Carol Leifer ( ; born ) is an American comedian, writer and producer whose career as a

stand-up comedian Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage and delivers humorous and satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical acts. These performances are typically composed of rehear ...

started in the 1970s when she was in college. She has written many television scripts including ''

The Larry Sanders Show ''The Larry Sanders Show'' is an American television sitcom set in the office and studio of a fictional late-night talk show. Created by Garry Shandling and Dennis Klein, the show ran for six seasons and List of The Larry Sanders Show episodes, ...

'', ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...

'' and ''

Seinfeld ''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, with a total of nine seasons consisting of List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It ...

''. She has received four Primetime Emmy nominations for ''The Larry Sanders Show'', ''Seinfeld'', the 82nd Academy Awards and the 84th Academy Awards. Leifer's inner-monologue driven, observational style is often autobiographical, encompassing subjects about her

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

ancestry and upbringing,

coming out Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBTQ people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity. This is often framed and debated as a privacy issue, ...

same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...

, relationships, having been married previously to a man and now married to a woman, and parenting.The Haunted Smile: The Story of Jewish Comedians in America
by Lawrence J. Epstein; PublicAffairs, 2002; , .

Early life

Leifer was born and raised in East Williston, New York. As a child, she would frequently put on performances for her family and friends in her family's basement. Leifer recalls her family being a significant part of her fondest memories, including her father's well-known jokes amongst family and friends, as well as her brother taking her to see

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

in concert at

Shea Stadium William A. Shea Municipal Stadium ( ), typically shortened to Shea Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City.

Career

Rise to fame and early career

While studying for a theater degree at Harpur College (now

Binghamton University The State University of New York at Binghamton (Binghamton University or SUNY Binghamton) is a public university, public research university in Binghamton metropolitan area, Greater Binghamton, New York, United States. It is one of the four uni ...

), Leifer accompanied her then boyfriend

Paul Reiser Paul Reiser (; born March 30, 1956) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He played the roles of Michael Taylor in the 1980s sitcom ''My Two Dads'', Paul Buchman in the NBC sitcom ''Mad About You'', Modell in the 1982 film ''Diner (1982 f ...

to a

comedy club A comedy club is a venue where a variety of comedic acts perform to a live audience. Although the term usually refers to establishments that feature stand-up comedy, stand-up comedians, it can also feature other forms of comedy such as improvisati ...

to see him perform at the

open mic An open mic or open mike (shortened from "open microphone") is a live show at a venue such as a coffeehouse, nightclub, comedy club, strip club, or pub, often taking place at night (an open mic night), in which audience members may perform on ...

night at Catch A Rising Star. In 1977, she began performing

stand-up comedy Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage (theatre), stage and delivers humour, humorous and satire, satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical comedy, physical acts. These ...

and transferred to Queens College to be closer to the club scene. Later she tried performing at New York's

Comic Strip A comic strip is a Comics, sequence of cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often Serial (literature), serialized, with text in Speech balloon, balloons and Glossary of comics terminology#Captio ...

and was introduced by emcee

Jerry Seinfeld Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. As a stand-up comedian, Seinfeld specializes in observational comedy. Seinfeld gained stardom playing a semi-fictionalized version ...

Stand-up comedy

Leifer's stand-up comedy career has been well received. Early in her career, a critic from '' Variety'' wrote a review on one of Leifer's sets, saying, "She still has much to absorb in operating in the comedic area, but, with further experience, has a good chance at the brass ring." The comedians with experience and skill, she became a successful comic. She has gotten tremendously positive feedback over the years, known for her infectious laugh, witty

observational comedy Observational comedy is a form of humor based on the commonplace aspects of everyday life. It is one of the main types of humor in stand-up comedy. In an observational comedy act, the comedian makes an observation about something which is common eno ...

, and clean-cut humor. Leifer credits mentor and lifelong friend,

David Letterman David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer, and auto racing team owner. He hosted late-night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982, debut of ''Late N ...

, with her rise to fame, having performed stand-up comedy on ''

Late Night with David Letterman ''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the first installment of the '' Late Night''. Hosted by David Letterman, it aired from February1, 1982 to June 25, 1993, and was replaced by ...

'' 25 times. Leifer also appeared on ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Johnny Carson, it aired from October 1, 1962 to May 22, 1992, replacing ''T ...

