Josh Ostrovsky | |
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Publicity shot of Ostrovsky
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Born |
New York, New York, U.S. |
February 18, 1982
Other names | The Fat Jew |
Alma mater | University at Albany, SUNY |
Occupation | Social media and television personality, vintner, actor, musician, fashion designer, plus-size model |
Years active | 2004–present |
Spouse(s) | Katie Sturino (m. 2014; div. 2017) |
Website | fatjew |
Josh Ostrovsky (born February 18, 1982, also known as The Fat Jew) is an American pop culture commentator, writer, actor, model and entrepreneur.
Ostrovsky was born and raised in New York City to his Russian-born radiologist father Saul and nutritionist mother Rebecca. He grew up in Manhattan on the Upper West Side. As a child actor, he appeared in several commercials, including one for Hershey's. After briefly attending New York University and Skidmore College, he enrolled in State University of New York at Albany, graduating in 2004 with a bachelor of arts in journalism.
While at SUNY Albany, Ostrovsky was a member of the rap trio Team Facelift, where he first started going by the name Fat Jew. He has said that the moniker was inspired by one of his counselors at Eisner Camp and by Screw magazine publisher Al Goldstein. Team Facelift formed in 2004, signed with Duck Down Records and released the album Mixed Emotions in 2006. They broke up in 2012.
In September 2016, Ostrovsky announced his Major Lazer tribute band Major Behavior, formed with DJ Maachew Bentley and billed as the world's first EDM tribute band. Major Behavior toured in 2016 as a part of Ostrovsky's IRL Tour. For the second IRL Tour in 2017, Major Behavior toured with Dillon Francis, RL Grime and Party Favor. Major Behavior was joined onstage by Major Lazer's Diplo during a May 2017 performance in Chicago.