Benjamin Svetkey
Benjamin Svetkey  is a writer and editor who, while working for the Entertainment Weekly magazine, wrote a behind-the-scenes story, titled "Infiltrating Deep Space Nine", in  and appeared as a background alien, a Pelian male, in the  pilot episode . 

The article which was published in issue #137, 25 September 1992, described Svetkey's set visit for "Emissary" and featured him prominently on the cover of the issue along with Armin Shimerman as Quark, Mark Allen Shepherd as Morn, and an unknown actress as an alien dabo girl. 

Svetkey, who was invited to visit the set arrived at 7 am at Paramount Stage 4 where make up artist Gil Mosko put his make up on.  According to Svetkey, he was too small to portray a Klingon and too tall to be a Ferengi so he ended up being a "5'9" asparagus spear". For the article he interviewed Armin Shimerman, Rene Auberjonois, and Avery Brooks.

Svetkey earned his bachelor's degree from University of Vermont which he attended between 1979 and 1983. In 1986 he earned his MS in Journalism from Columbia University. In the mid-1980s he worked as writer for the Boston Phoenix and between 1987 and 1989 as researcher for Spy Magazine. In 1990 he joined Entertainment Weekly where he worked as editor and writer at large and between 2004 and 2007 as LA Bureau Chief. In 2012 he left EW and published with Penguin Random House his first novel, titled Leading Man: A Novel in 2013.  Between 2014 and 2020 Svetkey worked as senior editor for The Hollywood Reporter. As freelance writer, he also contributed to magazines such as Rolling Stone, In Style, The New York Times, and TV Guide and also appeared in the television documentary Who Is Alan Smithee? in 2002.

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Performers
DS9 performers