'', '' Dr. Katz'', ''

Politically Incorrect "Political correctness" (adjectivally "politically correct"; commonly abbreviated to P.C.) is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in society. ...

'', ''

Hollywood Squares ''Hollywood Squares'' (originally ''The Hollywood Squares'', later stylized as ''H2: Hollywood Squares'') is an American game show in which two contestants compete in a game of tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The show originally aired as a ...

'', ''

Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the second installment of the ''Late Night (franchise), Late Night'' franchise originally established by David Letterman. Hosted by Conan O'Brie ...

'' and ''

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the fourth and sixth installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Jay Leno, it aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009, replacing ''The Ton ...

''. Her stand-up experience also includes opening for

and

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

. Leifer has also performed and released several stand-up specials. Her stand-up specials, listed chronologically, are: * ''The 8th Annual Young Comedians Show'' (1983) * ''

Rodney Dangerfield Jack Roy (born Jacob Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004), better known by the stage name Rodney Dangerfield, was an American stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He was known for his self-deprecating one-liner humor, ...

: Nothin' Goes Right'' (1987) * ''Carol Doesn't Leifer Anymore'' (1988) * ''Carol Leifer Comedy Cruise'' (1989) * ''Carol Leifer: Really Big Shoo!'' (1990) * '' Caroline's Comedy Hour'' (1990) * ''London Underground'' (1991) * ''

Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American Cable television in the United States, cable television channel, channel owned by Paramount Global through its Paramount Media Networks, network division's Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group, MTV Ente ...

Presents Carol Leifer'' (2003) * '' More Funny Women of a Certain Age'' (2020)

Writing

Leifer's writing career spans several well-known shows, including ''

,'' '' It's Like, You Know...'' and ''

''. She has written for the

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...

for most of the 21st century, as well as the 69th Annual Tony Awards. Leifer started her comedy writing career at ''

.'' Leifer was hired by Al Franken and Jim Downey to work as a writer for the popular sketch comedy show. Executive producer,

Lorne Michaels Lorne Michaels (born Lorne David Lipowitz; November 17, 1944) is a Canadian and American television writer and film producer. He created and produced ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1980, 1985–present) and produced the ''Late Night (franchise) ...

did not hire Leifer directly, and that became clear. Leifer recalls her time at ''SNL'' being a great opportunity to grow and learn as a writer, but the division caused by Michaels' indifference impacted her time working there, as she recalls "it felt like being asked to play on a Beatles album by Ringo." Leifer was not asked to return to the staff for a second season. Leifer starred in, created and executive-produced the 1997 WB sitcom '' Alright Already'', which only ran one season. Alright, Already focused on single optometrist Carol Lerner (played by Leifer). Lerner runs her own practice in

Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

while dealing with family, friends and romance. The show received mixed reviews, saying it lacked an endearing plot and Leifer "squeezed uncomfortably into an uncomfortable sitcom." With Mitchell Hurwitz, Leifer created and was a writer for '' The Ellen Show'' (2001). The series was negatively received and only ran one season. Leifer has also written for several television shows, such as ''

Devious Maids ''Devious Maids'' is an American television comedy-drama and mystery series created by Marc Cherry, produced by ABC Studios, and executive produced by Cherry, Sabrina Wind, Eva Longoria, Paul McGuigan, Larry Shuman, David Lonner, John Mass, ...

,'' '' Modern Family'' and '' Rules of Engagement.'' Leifer's writing credits are listed below:

''Seinfeld''

Carol Leifer joined the ''

'' writing staff during its fifth season (1993–94), and wrote six episodes for the show between then and its seventh season (1995–96). Alongside being a writer on the show, Leifer was a

story editor Story editor is a job title in motion picture and television production, also sometimes called supervising producer. The responsibilities of the story editor vary depending on the production; this article describes the duties the role most commo ...

for 16 episodes from 1993 to 1994 and an executive story editor for 23 episodes from 1994 to 1995. She has been dubbed "the real Elaine", as the series' character,

Elaine Benes Elaine Marie Benes () is a fictional character on the American television sitcom ''Seinfeld'', played by former SNL cast member Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend in the sitcom is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld, and she is also good fri ...

