WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.240 Welcome to the Deep Dive. We sift through the 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:05.080 noise articles, interviews, analysis to give 00:00:05.080 --> 00:00:08.000 you the focused insight you need. Today, we're 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:10.179 looking at someone whose fingerprints are all 00:00:10.179 --> 00:00:13.080 over modern TV comedy, even if your name isn't 00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:14.859 always the first one you think of. Exactly. We're 00:00:14.859 --> 00:00:17.980 talking about Jen Statsky, American television 00:00:17.980 --> 00:00:21.230 writer, comedian. Just a powerhouse, really. 00:00:21.429 --> 00:00:23.850 And our mission today, well, it's pretty clear. 00:00:23.949 --> 00:00:26.489 We want to trace her journey. It's quite remarkable. 00:00:26.609 --> 00:00:28.929 It really is. From doing stand -up, working in 00:00:28.929 --> 00:00:31.530 coffee shops, all the way to co -creating and 00:00:31.530 --> 00:00:33.509 co -show running Hacks. You know, one of the 00:00:33.509 --> 00:00:35.590 most critically adored comedies out there right 00:00:35.590 --> 00:00:37.869 now. And the awards back that up. We're talking 00:00:37.869 --> 00:00:41.950 multiple Emmys, three primetime Emmys, a Peabody, 00:00:42.070 --> 00:00:45.890 three WGA awards. Mostly for Hacks, but that's 00:00:45.890 --> 00:00:48.679 just the peak so far. So this deep dive is for 00:00:48.679 --> 00:00:50.500 you if you've ever watched shows like The Good 00:00:50.500 --> 00:00:53.060 Place or Parks and Rec or Broad City and wondered, 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:55.719 how does someone get involved in all of these? 00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:57.479 Right. It's not just about the credits list. 00:00:57.619 --> 00:00:59.799 It's about the how. How do you build that kind 00:00:59.799 --> 00:01:01.880 of career? How do you navigate different comedic 00:01:01.880 --> 00:01:03.799 styles, different roles in the writer's room? 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:05.859 That's what we're going to unpack. Analytically, 00:01:05.939 --> 00:01:08.400 you know. Yeah. How did she become such a key 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:11.459 player shaping so many major comedies over the 00:01:11.459 --> 00:01:14.700 last, what, 15 years? OK, let's dig in. Where 00:01:14.700 --> 00:01:17.200 does it all start? The foundation. Right. So 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:21.780 Jen Stasky, born November 19th, 1985, grew up 00:01:21.780 --> 00:01:24.359 outside Boston in Milton, Massachusetts. But 00:01:24.359 --> 00:01:26.340 like so many people aiming for entertainment, 00:01:26.760 --> 00:01:30.640 the pull of New York City was strong. Absolutely. 00:01:30.900 --> 00:01:34.140 She heads to NYC for college, ends up at NYU. 00:01:34.299 --> 00:01:37.299 And not just NYU, but Tisch, the School of the 00:01:37.299 --> 00:01:39.709 Arts. Yeah, Tisch is significant. studied film 00:01:39.709 --> 00:01:42.849 and television there. And Tish, well, it drills 00:01:42.849 --> 00:01:44.909 you on the craft, doesn't it? Structure, visual 00:01:44.909 --> 00:01:47.409 storytelling. It's less about literary analysis 00:01:47.409 --> 00:01:49.209 and more about, you know, the mechanics of making 00:01:49.209 --> 00:01:51.450 film and TV. That structural grounding feels 00:01:51.450 --> 00:01:53.530 important, looking at her later work. But let's 00:01:53.530 --> 00:01:56.430 add a couple of humanizing details first. She's 00:01:56.430 --> 00:01:58.750 married to Travis Helwig. That's right. Also 00:01:58.750 --> 00:02:00.469 an Emmy -winning writer. You might know him from 00:02:00.469 --> 00:02:02.170 his time at Crooked Media. That's fascinating. 00:02:02.390 --> 00:02:04.689 A real powerhouse couple in the writing world, 00:02:04.810 --> 00:02:07.969 straddling comedy and, well... political commentary. 00:02:08.229 --> 00:02:09.930 Yeah, imagine those dinner table conversations. 00:02:10.250 --> 00:02:12.710 And another little detail, maybe telling, maybe 00:02:12.710 --> 00:02:17.069 not, she's a huge Los Angeles Clippers fan. Like, 00:02:17.069 --> 00:02:19.569 die hard. Okay. Why bring that up? Is there a 00:02:19.569 --> 00:02:22.629 connection? Well, maybe. Hear me out. The Clippers, 00:02:22.810 --> 00:02:25.729 historically, they're the underdog in L .A. Yeah. 00:02:25.810 --> 00:02:28.050 Right? Always fighting for respect against the 00:02:28.050 --> 00:02:30.770 Lakers. True. Perpetual scrappers. Exactly. Yeah. 00:02:30.810 --> 00:02:33.310 And maybe, just maybe, that kind of reflects 00:02:33.310 --> 00:02:35.629 a certain interest in characters who are striving, 00:02:35.650 --> 00:02:37.979 who are Maybe a bit flawed, but fighting for 00:02:37.979 --> 00:02:40.960 their place. Think about hacks. That dynamic 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:43.479 feels very present, doesn't it? Huh. That's actually 00:02:43.479 --> 00:02:45.360 a really interesting thought, the narrative preference 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:48.159 showing through. Okay, so she graduates NYU in 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:52.240 2008. What happens next? The glamorous post -grad 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:55.340 life. Huh. Yeah, exactly. The grind. Pure and 00:02:55.340 --> 00:02:57.120 simple. You've got the degree, but now you're 00:02:57.120 --> 00:02:59.240 working at a coffee shop, paying the bills. And 00:02:59.240 --> 00:03:01.259 doing stand -up at night. Yep. That's the other 00:03:01.259 --> 00:03:04.199 half of the equation. From roughly 2008 to 2010. 