Carol Leifer

She has written for the Academy Awards for most of the 21st century, as well as the 69th Annual Tony Awards.

Leifer started her comedy writing career at Saturday Night Live. Leifer was hired by Al Franken and Jim Downey to work as a writer for the popular sketch comedy show.

Executive producer, Lorne Michaels 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.

Carol Leifer (born July 27, 1956) is an American comedian, writer and producer whose career as a stand-up comedian started in the 1970s when she was in college.

She has written many television scripts including The Larry Sanders Show, Saturday Night Live and Seinfeld.

In 1977, she began performing stand-up comedy and transferred to Queens College to be closer to the club scene.

Later she tried performing at New York's Comic Strip and was introduced by emcee Jerry Seinfeld.

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, and clean-cut humor.

Leifer credits mentor and lifelong friend, David Letterman, with her rise to fame, having performed stand-up comedy on Late Night with David Letterman 25 times.

Leifer also appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Dr. Katz, Politically Incorrect, Hollywood Squares, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Her stand-up experience also includes opening for Jerry Seinfeld and Frank Sinatra.

Leifer has also performed and released several stand-up specials.

Her stand-up specials, listed chronologically, are:

Leifer's writing career spans several well-known shows, including Seinfeld, Saturday Night Live, It's Like, You Know..., and The Larry Sanders Show.

She has received four Primetime Emmy Award 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 ancestry and upbringing, coming out, same-sex marriage, relationships (having been married previously to a man and now married to a woman) and parenting.

Leifer was born in East Williston, New York, to an Ashkenazi Jewish family, the daughter of Anna Leifer, a psychologist, and Seymour Leifer, an optometrist.

As a child, Leifer 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 in concert at Shea Stadium.

She frequently credits her father as the reason she became a comic.

While studying for a theater degree at Harpur College (now Binghamton University), Leifer accompanied her then boyfriend Paul Reiser to a comedy club to see him perform at the open mic night at Catch A Rising Star.

Carol Leifer joined the Seinfeld 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 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, was partially based on her.

The episodes Leifer wrote, listed chronologically, are:

Her work on Seinfeld garnered her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

Leifer recalls when looking for writers for the show, Larry David, co-creator of Seinfeld, specifically wanted writers who had never written for sitcoms before.

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