Jesse Michels is the investor and host of the American Alchemy YouTube show, known for long-form UAP interviews. Here's what's documented about him vs. what isn't.
Jesse Michels is an American investor and the host of American Alchemy, a long-form YouTube channel and podcast known for polished, documentary-styled interviews with UAP disclosure figures, whistleblowers, and heterodox scientists. He is a newer public figure, so much of the biographical detail circulating about him is thinly sourced — UAP Ledger reports only what's supportable and flags the rest.
Who is Jesse Michels?
Michels is the creator of American Alchemy, an interview channel whose brand emphasizes "our time's most heretical thinkers and ideas." Multiple secondary sources describe him as an investor at Thiel Capital (Peter Thiel's firm). His reach grew sharply in 2025 after an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience (#2331). Note: he is not related to Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels (different surname), and his show is separate from the "AREA52 / Debriefed" podcast hosted by Chris Ramsay.
What is American Alchemy?
It's a long-form interview channel (on YouTube, with podcast versions on Apple, Spotify, and Audible) focused on UAP and fringe-science topics. The American Alchemy podcast brand launched in October 2024. Guests have included David Grusch, retired Colonel Karl Nell, Diana Walsh Pasulka, Ross Coulthart, and physicist Eric W. Davis. Subscriber figures reported across sources vary widely (roughly 400,000–600,000), so we treat audience size as approximate.
What claims are associated with Jesse Michels?
Michels platforms and explores claims advanced by his guests — for example, whistleblower allegations that the U.S. government has recovered non-human craft, and discussions of exotic propulsion, historical UFO threads, and Mars anomalies. These are attributed interview claims and guest positions, not established facts, and UAP Ledger frames them accordingly.
Notable Testimonies
- Creator and host of American Alchemy (YouTube + podcast).
- Interviews with David Grusch, Karl Nell, Diana Pasulka, and others.
- Appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience #2331 (2025).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jesse Michels?
An American investor and host of the American Alchemy channel, known for long-form UAP and fringe-science interviews.
Does Jesse Michels work for Peter Thiel?
Multiple sources describe him as an investor at Thiel Capital. A separate "Founders Fund" role is not verified, so we don't state it.
Is Jesse Michels related to Lorne Michaels?
No verified relation exists; the surnames are even spelled differently ("Michels" vs. "Michaels").
Is American Alchemy the same as Area 52?
No. American Alchemy is Jesse Michels’s show; the "AREA52 / Debriefed" podcast is hosted by Chris Ramsay.