00:03:04.909 --> 00:03:07.129 juggling the day job with hitting open mics. 00:03:07.270 --> 00:03:09.129 Why is that period so important, more than Tish 00:03:09.129 --> 00:03:11.770 even? I think so, yeah, because stand -up is 00:03:11.770 --> 00:03:14.569 just, it's a crucible. You're up there alone, 00:03:14.849 --> 00:03:17.550 you have maybe three, five minutes. Instant feedback 00:03:17.550 --> 00:03:20.689 or instant silence. Right, brutal efficiency. 00:03:21.490 --> 00:03:24.430 Every single word has to count. You learn timing, 00:03:24.610 --> 00:03:27.849 rhythm, how to structure a joke for maximum impact, 00:03:28.069 --> 00:03:31.030 economy of language, skills that translate everywhere 00:03:31.030 --> 00:03:33.289 in comedy writing. And the coffee shot, just 00:03:33.289 --> 00:03:36.539 a paycheck. Well, yes, but it also gives you 00:03:36.539 --> 00:03:39.819 time. Time to think. Time to write between rushes. 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:42.379 It fuels the need to keep creating, keep practicing. 00:03:42.580 --> 00:03:44.080 And while she's doing all this, she's also racking 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:46.599 up some seriously impressive internships. Oh, 00:03:46.599 --> 00:03:48.900 yeah. It's just like a dream list for any comedy 00:03:48.900 --> 00:03:52.039 hopeful. Yeah. Between 2008 and 2010, she interned 00:03:52.039 --> 00:03:53.939 at Saturday Night Live. Wow. Late Night with 00:03:53.939 --> 00:03:57.500 Conan O 'Brien. Okay. And The Onion. Jeez. That's 00:03:57.500 --> 00:03:59.900 like three different pillars of modern American 00:03:59.900 --> 00:04:02.419 comedy right there. Exactly. SNL live sketch, 00:04:02.740 --> 00:04:05.939 fast turnarounds, copicality, Conan classic late 00:04:05.939 --> 00:04:08.159 night structure, monologue jokes, desk pieces, 00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:11.479 different rhythm entirely. And the onion, satire. 00:04:11.620 --> 00:04:14.800 High concept, premise driven humor, that commitment 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:17.480 to the bit. She wasn't just getting coffee. She 00:04:17.480 --> 00:04:20.120 was inside these machines, seeing how they worked. 00:04:20.839 --> 00:04:24.360 Absorbing three distinct, high pressure, professional 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:27.009 ways of making comedy. Okay, now this next part. 00:04:27.990 --> 00:04:31.189 This feels pivotal. The digital angle. Ah, yes. 00:04:31.550 --> 00:04:34.629 Twitter. This is where things get really interesting 00:04:34.629 --> 00:04:38.329 and very of that specific moment in time. She 00:04:38.329 --> 00:04:41.170 joins Twitter in 2009, but not just to, like, 00:04:41.170 --> 00:04:43.910 share breakfast photos? No. No, she treated it 00:04:43.910 --> 00:04:46.069 like a writing tool. A public notebook, almost. 00:04:46.269 --> 00:04:48.829 A place to constantly write and workshop jokes. 00:04:49.170 --> 00:04:52.269 Though 140 -character limit, it forces that same 00:04:52.269 --> 00:04:54.810 economy stand -up does. Precisely. Short, sharp. 00:04:55.810 --> 00:04:57.970 She's just cranking out jokes day after day. 00:04:58.269 --> 00:05:00.269 And because it's public, she starts building 00:05:00.269 --> 00:05:02.250 a following. People notice she's consistently 00:05:02.250 --> 00:05:04.029 funny. This is the key, isn't it? It becomes 00:05:04.029 --> 00:05:05.990 a living portfolio. You don't need to tell people 00:05:05.990 --> 00:05:07.970 you're funny. You can just show them constantly. 00:05:08.050 --> 00:05:10.329 And some important notice. This is the breakthrough 00:05:10.329 --> 00:05:13.550 moment. 2011, A .D. Miles, who was the head writer 00:05:13.550 --> 00:05:16.290 over at Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Okay. He 00:05:16.290 --> 00:05:18.350 sees her stuff on Twitter. He's obviously impressed 00:05:18.350 --> 00:05:21.189 by the consistency, the voice. Yeah. And he just 00:05:21.189 --> 00:05:24.949 messages her. Just slides into the DMs, basically. 