Wheeler Walker, Jr.

Benjamin Isaac Hoffman, known professionally as Wheeler Walker, Jr., is an American comedian, actor, writer, and musician, born in Lexington, Kentucky. His multifaceted career began with writing for television, contributing to shows like “The Man Show” and “Off Centre” early on. Hoffman later created and hosted “The Ben Show” on Comedy Central in 2013, a sketch series that ran for one season. He also took on writing roles for notable productions such as the “MTV Video Music Awards,” “Archer,” and “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” As an actor, he appeared in series including “Arrested Development,” “New Girl,” and “Drunk History.” In 2020, Hoffman developed the Netflix adult animated series “Hoops,” where he served as creator, writer, voice actor, and executive producer.

Under his musical alter ego, Wheeler Walker, Jr., Hoffman debuted an early version of the character in 2013 on “The Ben Show.” This persona later gained significant attention with the release of his first album, “Redneck Shit,” on February 12, 2016, through Thirty Tigers and Pepper Hill Records. Produced by Dave Cobb, the album uniquely premiered on PornHub and achieved simultaneous success by debuting at number nine on the Billboard Hot Country Albums chart and number one on the Billboard Top Comedy Albums chart, selling 5,900 copies in its first week. This marked the first album in over a decade to reach the top ten on both charts. The character’s approach, often described as an experiment in free speech, critiques the modern country music landscape, particularly the bro-country subgenre.

Walker’s second album, “Ol’ Wheeler,” released on June 2, 2017, continued his chart success, debuting at number ten on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number one on the Billboard Top Comedy Albums chart, selling 7,800 copies. This album faced controversy when PledgeMusic removed pre-sales due to obscenity complaints, which Hoffman publicly addressed as censorship. He toured extensively from 2016 to 2018, including joining Kid Rock and Brantley Gilbert on the Red Blooded Rock n Roll Redneck Extravaganza Tour in 2018. His third album, “WW III,” released on November 30, 2018, again topped the Comedy chart and reached number one on the iTunes Country chart. In 2022, he launched the “2022 Comeback Tour,” headlining the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, where the concert sold out and set venue records for alcohol and merchandise sales. His fourth album, “Sex, Drugs & Country Music,” released on April 15, 2022, debuted at number one on the iTunes chart and number two on the Comedy albums chart, followed by the “Spread Eagle Tour” in 2023. His fifth studio album, “Ram,” featuring a rock-oriented sound, was released on September 15, 2023.