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Matthew Lesko

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Matthew Lesko
Matthew Lesko wearing question-mark attire
Personal details
Born May 11, 1943(1943-05-11) (age 81)
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States
Residence Kensington, Maryland
Children Max and Morgan
Occupation Book Author
Education MBA

Matthew Lesko (born May 11, 1943) is an American author known for his publications and infomercials on federal grant funding. He has written over twenty books instructing people how to get money from the United States government. Widely recognized for recording television commercials, infomercials, and interviews in colorful suits decorated with question marks, Lesko's signature fashion also extends into his daily attire and transportation,[1] earning him the nickname Question Mark Guy.

Life and career[]

Lesko lives in Kensington, Maryland, with his third wife Wendy Schaetzel Lesko and their two sons, Max and Morgan. He grew up in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Lesko received his undergraduate degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee, then went to Vietnam as a navigator for the U.S. Navy. When Lesko returned he earned a master's degree in business administration (MBA) from American University in Washington D.C. He claims to have researched government grants for over 25 years.[2]

Criticism[]

Critics claim that Lesko is misleading in his advertisements. A 2004 report by the New York State Consumer Protection Board claimed that most of the grants mentioned in Lesko's books were actually public assistance programs that many people were not eligible for, and that Lesko misrepresented examples of people who had taken advantage of government programs.[3]

The New York Times criticized him for having implied a current association with the paper long after ending a 1992–1994 NYT column.[4]

In 2005, Lesko was named #99 in Bernard Goldberg's book 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America because, "He is a symbol for self-centered free-riders."[5]

In an interview with the Washington Post in July 2007, Lesko admitted having assembled his books from government guides to grants and loans: "His business model is simple: 'I get stuff for free and I sell it for as much as I can get.'"[6]

In popular culture[]

  • In the season four episode of The Venture Bros. titled "The Better Man", Jefferson Twilight trains with cardboard cut-outs of various villains. When one of the cut-outs turns out to be Matthew Lesko, Jefferson explains that he mistook Lesko for a villain "he was wearing punctuation on his suit", like that worn by Batman villain Riddler. The Alchemist contends that he "helps people get free money from the government" and therefore is a good guy.
  • In the season two episode of Drawn Together titled "Little Orphan Hero", The question mark suit that Spanky Ham wears in the TV commercial is a reference to Lesko.
  • Comedian Andy Dick parodied Lesko on his short-lived MTV sketch comedy program The Andy Dick Show.
  • In season 6, episode 21 ("My Rabbit") of the television series Scrubs, Dr. Cox refers to Lesko in a rant: "Pregnant women are among a select group of people who are actually allowed to act insane, much like sports mascots, local weathermen, theme park performers and that guy with the question mark jacket who teaches people how to get free money from the government."
  • In MAD Classic #45, Lesko is placed second on the 50 Worst Things About Advertising.
  • Lesko was parodied in an advertisement for the album Danger Doom.

Books[]

Matthew Lesko's company, Information USA, has published several reference books including:

All of his books claim to contain information about how to get free money from the United States government.

References[]

  1. ↑ "Questions for Matthew Lesko, the Question Mark Man". The Black Table. 2005. http://www.blacktable.com/going050929.htm. Retrieved 2015-11-16. "I have a yellow Mini Cooper with question marks on it. I have a little orange Scion with question marks on it ... I usually ride around on a Vespa with question marks on it. Question marks are my anti-theft device." 
  2. ↑ Carlson, Peter (2007-07-15). "Marked Man: Washington's Infomercial King? Matthew Lesko, No Question.". Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/14/AR2007071401118.html?hpid=artslot&sub=AR. Retrieved 2007-07-15. 
  3. ↑ "How misleading advertising is feeding a nationwide boom in government grant scams" (PDF). New York State Consumer Protection Board. 2004. Archived from the original on December 7, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061207041420/http://www.consumer.state.ny.us/pdf/misleading_grant_guides.pdf. Retrieved 2006-04-30. 
  4. ↑ Fred, Joseph P. (3 March 2005). "Free Money? Sure. Heard of Food Stamps?". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/13/nyregion/13lesko.html?ex=1265950800&en=e0c158bc33ea5e70&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland. Retrieved 2006-04-22.  "In August 2006, Lesko modified his credentials on his Web site, lesko.com, which described him (as his books did) as a columnist for Good Housekeeping Magazine and The New York Times Syndicate. He wrote the magazine column in the 1980s and the column for the syndicate from 1992 to 1994. Both organizations recently told him that these did not justify his suggestion of a current association."
  5. ↑ Dhingra, Philip (8 Aug 2005). "Bernard Goldberg's 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America? And Why?". Philosophy History. http://www.philosophistry.com/specials/100-people.html. "He is a symbol for self-centered free-riders" 
  6. ↑ Carlson, Peter (15 July 2007). "Marked Man". Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/14/AR2007071401118_2.html?hpid=artslot%E2%8A%82=AR. 

External links[]

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