, was partially based on her. The episodes Leifer wrote, listed chronologically, are: Her work on ''

'' garnered her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

Emmy Awards website. Leifer recalls when looking for writers for the show,

Larry David Lawrence Gene David (born July 2, 1947) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and television producer. He is known for his dry wit, portrayals of awkward social situations, and brutally honest takes on everyday life. He has received two Prim ...

, co-creator of ''Seinfeld'', specifically wanted writers who had never written for

sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

s before.'' Inside Comedy.'' Episode no. 33, first broadcast May 19, 2015, by Showtime. Working as a writer for ''Seinfeld'' is one of Leifer's favorite credits because of the incredible experiences it gave her as well as the opportunity to work alongside incredible comedians. Leifer speaks highly of her coworkers while working on the show, remembering Jerry Seinfeld as "the hardest working of all the comedians I came up with." One of the most important things she learned as a writer from working on ''Seinfeld'' was to "mine your own life for comedy ideas." Leifer's comedy frequently stems from herself and her family, proving what she learned from working on ''Seinfeld'' has had a lasting impact on her work.

Acting and appearances

Leifer appeared as a contestant on the third season of '' Celebrity Apprentice''. Leifer chose North Shore Animal League as her charity because of her and her wife's work for animal advocacy.Diamond, Jamie (December 11, 2015)
"Carol Leifer Proves You Don't Have to Be Unhappy to Be Funny"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

''. She was the first to be eliminated, on the premiere episode, which aired on March 14, 2010. She has also hosted for all four seasons of A&E's '' Caroline's Comedy Hour'', as well as guest appearances on ''

Talk Soup ''Talk Soup'' is a television show produced for cable network E! that debuted on January 7, 1991, and aired until August 2002. ''Talk Soup'' aired selected clips of the previous day's daily talk shows—ranging from daytime entries like ''The ...

'' and ''Later''. She was also a guest on '' Inside Comedy'' where she was interviewed by David Steinberg. Leifer wrote and starred in the 1992 Showtime TV film '' Carol Leifer: Gaudy, Bawdy & Blue'', a

mockumentary A mockumentary (a portmanteau of ''mock'' and ''documentary'') is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events, but presented as a Documentary film, documentary. Mockumentaries are often used to analyze or comment on current event ...

about fictional aged comedian Rusty Berman (played by Leifer), told through interviews and flashbacks. The film had a similar concept to the film '' Mr. Saturday Night'', which had come out several months earlier. She was also part of '' Superman's 50th Anniversary: A Celebration of the Man of Steel'' as Beth Lewis,

Lois Lane Lois Lane is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1 (June 1938). Lois is an award-winning ...

's best friend. Leifer has also had minor acting and voice-over roles in movies such as ''

Bee Movie ''Bee Movie'' is a 2007 American animated comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and Columbus 81 Productions, and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner from a screenplay by the writing team o ...

'', '' Rules of Engagement'', ''

Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist ''Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist'' is an American adult animated sitcom created by Jonathan Katz and Tom Snyder for Comedy Central. It originally ran from May 28, 1995, to February 13, 2002. The series starred the voice talents of Jonathan ...

'', '' Medusa: Dare to Be Truthful'' and '' Desperately Seeking Susan.''

Books

Carol Leifer has written two books. Her first book of humorous essays, entitled ''When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists Win'', was released on March 10, 2009. Leifer discusses her early life and family, the daunting idea of getting older, outlooks on life, and the moment she discovered she might be gay and how her life changed for the better. Her second book, ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Crying'' was published in 2014. Considered a "part memoir, part guide to life", Leifer tells the public her journey as a comic and entertainer. She gives tips and guides for working in the entertainment industry. Leifer also talks about her personal work experiences, such as her time writing for ''

'', working with

, and her career as a stand-up comic

Accolades

praised Leifer as "one funny broad!" and "I wish my mother had been that funny—I wouldn't have had to work so hard." * In 1998, Leifer was named by ''

'' as "the only comic among six 'fast-rising artists...to watch' this season" * Leifer was nominated for the second annual

American Comedy Awards The American Comedy Awards were a group of awards presented annually in the United States recognizing performances and performers in the field of comedy, with an emphasis on television comedy and comedy films. They were first presented in May 19 ...

