James Wolcott (born December 10, 1952) is an American journalist, known for his critique of contemporary media.
Wolcott is the cultural critic for Vanity Fair and contributes to The New Yorker.
Wolcott was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and raised in a suburban setting.
From there, he moved to New York City, to work at The Village Voice, first in the circulation department answering phone complaints, then as a receptionist.
His memoir Lucking Out: My Life Getting Down and Semi-Dirty in Seventies New York was published on October 25, 2011.