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.[5] As a child, Leifer would frequently put on performances for her family and friends in her family's basement.[6] 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.[7]
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.[14] 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."[8] 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 while dealing with family, friends, and romance.[15] The show received mixed reviews, saying it lacked an endearing plot and Leifer "squeezed uncomfortably into an uncomfortable sitcom."[16][17]
6 episodes Other credits include coproducer, story editor, and executive story editor Some episodes were co-written with Peter Mehlman and Marjorie Gross
6 episodes "Story editor" for 2 episodes: "High Risk Factor" and "Miss Diagnosis"
Seinfeld
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).[19] 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.[20] The episodes Leifer wrote, listed chronologically, are:[21]
Her work on Seinfeld garnered her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.[22] 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.[23] 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."[24] One of the most important things she learned as a writer from working on Seinfeld was to "mine your own life for comedy ideas."[23] 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.[25] Leifer chose North Shore Animal League as her charity because of her and her wife's work for animal advocacy.[26] She was the first to be eliminated, on the premiere episode, which aired on March 14, 2010.[27]
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.[30][31] 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.[32] Her second book, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Crying was published in 2014. Considered a "part memoir, part guide to life",[8] 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 Saturday Night Live, working with Jerry Seinfeld, and her career as a stand-up comic.[8]
Accolades
Frank Sinatra praised Leifer as "one funny broad!" and "I wish my mother had been that funny – I wouldn't have had to work so hard."[2]
In 1998, Leifer was named by the New York Times as "the only comic among six 'fast-rising artists…to watch' this season"[10]
Leifer was nominated for the second annual American Comedy Awards as "Funniest Female Comedy Club Stand-Up Comic."[33]
(Left to right) Linda Hamilton, Jane Lynch and Carol Leifer with their 2016 Williamsburg Independent Film Festival awards. Leifer and Lynch won for their short film Writer's Block and Hamilton won for Shoot me Nicely.[34]
In 1981, Leifer married comic Ritch Shydner, whose gentile status troubled Leifer's father.[26] They divorced in 1987 and have remained friends.[2] Leifer also briefly dated Jerry Seinfeld before working with him on Seinfeld.Elaine Benes 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.[24]
Though she had relationships with men and had been married to a man in the past, Carol Leifer identifies as a lesbian. 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.[24] 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.[7] 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."[35]
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.[7] 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.[26] 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, Larry David, Bill Maher, Garry Shandling, Henry Winkler, Larry Miller, Jay Leno and Paul Reiser.[26] They have an adopted son.[36]
In 2007 they purchased a $3.2-million, 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) home in the Santa Monica Hills,[37] as part of their preparations to adopt their nine-month-old son, Bruno Leifer-Wolf, who was born in Guatemala in 2006.[26][36] 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."[35]
Leifer has become vegan, 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."[38][39] Leifer has been advocate for animal rights and made testimonials for PETA about her decision to become vegan, encouraging others to do the same.[40]
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