Carol Leifer’s Many Comedy Lives

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Carol Leifer has enjoyed a flourishing comedy career spanning several decades. She began her journey in the New York stand-up scene during the 1970s alongside Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David. Later, she moved on to contribute as a writer for the 11th season of Saturday Night Live in 1985, which is commonly referred to as SNL’s “quirky year.” This season was marked by an unusual blend of cast members (including Robert Downey Jr., Joan Cusack, Terry Sweeney, Dan Vitale, and Danitra Vance) and a strong writing team, including Leifer, Jack Handey, the legendary John Swartzwelder from The Simpsons, Robert Smigel, and Al Franken, whom Leifer acknowledges as an influential early mentor.

After her stint on SNL, Leifer has persistently pursued stand-up comedy and has garnered a substantial collection of TV-writing credits for shows such as Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Hacks. She’s also penned jokes for the Oscars and Emmy Awards. These engagements have inspired several books, with her latest being a collaborative effort with Rick Mitchell titled How to Write a Funny Speech for a Wedding, Bar Mitzvah, Graduation & Every Other Event You Didn’t Want to Go to in the First Place. Additionally, these experiences make her a rich source of comedy stories, from her musings on being known as Seinfeld’s “real Elaine” to drawing upon her own career hurdles when creating the character Deborah Vance on Hacks. Regarding the character, she states, “I understand not only what it was like to break through, but also what it’s like to remain relevant and current as an older figure in the industry amidst a sea of millennials and Gen-Zers. In that sense, I can certainly empathize with her struggles.

Did you happen to catch any of the SNL 50 celebrations? By any chance, did you reconnect with any writers or cast members from your season, such as Jon Lovitz, Tom Gammill (with whom you collaborated on Seinfeld), or another writer from The Simpsons who also worked on SNL? It seemed like there were more writers than stars in the vicinity. You might recall more of them when they filmed the documentary episode about your season, titled The Weird Year. During that time, you dined with A. Whitney Brown, George Meyer, Jack Handey, and Robert Smigel. So, I guess you could say we cross paths every now and then.

In your career, you’ve penned the Oscars script eleven times and have been acquainted with Conan O’Brien since his Late Night days. Compared to collaborating with past hosts, what was it like working alongside him?

When I contribute to the Oscars, I usually belong to the show team, as I did this year. Conan has a separate group of writers who create content for him, and there’s another team of four writers responsible for presenters and similar tasks. We rehearse, print out scripts for the presenters, and they go over it. One of Conan’s team writers came up with the joke about Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl; he even mentioned on his podcast that “That joke was mine.” However, the Academy isn’t too keen on discussing the behind-the-scenes processes.

Twice, I’ve penned scripts for Billy Crystal, an experience that was consistently fantastic. What makes it even more exciting is that he has his team nearby, ready to jump in with a joke if something spontaneous occurs. You just throw your best gag at him, and the one he finds funniest takes the win. Similarly, when Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin were hosts, Steve would have us writers over to his LA home to brainstorm jokes. In my early days, Steve Martin was an idol of mine, and working with him felt like a dream come true. I was actually present during a joke meeting at Steve Martin’s house, contributing to the joke-writing process. The whole experience was utterly surreal.

Prior to his departure, I dropped by Conan’s dressing room to wish him luck. I noticed the same apprehensive expression I usually see on first-time hosts, but it was clear he was prepared. He remarked, “You know what? I just want to get out there and enjoy myself.” And that’s exactly what he did.

Your background in creating speeches for award shows qualifies you uniquely to write a book about crafting speeches, which you’ve recently accomplished. After all, writing for events like the Oscars requires brevity, doesn’t it? And if we think about it, performing stand-up every night is somewhat similar to giving a speech. You have a clear beginning, middle, and end, always mindful of your audience.

I deliver numerous speeches, and I truly enjoy doing so, as it provides a therapeutic outlet for me. During memorials, for instance, I often find myself expressing emotions that might be difficult to address on my own. Additionally, I’ve had the opportunity to engage in corporate speaking, which has been instrumental in teaching me how to tailor a speech for an organization I may not know intimately yet, and still make it engaging.

As a seasoned movie critic, I found myself captivated by the raw and authentic portrayal of ‘Hacks.’ Despite being several decades older than most of its writers, I felt an undeniable connection to Deborah Vance’s character, given our shared comedic background from the ’80s era. The concept for “One Day” arose from my musings about the fleeting nature of ambition, particularly at my stage in life. I often pondered, “What if I could still snag a small role on Broadway someday?” However, I realized that “one day” was actually now; procrastination means the clock is ticking. This sentiment might not resonate as deeply with a younger generation, who have more time and opportunities ahead of them compared to someone like me. It was this unique perspective that ultimately led me to secure the gig for ‘Hacks.’

It seems that the showrunners were particularly interested in someone who had a similar background to Deborah’s, as it could contribute to her storylines. They initially asked me to brainstorm ideas for a couple of weeks (known as “blue skying”). Given my experience, I believe this played a significant role in my invitation to become a full-time writer on the show.

