About Charlatan
The Exposé of Politics & Style
We believe news and information is a public trust; that the citizen journalist is the steward of that trust, and entitled to report from his and her culture to the common welfare.
With that in mind, our contributors — with combined experience working within and among the corridors of power — invite you to factcheck our public servants’ accountability, and to crosscheck where their campaigns and promises have led, and continue to lead. Our weekly newsletter, essays and interviews offer insight into the realpolitik of government power.
We invite you into our now virtual pages, where world events are distilled into a weekly message, and leave it with you to decide which stewards best serve the public trust.
A short history
From the Court of France to Your Inbox
17th century
Tabarin, the first Charlatan
He sang, danced, told jokes and improvised his role as the first and most famous Parisian Charlatan. By day he performed for the House of Bourbon; by night he took to the streets, digesting what he’d seen at court in the clever disguise of street performance. Historians count his audiences among the ’Whispers to the French Revolution.’
1841 – 2002
Punch
Punch Magazine kept Victorians abreast of parliament through the Industrial Era, and lent its brand and inspiration to Charlatan.
2008
Charlatan Magazine
Conceived as a political exposé coterminous with mobile technology, the 2008 Financial Crisis and the Digital Revolution.
2023
The most-read newsletter
#1 Most Read Newsletter on Constant Contact, with open rates of roughly 50% within 48 hours of delivery, before Charlatan acquired its own email platform, servers and cloud storage to become an independent publisher.
Today
Read in 26 countries
Delivered every Sunday morning, and read across democratic, communist and autocratic nations.
For 85 years, Punch + Charlatan has endeavored to be “A Trusted Voice” across a diverse continuum of a global community.
CHARLATAN
The Full Story
The Charlatan is a nonprofit weekly newsletter proferring award-winning articles and essays for the political creature of politics and style.
In 17th Century France… A man named Tabarin performed for the Royal Court. He sang, danced, told jokes and with stories otherwise improvised his role as the first and most famous Parisian Charlatan. Though he performed for the House of Bourbon by day, it was by night that he took to the streets—digesting what he’d heard and seen at court with the clever disguise of street performance. While political gatherings were considered unlawful in the Middle Ages, his audiences are believed by historians to be among the ‘Whispers to the French Revolution.’
Punch Magazine kept Victorians abreast of parliament during the Industrial Era (1841-2002), extending its brand and inspiration to Charlatan Magazine (2008-present). In the spirit of its predecessor, Charlatan was conceived as a political exposé coterminous with mobile technology, and the 2008 Financial Crisis and Digital Revolution.
Our weekly newsletter is delivered each Sunday morning to 225,000+ subscribers which includes: Members of Parliament; National Assemblies; Academic Institutions; Trade and Labor Unions; Members of the U.S. Congress; State Legislators: Civic and Community leaders, and free-to-air television and radio networks and the public they serve. “All the World’s a Stage” inquires:
What are the utmost concerns in our world this week and why?
Charlatan became the #1 Most Read Newsletter by the e-mail service provider Constant Contact in 2023, achieving consecutive open rates and unique views of roughly 50% within the first 48 hours of delivery, before acquiring its own e-mail platform, servers and cloud storage to become an independent publisher. In 2026, Charlatan is read across 26 countries and territories including democratic, communist, and autocratic nations.
For 85 years, Punch + Charlatan has endeavored to be “A Trusted Voice” across a diverse continuum of a global community. To chronicle their histories; connect their concerns; indemnify their customs; and to direct, enlighten and endow the approach to Politics-as-Lifestyle.
Who’s behind Charlatan
People. Principles. Public Trust.
The editors
Editorial Board
The small editorial group that shapes what Charlatan publishes.
Meet the board →The writers
Contributors
The journalists and essayists who write for Charlatan, and their work.
See the contributors →How we work
Publishing Principles
Independence, accuracy and corrections, and the standard we hold ourselves to.
Read the principles →