00:05:25.149 --> 00:05:27.709 Pretty much. Says, hey, we have a writing position 00:05:27.709 --> 00:05:30.290 open. You should apply. That's incredible. It 00:05:30.290 --> 00:05:32.689 completely bypasses the old gatekeepers, doesn't 00:05:32.689 --> 00:05:35.350 it? No agent needed, no formal submission packet 00:05:35.350 --> 00:05:38.110 in that initial contact. Just talent recognizing 00:05:38.110 --> 00:05:41.589 talent online. It was huge. Her manager confirmed 00:05:41.589 --> 00:05:45.370 the hiring in March 2011. Think about that leap. 00:05:45.670 --> 00:05:48.100 One minute, you're... pouring coffee and hitting 00:05:48.100 --> 00:05:50.879 open mics. The next year, a staff writer on a 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:53.060 major network late night show. All because she 00:05:53.060 --> 00:05:55.399 treated Twitter like a job before it was her 00:05:55.399 --> 00:05:58.819 job. It perfectly captures that transition. Using 00:05:58.819 --> 00:06:01.379 a modern digital tool to break into a legacy 00:06:01.379 --> 00:06:04.079 media institution, it proved the power of just 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:07.060 consistently doing the work out loud. So 2011, 00:06:07.300 --> 00:06:09.300 she lands at Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. That's 00:06:09.300 --> 00:06:11.459 the official entry into TV writing. She's there 00:06:11.459 --> 00:06:14.740 until 2013. Right. And Late Night, that's like 00:06:14.740 --> 00:06:16.680 boot camp, isn't it? The pace is relentless, 00:06:16.899 --> 00:06:19.399 daily deadlines, topical jokes, you learn speed. 00:06:19.699 --> 00:06:21.699 But she didn't just stay in that lane. What's 00:06:21.699 --> 00:06:24.279 striking is how quickly she started showing range. 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:26.939 Yeah, almost immediately, even while at Fallon 00:06:26.939 --> 00:06:29.879 or just before. She had a credit on Onion Sports 00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:33.240 Dome in 2011 as an associate producer, but still. 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:36.660 writing adjacent on a very specific high concept 00:06:36.660 --> 00:06:39.860 parody. And then Hello Ladies in 2013. That's 00:06:39.860 --> 00:06:42.860 HBO, single camera, scripted comedy, totally 00:06:42.860 --> 00:06:45.819 different feel from Fallon. Exactly. So already 00:06:45.819 --> 00:06:48.000 in those first couple of years, she's demonstrated 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:50.660 she can handle sketch, parody, and character 00:06:50.660 --> 00:06:53.389 -driven sitcom writing. She wasn't getting pigeonholed. 00:06:53.449 --> 00:06:55.970 Which leads us into this next phase. Let's call 00:06:55.970 --> 00:06:59.170 it the peak sitcom era for her. Maybe 2014 to 00:06:59.170 --> 00:07:01.689 2020. This is where she really becomes embedded 00:07:01.689 --> 00:07:04.490 in some iconic shows. Yeah, and working on several, 00:07:04.649 --> 00:07:06.709 sometimes concurrently, climbing the ladder the 00:07:06.709 --> 00:07:08.990 whole time. The range here is just, wow. Let's 00:07:08.990 --> 00:07:10.529 start with the big one. Parks and Recreation, 00:07:10.649 --> 00:07:13.050 2014 -2015. Right. Wrote two episodes, which 00:07:13.050 --> 00:07:15.250 is great. But look at the other roles. Story 00:07:15.250 --> 00:07:17.930 editor, then executive story editor. Okay, let's 00:07:17.930 --> 00:07:19.670 pause there. Because those titles sound important, 00:07:19.769 --> 00:07:21.470 but what do they actually mean in the right order? 00:07:21.449 --> 00:07:24.829 from story editor a story editor is deep in the 00:07:24.829 --> 00:07:26.910 trenches of the season's narrative you're not 00:07:26.910 --> 00:07:29.069 just focused on your own script you're in the 00:07:29.069 --> 00:07:31.769 room every day helping break all the stories 00:07:31.769 --> 00:07:34.110 making sure character arcs track that the tone 00:07:34.110 --> 00:07:36.310 is consistent you're kind of like a guardian 00:07:36.310 --> 00:07:38.850 of the season's overall structure okay so overseeing 00:07:38.850 --> 00:07:42.600 the story logic and executive story editor That's 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:44.240 the next step up. Yeah. More responsibility. 00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:47.319 It signals the showrunners really trust your 00:07:47.319 --> 00:07:49.279 judgment on the story, on the voice of the show. 00:07:49.459 --> 00:07:52.120 You're helping manage the flow of scripts, maybe 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:54.500 doing some polishing work. It's a key middle 00:07:54.500 --> 00:07:56.660 management role, essentially. So in Parks and 00:07:56.660 --> 00:07:59.439 Rec, known for its, like, warmth and ensemble 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:01.980 comedy, she's already in a position managing 00:08:01.980 --> 00:08:04.620 the story architecture, applying that to structure 00:08:04.620 --> 00:08:06.939 training, maybe. You have to assume so, yeah. 00:08:07.420 --> 00:08:09.819 But then look where she goes next, or overlaps 00:08:09.819 --> 00:08:13.740 with. Broad City. 2015 to 2019. Talk about tonal 00:08:13.740 --> 00:08:17.839 whiplash. From Pawnee, Indiana to, well, the 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:21.120 chaotic, hilarious world of Abby and Alana. Completely 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:24.480 different comedic energy. Parks is network -friendly 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:28.120 optimism. Broad City is cable -edgy, character 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:31.180 -specific, sometimes surreal, often raunchy. 