Were you involved during the time when Deborah was touring clubs and reconnecting with old acquaintances, even though I’m not certain about the exact season? If my memory serves me right, I believe I was a part of it. You might recall a story I shared about my obsession with perfumes. I’m quite passionate about them, as you can tell. I remember trying to stockpile every bottle of a specific scent because they said it was being discontinued. That perfume eventually became Deborah Vance’s signature scent, Black Pashmina, according to the story.

The Elaine reference is a bit exaggerated. I used to date Jerry and have remained friends with him for a long time. That’s where the similarity ends. I consider myself a good dancer and I don’t behave like pushing people away saying, ‘Get out!’ So, when it comes to on-screen likeness, neither Elaine nor Deborah Vance seems entirely accurate.

Initially, when I embarked on the project titled “Hacks“, I shared with Jean Smart my belief that it’s rare for an actor to convincingly portray a stand-up comedian; there’s usually something that feels out of place. However, she truly excels in this role and I find myself connecting with her more because we’re both from the same generation. This allows me to understand not only the challenges of breaking through, but also the ongoing struggle to remain relevant and current in an industry dominated by millennials and Gen-Zers. In this sense, I certainly empathize with her experiences.

Indeed, I was among the key writers for Seinfeld, and it’s true that many storylines, such as “The Lip Reader,” were inspired by my own experiences. However, it was ultimately Jerry and Larry David who had the final say in shaping the show’s content.

Did you propose any alternative plotlines that didn’t make it into the show? One such idea came up during my tenure, specifically for a later season or even the final one I was part of. The concept revolved around me wearing a fanny pack. I would go out with a T-shirt covering it, and people seemed unusually kind and considerate towards me, offering their seats or saying things like, “After you.” It wasn’t until a week or so later that I realized they must have thought I was pregnant due to the fanny pack. This sort of quirky idea would have appealed to Larry, but unfortunately, we never got the chance to develop it for the show.

Over four decades since you both started in comedy clubs, Larry David remains unchanged. In fact, back then, if he took the stage at 8:20 at The Improv, and you went on at 8:40, you’d stick around until 8:20 because he had a knack for exiting whenever he found something or someone offending. He maintains this same essence of humor, focusing on the tiniest details of life that often go unnoticed but can be hilarious. When I first pitched an idea to him and Jeff Schaffer, I spoke about how annoying it is when non-comedians mimic the “ba-dum-bum” drum roll after a joke, making you want to strangle them. His response? He loved it! This idea found its way into their show. Essentially, Larry has an affinity for the most minute details in life that can be funny.

You’ve mentioned David Letterman as a mentor figure for you, and it seems you appeared frequently on his show. Can you share how you initially came to know him? Well, it turns out that I participated in the 1980 New York Laugh Off, a significant comedy competition at that time. The event was filmed at the Copacabana, and Eddie Murphy even took part, finishing fifth, while I placed fourth. Impressed by my performance, David Letterman watched a tape of that show and subsequently recommended me to The Tonight Show. However, they didn’t end up taking me on. Once he started his own show, he simply invited me straightaway – we hadn’t even met prior to my appearance on his program!

The ‘Fantasy’ sketch from Tom Hanks’ SNL episode in 1985 is likely one of the standout moments of season 11. This sketch holds significance because it marked the beginning of Tom’s association with the show. It’s interesting to note that other hosts, such as Chevy Chase, had previously read the script, but it didn’t make it onto the show. We were delighted that it was produced for Tom’s episode!

You made appearances in several sketches during that particular season, with it often happening like this: “We require an actor for this scene,” followed by a quick trip to the hair and makeup room before stepping onto set.

One of your initial onscreen encounters was in the film “Desperately Seeking Susan,” where Madonna, who hosted Saturday Night Live in season 11, played a lead role. Did we have any direct interactions during either occasion? I did observe her when she was hosting the show, although you might not consider that as an interaction per se. If watching how a star of her caliber behaves among people can be considered interaction, then yes, I had one with her. What particularly stands out in my memory is a moment when she was surrounded by a group of people – writers or otherwise – and instead of making eye contact, she kept her gaze down. It’s likely that this is a strategy she learned to cope with the constant attention from fans as a famous figure like herself.

Did you create works for Danitra Vance during that season, among them “That Black Girl”? Had you previously known her? No, we had only recently crossed paths. In fact, I felt she deserved more sketch opportunities, and I always looked forward to collaborating with her whenever possible.

As a devoted film enthusiast, I had the chance encounter with Lorne in a Los Angeles eatery. I bravely approached him and shared, “I’ve penned a memoir where SNL is featured prominently. There’s nothing in it that would make you wince, and I plan to send you a copy.” True to my word, I followed through with sending the book to him.

And did you hear back?No. [Laughs.]

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2025-04-21 18:56