as "Funniest Female Comedy Club Stand-Up Comic." Linda Hamilton Jane Lynch and Carol Leifer WILLFILM

Personal life

In 1981, Leifer married comic Ritch Shydner, whose

gentile ''Gentile'' () is a word that today usually means someone who is not Jewish. Other groups that claim Israelite heritage, notably Mormons, have historically used the term ''gentile'' to describe outsiders. More rarely, the term is used as a synony ...

status troubled Leifer's father. They divorced in 1987 and have remained friends. Leifer also briefly dated

before working with him on ''

.''

is inspired by her. Leifer and Seinfeld dated less than a year and have remained close friends, with Leifer having only positive things to say about him. Though she had relationships with men and had been married to a man in the past, Carol Leifer identifies as a

lesbian A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexu ...

. After her divorce from Ritch Shydner, Leifer wanted to explore her sexuality. At age 40, Leifer met her current wife, Lori Wolf, and realized she was gay, not "just looking for a fling" as she originally intended. When coming out, Leifer's family and friends were very supportive, especially her parents. She recalls her father being happy that Lori Wolf was Jewish. When Leifer came out, her comedy and material changed to fit her life, often making jokes about coming out so late in her life and humor based on her and Wolf's relationship. Leifer has faced some negative reception due to her sexuality. After receiving a homophobic letter, Leifer recalls feeling "I thought I was prepared for something like that, but even 13 years in, it's still a kick in the face." In 1996, Leifer met Lori Wolf, a real estate executive, when they shared a table at a Project Angel Food charity dinner in Los Angeles. Leifer was immediately interested and later contacted Wolf through the host of their table, though Wolf initially rebuffed Leifer's overtures because Wolf was in a relationship at the time. Wolf contacted Leifer weeks later, after she had ended her relationship, and began one with Leifer. They moved in together in 2005, and in acclimating herself to Wolf's pets, Leifer became an animal rights activist. That year, Leifer proposed to Wolf over dinner at the Palm Restaurant in Beverly Hills. They were married in Los Angeles in 2015. In attendance were

Jane Lynch Jane Marie Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. Known for playing starring and recurring roles in comedic television, her accolades include one Golden Globe, five Primetime Emmys and two Screen Actors Gui ...

Bill Maher William MaherStated on ''Finding Your Roots'', January 12, 2016, PBS; on a series that lists "Jr." and "Sr." distinctions, Bill Maher's birth name was listed simply as William Maher, while his father was William Aloysius Maher Jr., and his pa ...

, Garry Shandling,

Henry Winkler Henry Franklin Winkler (born October 30, 1945) is an American actor, producer, director, and author. Widely known as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on the sitcom ''Happy Days'' (1974–1984), Winkler has distinguished himself as a character acto ...

, Larry Miller,

Jay Leno James Douglas Muir Leno ( ; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, and writer. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Tonight Show'' from 1992 until 200 ...

and

. They have an adopted son. In 2007 they purchased a $3.2 million, home in the Santa Monica Hills, as part of their preparations to adopt their nine-month-old son, Bruno Leifer-Wolf, who was born in Guatemala in 2006. Leifer was 50 years old at the time, which she felt was the best age for her to have a child, saying "I feel I have a better outlook on life." Leifer has become

vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a ve ...

, saying "I recently became vegan because I felt that as a Jewish lesbian, I wasn't part of a small enough minority. So now I'm a Jewish lesbian vegan." Leifer has been advocate for animal rights and made testimonials for

PETA People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA; ) is an American animal rights nonprofit organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. Founded in March 1980 by Newkirk and animal right ...

about her decision to become vegan, encouraging others to do the same.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Leifer, Carol Actresses from New York (state) American stand-up comedians American television actresses Television producers from New York (state) American women television producers Primetime Emmy Award winners American television writers Binghamton University alumni American lesbian actresses Lesbian Jews Jewish American actresses Jewish American comedians Jewish women comedians American women comedians American women television writers Participants in American reality television series Living people Lesbian comedians 20th-century American comedians 21st-century American comedians Screenwriters from New York (state) 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American Jews 21st-century American LGBTQ people American Ashkenazi Jews American LGBTQ comedians Comedians from New York (state) Writers Guild of America Award winners Year of birth missing (living people)