00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:34.200 And her roles there reflect another step up. 00:08:34.340 --> 00:08:37.759 Four episodes written. And consultant, co -executive 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:40.320 producer. Okay, consultant. That often means 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:42.379 you're brought in for your specific expertise, 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:45.399 maybe on jokes, maybe on story, offering high 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:47.899 -level feedback. It's a respected outside voice 00:08:47.899 --> 00:08:51.200 role. But co -executive producer, co -EP, that 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:53.399 sounds significant. It is. That's upper management 00:08:53.399 --> 00:08:55.220 in the writer's room. You're likely running the 00:08:55.220 --> 00:08:57.419 room some days. You're dealing with notes from 00:08:57.419 --> 00:08:59.340 the network or studio. You might be involved 00:08:59.340 --> 00:09:01.200 in staffing decisions, maybe even some budget 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:03.600 stuff. You're moving from just writing to actually 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:06.000 managing the creative process. So she's mastering 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:08.980 both the warm network comedy structure and the 00:09:08.980 --> 00:09:11.120 edgy cable comedy management. And it doesn't 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:13.399 stop there. Not at all. She also dives into the 00:09:13.399 --> 00:09:17.059 wonderfully weird world of Lady Dynamite. 2016, 00:09:17.379 --> 00:09:20.379 2017. Maria Bamford show. Very meta, surreal. 00:09:20.740 --> 00:09:23.580 Super meta. Breaks the fourth wall constantly. 00:09:23.820 --> 00:09:26.720 Plays with timelines. Another totally different 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:29.159 comedic muscle needed. And again, look at the 00:09:29.159 --> 00:09:32.059 roles. Two episodes written, but also story editor 00:09:32.059 --> 00:09:34.840 and executive story editor. She's flexing that 00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:37.340 structural muscle again, but in a much more experimental 00:09:37.340 --> 00:09:40.139 context. And she even wrote an episode for another 00:09:40.139 --> 00:09:43.860 period in 2016, the historical satire. Up Tubman. 00:09:44.220 --> 00:09:45.960 just casually dropping into a period comedy. 00:09:46.100 --> 00:09:49.059 It's like she was deliberately trying every flavor 00:09:49.059 --> 00:09:52.779 of sitcom available. A true chameleon. Then there's 00:09:52.779 --> 00:09:55.820 Forever in 2018. The Amazon show with Fred Armisen 00:09:55.820 --> 00:09:57.960 and Maya Rudolph, supervising producer credit 00:09:57.960 --> 00:10:00.259 there, story credit on an episode. Supervising 00:10:00.259 --> 00:10:02.379 producer is another step up that ladder, often 00:10:02.379 --> 00:10:05.019 sitting between exec story editor and co -EP. 00:10:05.259 --> 00:10:07.840 More oversight, more responsibility for guiding 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:10.159 scripts through the process. This constant progression 00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:12.580 through producer titles, it's not just about 00:10:12.580 --> 00:10:15.000 billing, is it? Not at all. This is the training 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:17.539 ground for becoming a showrunner. Each step adds 00:10:17.539 --> 00:10:20.279 a new layer of understanding, script level, season 00:10:20.279 --> 00:10:22.769 level. Production level, management level. She's 00:10:22.769 --> 00:10:24.769 systematically mastering every single aspect 00:10:24.769 --> 00:10:27.350 of how a TV comedy gets made. Which brings us 00:10:27.350 --> 00:10:29.850 to arguably her biggest gig before creating her 00:10:29.850 --> 00:10:32.809 own show, The Good Place. Ah, The Good Place. 00:10:32.870 --> 00:10:36.129 2016 to 2020, what a show. And her involvement 00:10:36.129 --> 00:10:38.330 was substantial. Seven episodes written, that's 00:10:38.330 --> 00:10:40.809 a lot for a show that dense. It really is. And 00:10:40.809 --> 00:10:42.690 think about what writing for The Good Place demanded. 00:10:43.029 --> 00:10:45.690 You had to be incredibly funny, yes. But you 00:10:45.690 --> 00:10:48.590 also had to juggle complex philosophical concepts, 00:10:48.850 --> 00:10:51.250 maintain really strict world -building rules, 00:10:51.570 --> 00:10:55.389 and land massive season -ending twists. The writing 00:10:55.389 --> 00:10:57.509 had to be airtight. And her producer journey 00:10:57.509 --> 00:10:59.610 continued there, too. Oh, yeah. She moved through 00:10:59.610 --> 00:11:02.110 co -producer, supervising producer, and finally 00:11:02.110 --> 00:11:04.450 co -executive producer on that show. Her highest 00:11:04.450 --> 00:11:06.649 title before Hacks. And this is where the industry 00:11:06.649 --> 00:11:08.730 recognition really starts to solidify for her 00:11:08.730 --> 00:11:10.490 personally, right? Not just the show, but her 00:11:10.490 --> 00:11:13.610 role in it. Definitely. While she was supervising 00:11:13.610 --> 00:11:16.629 producer and then co - OEP, The Good Place racked 00:11:16.629 --> 00:11:19.049 up Emmy nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series. 