Ali Barthwell

Ali Barthwell is an American writer and television reviewer. She is known for her work on Vulture, where she has been writing television recaps and reviews since 2016. Barthwell is also a staff writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, a role for which she has received two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series. Born and raised in Chicago, Barthwell comes from a family of physicians. She earned her bachelor's degree from Wellesley College in 2010 and trained in improv and sketch comedy at Second City. Inspired by Amber Ruffin's performance on the Second City Mainstage, Barthwell applied for a scholarship to pursue her comedic aspirations. In addition to her writing career, Barthwell co-organized the inaugural WakandaCon in Chicago in 2018, celebrating the release of Black Panther.