Silver Spoon That Feeds Him, on Film" . New York Times . Retrieved 2013-05-28 .
^ Iredale, Jessica (2011-02-17). "Boy's Night Out: Jamie Johnson" . WWD . New York, NY: Fairchild Publishing LLC . Retrieved 2016-09-19 .
^ Wittenborn, Dirk (2012-10-07). "20 Rooms and a Couple of Friendly Ghosts" . New York Magazine . Retrieved 2017-05-04 .
^ Merriman, Serena (2011-03-25). "Boys Club" . Vogue Italia . Condé Nast . Retrieved 2017-05-04 .
^ Bragg, Susannnah (2003-12-01). "Johnson '98 Directs HBO Documentary" . The Pingry Record . Vol. 130, no. 3. The Pingry School . Archived from the original on 2004-12-10. Retrieved 2016-11-10 .
^ Greller, Ken. (2012-12-10). Friday’s Gallatin Arts Panel Was The Most Gallatin Thing Ever. NYU Local . Retrieved 2016-10-19; "Celebrating the Arts at Gallatin: An Alumni Symposium" . NYU Gallatin Events Calendar . New York University . 2012-12-07. Archived from the original on 2016-10-19. Retrieved 2016-10-24 .
^ Thompson, Kevin D. (2003-10-31). " 'Born Rich': Lifestyles of the rich and aimless" (PDF) . The Laredo Morning Times . Hearst Corporation . Cox News Service . Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-10-06. Retrieved 2016-09-18 .
^ Vachon, Dana (March 2008). "Why Jamie Johnson turned his camera on the rich and powerful" . Men's Vogue . New York, N.Y.: CondéNet . Archived from the original on 2008-09-17. Retrieved 2016-09-28 .
^ "Speakers Biographies for the 2011 Summit" (PDF) . Nexus Global Youth Summit . Washington, D.C. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-10-06. Retrieved 2016-09-18 .
^ "Johnson & Johnson heir can release film, judge says" . Arizona Daily Sun . Associated Press . 2002-10-22. Retrieved 2016-10-22 .
^ " 'Born Rich' " . Los Angeles Times . 2003-10-27. Retrieved 2016-09-20 .
^ Johnson, Jamie (2005-06-15). "Jamie Johnson: Fable of Fortune" . The Moth . Retrieved 2013-05-28 .
^ Cash, William (2003-11-07). "The Rich Kids Are Different; When 23-Year-Old Billionheir Jamie Johnson Made a Film about His Superrich Set, New York Society Was Divided. Ostracised by the Bluebloods, Celebrated by the Media, Manhattan's Most Scandalous Scion Gives His First British Interview to William Cash" . The Evening Standard . London. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2016-09-20 .
^ Wolfe, Alexandra (2003-10-06). "Born Rich Rag" . The New York Observer . Retrieved 2016-09-19 .
^ "Jamie Johnson" . Emmys.com . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved 2017-09-09 .
^ a b Rappaport, Julia (2008-08-21). "Living in the Top One Per Cent is Subject of Independent Film" . The Vineyard Gazette . Edgartown, MA . Retrieved 2016-09-21 .
^ "HBO: The One Percent: Synopsis" . HBO . Retrieved 2016-09-21 .
^ a b Rose, Lacey (2008-02-20). "Q&A: Jamie Johnson On "The One Percent" (Part 1)" . Forbes . Retrieved 2016-09-21 .
^ "Born Rich: Inside the Lives Of" . The Oprah Winfrey Show . Chicago, IL: Harpo Productions, Inc. 2003-10-13. Archived from the original on 2007-12-04. Retrieved 2016-09-30 .
^ "PAULA ZAHN NOW" . CNN.com - Transcripts . 2003-10-23. Retrieved 2016-10-19 .
^ "CNN SUNDAY MORNING: Interview With Jamie Johnson" . CNN.com - Transcripts . 2003-10-26. Retrieved 2016-10-19 .
^ "Transcript: Poor little rich kids" . 60 Minutes Online . Ninemsn . 2004-06-20. Archived from the original on 2005-07-16. Retrieved 2017-07-23 .
^ a b "Class in America" . The Oprah Winfrey Show . Chicago, IL: Harpo Productions, Inc. 2006-04-21. Retrieved 2016-09-03 .
^ Goodman, Leah McGrath (2008-12-11). "The Billionaire's Black Sheep" . Marie Claire . New York, N.Y.: Hearst Communications . Retrieved 2016-09-18 .
^ "Eat The Press: Warren Buffett Has No Granddaughter (Now That She Dished About Him In A Movie)" . The Huffington Post . 2006-09-07. Retrieved 2016-09-22 .
^ "Johnson Heir Debuts Film" . CBS News . 2008-02-21. Retrieved 2016-10-19 .
^ "Shifting Social Classes in America: How the Recession Affects Rich People" . The Oprah Winfrey Show . Chicago, IL: Harpo Productions, Inc. 2009-05-22. pp. 11– 13. Archived from the original on 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2016-09-18 .
^ a b "Shifting Social Classes in America" . The Oprah Winfrey Show . Chicago, IL: Harpo Productions, Inc. 2009-05-22. Retrieved 2016-10-24 .
^ "All In With Chris Hayes MSNBC July 22, 2013 5:00pm-6:01pm PDT" . All In with Chris Hayes . 2013-07-22. Event occurs at 5:54pm. MSNBC . Retrieved 2016-10-19 .
^ a b "The Jewel of Denial". Gossip Girl . Season 5. Episode 3. 2011-10-10. The CW .
^ a b Lombardi, Jasmine (2011-10-11). "Spotted: Chris Benz (and others!) on the small screen" . Avenue Magazine . New York, N.Y.: Manhattan Media . Retrieved 2016-09-29 .
^ a b "Jamie Johnson - Rotten Tomatoes" . Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 2016-09-20 .
^ "The One Percent" . Vanity Fair . Archived from the original on 2014-10-18. Retrieved 2016-09-19 .
^ "Jamie Johnson" . Vanity Fair . Retrieved 2016-09-18 .
^ Johnson, Jamie (2008-02-19). "The One Percent" . The Huffington Post . Retrieved 2016-09-18 .
^ Johnson, Jamie (2014-04-20). "Including the Young and the Rich: White House Hosts 'Next Generation' Young and Rich" . The New York Times . Retrieved 2016-09-18 .
^ Holt, Emily (2010-02-19). "Heir Line: Jamie Johnson's Fashion Collection" . WWD . New York, N.Y.: Fairchild Publishing LLC . Retrieved 2016-09-18 .
^ Heyman, Marshall (2011-03-25). "Yarn of the Black Sweater" . The Wall Street Journal . Dow Jones & Company . Retrieved 2016-09-18 .
^ Prince, Daisy (2011-03-29). "Charles Rockefeller and Hayley Bloomingdale Brave the Hail for Jamie Johnson's Sweater Song" . The New York Observer . Retrieved 2016-09-18 .
^ Tadini, Luigi (2011-05-01). "PYTs: Little Black Sweater" . Avenue Magazine . Vol. 35, no. 5. Manhattan Media . p. 30. Retrieved 2016-09-29 – via issuu .
External links