00:11:19.409 --> 00:11:22.750 So in 2019 and 2020, she's personally named on 00:11:22.750 --> 00:11:24.809 those major nominations. That's the industry 00:11:24.809 --> 00:11:27.409 saying, OK, she's not just a great writer anymore. 00:11:27.570 --> 00:11:30.669 She's a proven creative leader on a top tier 00:11:30.669 --> 00:11:34.149 show. So we've seen her climb the ranks inside 00:11:34.149 --> 00:11:36.950 the writers room, but her influence started extending 00:11:36.950 --> 00:11:39.289 beyond just the creative side. We need to talk 00:11:39.289 --> 00:11:41.610 about her role in the wider industry. OK, like 00:11:41.610 --> 00:11:45.779 what? Business deals? Advocacy. Both, actually. 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:47.279 Let's start with something really significant 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:50.399 that happened in 2019. The WGA versus the ATA. 00:11:50.500 --> 00:11:53.080 The writers versus the agents. Right. The dispute 00:11:53.080 --> 00:11:55.529 over packaging fees. This was a huge deal. Can 00:11:55.529 --> 00:11:57.470 you break down what that was about, simply? Sure. 00:11:57.669 --> 00:12:00.289 So traditionally, big talent agencies would package 00:12:00.289 --> 00:12:02.809 a show for a studio, bring together the writer, 00:12:02.929 --> 00:12:05.409 maybe a star, a director. Instead of just taking 00:12:05.409 --> 00:12:07.909 their 10 % commission from the clients, the agency 00:12:07.909 --> 00:12:10.250 got a large fee directly from the studio for 00:12:10.250 --> 00:12:12.129 delivering this package. Okay, sounds efficient, 00:12:12.289 --> 00:12:14.570 maybe. What was the problem? Massive conflict 00:12:14.570 --> 00:12:17.190 of interest. If your agent is getting paid by 00:12:17.190 --> 00:12:19.490 the studio, are they really fighting for the 00:12:19.490 --> 00:12:22.970 absolute best deal for you, the writer? Or are 00:12:22.970 --> 00:12:25.419 they... may be incentivized to keep the studio 00:12:25.419 --> 00:12:29.779 happy to ensure future packaging deals. The WGA 00:12:29.779 --> 00:12:32.120 argued it depressed writer salaries and created 00:12:32.120 --> 00:12:35.320 divided loyalties. So how did Statsky get involved? 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:38.559 She was one of the thousands of WGA members who 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:41.519 took a really bold collective action. They essentially 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:44.799 fired their agents en masse until the agencies 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:47.519 agreed to phase out packaging fees. Wow, that 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:49.899 takes guts. You're potentially blowing up your 00:12:49.899 --> 00:12:52.820 representation, your career structure midstream. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:55.419 Exactly. Especially for someone at her level 00:12:55.419 --> 00:12:58.039 working on major shows, it was a serious professional 00:12:58.039 --> 00:13:00.940 risk taken to fight for fairer practices for 00:13:00.940 --> 00:13:03.860 all writers, especially those coming up. It showed 00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:05.779 real commitment to the guild and the principle 00:13:05.779 --> 00:13:07.919 of the thing. Puts her right in the middle of 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:10.120 a crucial industry labor fight. And did that 00:13:10.120 --> 00:13:12.379 stance hurt her career? Seems like the opposite 00:13:12.379 --> 00:13:15.120 happened. Well, two years later, in 2021, she 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:17.139 signs an overall deal with Universal Television. 00:13:17.559 --> 00:13:19.480 Okay, explain what an overall deal signifies. 00:13:19.539 --> 00:13:22.559 That's a big step, right? It's huge. It's basically 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:25.059 the studio saying, we believe in you so much, 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:27.620 we want to bankroll your creativity for the next 00:13:27.620 --> 00:13:30.460 few years. They pay you a hefty salary, give 00:13:30.460 --> 00:13:33.059 you resources, office space maybe, and in return 00:13:33.059 --> 00:13:35.759 you develop all your new TV projects exclusively 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:39.500 for them. So it locks her in as a major creator, 00:13:39.720 --> 00:13:41.960 not just a writer for hire, but someone expected 00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:44.620 to generate and run her own shows. Precisely. 00:13:44.740 --> 00:13:47.460 It's the ultimate vote of confidence. Universal 00:13:47.460 --> 00:13:49.940 is betting on her as a showrunner, as a source 00:13:49.940 --> 00:13:52.559 of future hits. It's her creative home base now. 