Paul Lewis Binder (born October 19, 1942) is the founder, founding artistic director, and former ringmaster of the Big Apple Circus.

[10] In 1976, they finalized an accord with Annie Fratellini and Pierre Étaix to tour France with their new traveling show, the Nouveau Cirque de Paris.

In 1977, inspired by his time with the Nouveau Cirque de Paris, Binder founded the Big Apple Circus in New York City, with Christensen later being named co-founder.

Glen Collins, reporting for The New York Times, described Binder as, "big of voice, broad of shoulder and barrel of chest, the impresario is a fast-talking six-footer with a carny barker's lung power and a smoldering cigarette perpetually threatening to burn his index finger.

[14] In April 2013, Binder published his memoir Never Quote the Weather to a Sea Lion and Other Uncommon Tales from the Founder of the Big Apple Circus.

[17] After college, Binder moved to Boston, where he was hired by WGBH-TV as a Floor Manager for Julia Child's The French Chef, and he later worked in New York City and Los Angeles as Talent Coordinator with The Merv Griffin Show and Associate Producer of the original Jeopardy!.

Both men were elected to honorary memberships in the New York arts and literary organization The Lotos Club.