Gersh Kuntzman is a New York City-based journalist. Previously, he worked for the New York Post, writing the column, "MetroGnome," which ran from 1994-2004. He also had a weekly column for Newsweek online that ran from Jan. 2001-July 2005. Kuntzman authored HAIR! Mankind's Historic Quest to End Baldness (Random House, ISBN 0812991583) and "Chrismukkah: The Official Guide to the World's Best-Loved Holiday" (Sasquatch Press), and is a frequent contributor to national magazines. He also co-wrote the critically acclaimed off-broadway play "SUV: The Musical" with songwriter Marc Dinkin, which was featured at the New York City Fringe Festival 2005. The next year he satirized the newspaper industry with another musical, "Stop the Presses." [1] At the Post, he worked with Allen Salkin.
Kuntzman is often said to be notable only for his coverage of the July 4 hot dog-eating contest at Coney Island,[2] which is sponsored by Nathan's. But he has done more than that.
In 2005, Kuntzman became editor of The Brooklyn Paper, a group of community newspapers covering Kings County. During his tenure, he won awards for Editor of the Year and Columnist of the Year from the Suburban Newspapers of America. His editorial writing also won awards from the Independent Free Papers of America. That organization also gave The Brooklyn Paper its Vic Jose Award in 2009. In that same year, The Brooklyn Paper was bought by the Community Newspaper Group, a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.
In 2010, CNG named him editor of four more print editions, including the Park Slope Courier. In 2011, those editions were consolidated under one name, Brooklyn Courier.
In January, 2012, Kuntzman left The Brooklyn Paper to teach journalism at City University of New York's graduate school of journalism. As part of that course, Kuntzman also ran the Fort Greene-Clinton Hill blog for The New York Times.
Kuntzman also frequently guests on BBC Radio 5 Live's Up All Night New York show with Peter Franklin, presented by Dotun Adebayo.