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:54.500 It's interesting, though, that even with all 00:13:54.500 --> 00:13:56.460 this TV success, she didn't completely abandon 00:13:56.460 --> 00:13:58.419 other forms of writing. No, and that's telling, 00:13:58.519 --> 00:14:01.740 too. Shows her range isn't just across TV genres, 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:05.419 but across media. For instance, way back in 2012, 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:08.279 she contributed to the McSweeney's book of politics 00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:10.440 and musicals. McSweeney's, that's known for pre 00:14:10.440 --> 00:14:12.399 -highbrow literary humor, right? Very much so. 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:15.960 Smart, often quirky, sophisticated stuff. And 00:14:15.960 --> 00:14:17.500 then more recently, she was part of that big 00:14:17.500 --> 00:14:20.820 anthology, Notes from the Bathroom Line. Humor, 00:14:20.820 --> 00:14:24.159 art, and low -grade panic from 150 of the funniest 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:26.700 women in comedy. Why is it significant that she's 00:14:26.700 --> 00:14:29.159 doing these print pieces alongside her TV work? 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:32.419 I think it shows she still values that direct... 00:14:32.620 --> 00:14:36.320 individual comedic voice tv writing is intensely 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:39.559 collaborative writing an essay or a short humor 00:14:39.559 --> 00:14:42.240 piece that's usually just you and the page it's 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:44.480 flexing a different muscle maybe closer to her 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:47.100 stand -up roots she can manage a team and still 00:14:47.100 --> 00:14:49.720 deliver a solo punchline and speaking of roots 00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:51.799 she also seems to be giving back to the stand 00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:53.899 -up community yeah check this out she's credited 00:14:53.899 --> 00:14:56.679 as an executive producer on chris fleming's 2023 00:14:56.679 --> 00:14:59.909 comedy special hell Ah, interesting. So using 00:14:59.909 --> 00:15:02.529 her producer clout to help another comedian get 00:15:02.529 --> 00:15:04.889 their special made. Exactly. Kind of brings things 00:15:04.889 --> 00:15:07.029 full circle, doesn't it? Started in stand -up, 00:15:07.049 --> 00:15:09.809 becomes a top TV producer, then uses that position 00:15:09.809 --> 00:15:12.389 to champion another stand -up. It shows she's 00:15:12.389 --> 00:15:15.549 engaged across the whole comedy ecosystem, scripted 00:15:15.549 --> 00:15:18.250 TV specials, print humor. Okay, this all leads 00:15:18.250 --> 00:15:20.309 us to the current peak. The show that really 00:15:20.309 --> 00:15:23.149 defines her current status. Hacks. Premiering 00:15:23.149 --> 00:15:27.429 in 2021 on HBO Max. Now Max. Hacks. This feels 00:15:27.429 --> 00:15:29.629 like the synthesis of everything she'd done before. 00:15:29.809 --> 00:15:32.629 The sharp joke writing, the complex character 00:15:32.629 --> 00:15:35.370 dynamics, the structural integrity, the management 00:15:35.370 --> 00:15:38.230 skills. It all comes together here. And crucially, 00:15:38.309 --> 00:15:40.529 she's not just a writer or producer here. She's 00:15:40.529 --> 00:15:43.830 co -creator and co -showrunner. Right. Sharing 00:15:43.830 --> 00:15:46.789 that top credit with Lucia Anne Yellow and Paul 00:15:46.789 --> 00:15:49.909 W. Downs. That partnership itself seems incredibly 00:15:49.909 --> 00:15:51.909 fruitful. They'll work together on Broad City 00:15:51.909 --> 00:15:54.009 too, right? They did. So there's history there. 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:56.519 And on Hacks, she's not just contributing to 00:15:56.519 --> 00:15:58.779 a vision. She is the vision along with them. 00:15:58.860 --> 00:16:01.440 She's written, what, 13 episodes herself? Plus 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:03.580 running the whole show as an EP. This is where 00:16:03.580 --> 00:16:06.440 all that climbing the ladder pays off. She has 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:08.480 the experience, the authority, the skills to 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:10.460 build this world from the ground up. And the 00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:13.820 reception. Well, it was immediate and massive. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:16.000 The awards are just staggering. It wasn't a slow 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:18.620 burn. It hit hard right out of the gate. Let's 00:16:18.620 --> 00:16:20.679 just list some of the big ones because it demonstrates 00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:24.370 the consensus. Season 1, 2021. She and Yellow 00:16:24.370 --> 00:16:26.649 and Downs win the primetime Emmy for outstanding 00:16:26.649 --> 00:16:30.129 writing for a comedy series. For the pilot, there 00:16:30.129 --> 00:16:32.990 is no line. Winning for the pilot is huge. It 00:16:32.990 --> 00:16:36.110 means the core concept, the voice, it landed 00:16:36.110 --> 00:16:38.929 perfectly from episode one. Totally. And then, 00:16:39.009 --> 00:16:42.049 flash forward to 2024, they win the exact same 00:16:42.049 --> 00:16:45.940 Emmy again. For the episode Bulletproof. That's 00:16:45.940 --> 00:16:47.940 incredible. Winning twice for writing on the 00:16:47.940 --> 00:16:50.740 same show, years apart. That speaks volumes about 00:16:50.740 --> 00:16:53.299 sustained quality. It really does. And it wasn't 00:16:53.299 --> 00:16:56.000 just writing. 2024, she also wins the big one, 00:16:56.220 --> 00:16:58.799 the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. As an 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:01.399 executive producer, the show itself is crowned 00:17:01.399 --> 00:17:03.620 the best. Plus, there's the Peabody Award back 00:17:03.620 --> 00:17:06.380 in 2021. Which is huge. Peabody's recognized 00:17:06.380 --> 00:17:08.400 storytelling that matters, that has cultural 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:11.609 resonance beyond just laughs. elevates the show 00:17:11.609 --> 00:17:14.089 and then the industry awards golden globes for 00:17:14.089 --> 00:17:17.470 best musical or comedy series in 2021 afi television 00:17:17.470 --> 00:17:20.869 program of the year two years running 2021 and 00:17:20.869 --> 00:17:23.670 2022. the afi recognition is significant too 00:17:23.670 --> 00:17:25.670 because that's about preserving works of cultural 00:17:25.670 --> 00:17:28.089 importance and the wga her own guild the one 00:17:28.089 --> 00:17:30.329 she fought alongside they showered it with awards 00:17:30.329 --> 00:17:33.750 too right 2021 wins for both comedy series and 00:17:33.750 --> 00:17:36.630 new series. Then 2022, an episodic comedy win 00:17:36.630 --> 00:17:38.710 for the one, the only again shared with any on 00:17:38.710 --> 00:17:41.730 and downs. It's this consistent recognition across 00:17:41.730 --> 00:17:44.809 the board, best show, best writing from critics, 00:17:44.970 --> 00:17:48.049 from the industry, from her peers that really 00:17:48.049 --> 00:17:51.049 cements hacks and by extension, her role in it. 00:17:51.109 --> 00:17:52.910 So let's talk about that historical significance. 00:17:53.109 --> 00:17:55.250 You mentioned winning the writing Emmy twice. 00:17:55.630 --> 00:17:57.869 How rare is that? Where does that place her? 00:17:58.200 --> 00:18:00.319 It puts her in seriously rarefied air. You have 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:02.200 to understand the history of that specific award. 00:18:02.819 --> 00:18:04.759 Outstanding writing for a comedy series. Okay. 00:18:05.160 --> 00:18:07.380 Lay it out for us. Well, think about the legends. 00:18:07.579 --> 00:18:09.779 Carl Reiner won it multiple times for the Dick 00:18:09.779 --> 00:18:12.259 Van Dyke Show back in the 60s. You had winners 00:18:12.259 --> 00:18:16.119 from MBAH, James L. Brooks for Mary Tyler Moore. 00:18:16.759 --> 00:18:19.859 Later, maybe most famously, Larry David won for 00:18:19.859 --> 00:18:22.519 the contest episode of Seinfeld. Wow. Okay, those 00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:25.680 are giants. Absolute giants. More recently, Tina 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:28.559 Fey won multiple times for 30 Rock. Dan Levy 00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:30.779 for Schitt's Creek. Winning it once puts you 00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:33.420 in elite company. Winning it twice for the same 00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:36.200 show. Especially once for the pilot, establishing 00:18:36.200 --> 00:18:38.799 the promise, and again years later for Bulletproof, 00:18:38.980 --> 00:18:41.140 proving you delivered on that promise and sustained 00:18:41.140 --> 00:18:44.420 it. It places her and her collaborators firmly 00:18:44.420 --> 00:18:47.710 in that historical lineage. It's not just a currently 00:18:47.710 --> 00:18:50.309 popular show. It's being recognized repeatedly 00:18:50.309 --> 00:18:53.609 as possessing writing quality on par with some 00:18:53.609 --> 00:18:56.230 of the most foundational and beloved comedies 00:18:56.230 --> 00:18:58.869 in television history. It signifies a level of 00:18:58.869 --> 00:19:02.109 craft that endures. So Hacks isn't just a hit. 00:19:02.210 --> 00:19:04.490 It's being judged by the industry consistently 00:19:04.490 --> 00:19:08.210 as genuinely landmark television writing for 00:19:08.210 --> 00:19:11.099 this era. Demonstrably so. The awards aren't 00:19:11.099 --> 00:19:13.619 everything, but that level of consensus from 00:19:13.619 --> 00:19:18.339 Emmys, WGA, Peabody, AFI, it's undeniable. So 00:19:18.339 --> 00:19:19.579 let's try and bring this all together. We've 00:19:19.579 --> 00:19:21.720 tracked this path from, you know, using Twitter 00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:24.519 almost like a public joke diary back in 2009. 00:19:24.859 --> 00:19:27.299 Which incredibly lands her a job on Fallon, a 00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:29.940 direct leap. Then a really focused decade spent 00:19:29.940 --> 00:19:31.920 inside the system, moving between shows with 00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:34.900 wildly different tones. Parks, Broad City, Good 00:19:34.900 --> 00:19:37.380 Place. And not just writing, but actively learning 00:19:37.380 --> 00:19:39.160 the whole machine by climbing those producer 00:19:39.160 --> 00:19:42.279 ranks. Story editor, exec story editor, supervising 00:19:42.279 --> 00:19:45.180 producer, co -EP, mastering the craft and the 00:19:45.180 --> 00:19:47.579 management. Until finally, she reaches the point 00:19:47.579 --> 00:19:49.259 where she's co -creating and co -show running 00:19:49.259 --> 00:19:52.819 her own series, Hacks, which becomes this critical, 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:56.859 darling, sweeping awards. And securing that overall 00:19:56.859 --> 00:19:59.240 deal with Universal, which basically says, OK, 00:19:59.380 --> 00:20:01.559 keep doing that. We want more of whatever you're 00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:03.720 creating. So what's the big takeaway here? What 00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:06.220 does her career tell us? I think it's a masterclass 00:20:06.220 --> 00:20:08.519 in building a career through versatility and 00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:10.990 strategic growth. She used stand up for timing, 00:20:11.150 --> 00:20:13.509 late night for speed, sitcoms for structure, 00:20:13.690 --> 00:20:15.849 producing for leadership. She touched all the 00:20:15.849 --> 00:20:18.069 bases. And wasn't afraid to move between like 00:20:18.069 --> 00:20:21.289 very different comedic worlds, network warmth 00:20:21.289 --> 00:20:24.230 to cable edge to philosophical high concept. 00:20:24.509 --> 00:20:26.970 Right. She developed a voice strong enough and 00:20:26.970 --> 00:20:29.450 skills broad enough that the industry eventually 00:20:29.450 --> 00:20:31.569 said, OK, you're ready. Build your own universe. 00:20:31.809 --> 00:20:34.769 And she did brilliantly. And it's also a story 00:20:34.769 --> 00:20:37.109 about resilience, isn't it? The early grind, 00:20:37.269 --> 00:20:40.160 the stand up, the coffee shop. And then later, 00:20:40.200 --> 00:20:42.619 taking a stand with the WGA, showing that professional 00:20:42.619 --> 00:20:45.599 integrity. Absolutely. It's not just about talent. 00:20:45.660 --> 00:20:48.140 It's about perseverance, strategic learning, 00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:51.400 and, well, being really, really good at writing 00:20:51.400 --> 00:20:53.839 jokes and structuring stories. It's quite the 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:56.000 blueprint. Okay, so as we wrap up, we always 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:57.759 like to leave our listeners with something to 00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:59.859 chew on, a final thought based on everything 00:20:59.859 --> 00:21:02.500 we've discussed. Right. So think about this. 00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:05.920 Jen Statsky spent a huge chunk of her career 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:08.420 becoming exceptional at working within established 00:21:08.420 --> 00:21:11.480 worlds, taking shows like Parks and Rec or The 00:21:11.480 --> 00:21:14.160 Good Place, which already had strong voices and 00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:16.859 beloved characters, and elevating them, keeping 00:21:16.859 --> 00:21:19.559 them great. She was a key player in maintaining 00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:22.400 and enhancing those existing universes, a vital 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:25.359 role. Definitely. But her biggest success, Hacks, 00:21:25.539 --> 00:21:28.559 involves starting from a blank page, co -creating 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:31.180 the entire world, the characters, the tone, the 00:21:31.180 --> 00:21:34.359 rules, everything. So here's a question for you 00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:36.180 to consider. What's the difference in the creative 00:21:36.180 --> 00:21:38.839 challenge? What different muscles do you need 00:21:38.839 --> 00:21:41.259 to be brilliant at sustaining and refining an 00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:43.940 existing hit versus the challenge of inventing 00:21:43.940 --> 00:21:46.519 a completely new, acclaimed comedy universe from 00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:48.640 the ground up? Yeah. Think about that shift in 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:51.420 responsibility from being a crucial part of a 00:21:51.420 --> 00:21:54.059 great machine to being one of the architects 00:21:54.059 --> 00:21:57.119 designing the entire machine. It's a fascinating 00:21:57.119 --> 00:21:59.259 leap. Something to keep in mind as you watch 00:21:59.259 --> 00:22:02.059 whatever Jen Statsky and her collaborators create 00:22:02.059 --> 00:22:05.200 next under that universal deal. For sure. It'll 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:07.180 be exciting to see. Thanks for diving deep with 00:22:07.180 --> 00:22:08.619 us today. We'll catch you on the next one.