Esther Povitsky

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Esther Povitsky
Esther Povitsky (6677979879).jpg
Povitsky in 2012
Born (1988-03-02) March 2, 1988 (age 36)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Other namesLittle Esther
Education University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Occupations
  • Writer
  • actor
  • comedian
  • producer
Years active2008–present
Known for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Alone Together

Esther Povitsky (born March 2, 1988), [1] [2] formerly known by the stage name "Little Esther," is an American stand-up comedian, actress, writer, and producer. Born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in the nearby suburb of Skokie, Povitsky is the co-creator and star of the comedy series Alone Together (2018), and she starred as Izzy in the Hulu series Dollface . Her debut comedy special, Hot for My Name, premiered on Comedy Central on July 17, 2020.

Contents

Early life and education

Povitsky was born in Chicago, Illinois [3] to Mary and Morrie Povitsky. [4] Her father is of Russian-Jewish descent and her mother is a Christian of Finnish descent [5] [6] who worked as an Administrative Assistant at the Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook. [7] She has one older half-sister from her mother's first marriage. [8] Povitsky was raised in the Chicago suburb of Skokie, [9] where she graduated from Niles North High School in 2006.

Following high school, Povitsky attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign for three years before dropping out to pursue a career in stand-up comedy and acting. [10] "I was really unhappy at my school," Povitsky recalled. "A lot of people were in sororities and a lot of people drank all the time, and I wasn't into either of those things, so I really did not feel like I fit in." [11] She subsequently studied comedy at iO Chicago and The Second City in Chicago before relocating to Los Angeles, where she took classes with The Groundlings. [12] In Los Angeles, Povitsky has performed regularly at The Comedy Store, The Ice House, and The Improv. [13] [14]

Career

2012–2014: Early projects

Povitsky recurred as Maya on the series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend from 2016 until 2019. Other television appearances include Brooklyn Nine-Nine , Love, and Parks and Recreation. Povitsky also survived several rounds of 2015's Last Comic Standing (season 9). [15]

Povitsky was the first[ citation needed ] female guest to appear on The Joe Rogan Experience , after which she began podcasting with Deathsquad.tv regularly. She hosted Little Esther's Piecast [16] and was the former co-host of Brode & Esther with fellow comedian Brody Stevens [17] as well as Weird Adults with Little Esther [18] and Glowing Up, a makeup and beauty-themed podcast which she co-hosts with writer Caroline Goldfarb. [19] She often appears as a guest on the network's Ice House Chronicles. [20]

In 2012, Povitsky turned down an offer from MTV to do a reality show based on her life as a comedian because she felt the series would be too invasive. [21] [22]

2015–present: Alone Together and Hot for My Name

In 2015, Povitsky wrote, starred in, and produced the short film Alone Together. The short was later adapted into a pilot for Freeform, produced by The Lonely Island. [23] In December 2016, the pilot was picked up to series. [24] In October 2017, Freeform renewed the series for a second season ahead of its January 2018 debut. [25] The series was canceled after its second season in 2019. [11]

On July 17, 2020, Povitsky's debut comedy special, Hot for My Name, was released through Comedy Central. [26]

Fashion brand

Povitsky runs her own fashion brand, "Sleepover by Esther," which she advertises using Instagram. [27] She regularly advertises her brand on the Trash Tuesday podcast and often features in her Instagram posts modeling her brand's clothing. [28]

Personal life

Povitsky previously dated Kill Tony hosts, Tony Hinchcliffe and Brian Redban. Povitsky is currently engaged to comedy writer Dave King [29] with whom she welcomed their first child in April 2024. [30]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2008 The Express: The Ernie Davis Story Teen ModelUncredited
2010AprilVal MonroeShort film
2011All in AllNicoleShort film
2011The EaterSandyShort film
2014My Daughter's BoyfriendSara MartinsonShort film
2015Alone TogetherEstherShort film
2015What a Nice PartyShort film
2016Worst BirthdayShort film
2018 Dude Alicia
2021 Mark, Mary & Some Other People Esther
2021 Home Sweet Home Alone Daisy Breckin
2024 Drugstore June JuneAlso co-writer and executive producer
TBA Lost & Found in Cleveland Completed

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2010–2011 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Little sister / Bristol Palin / Jimmy's SisterGuest role; 3 episodes
2011 New Girl KrystalEpisode: "Bells"
2012 Daddy Knows Best BabysitterEpisode: "The Babysitter"
2013 Parks and Recreation JulieEpisode: "Swing Vote"
2013 Brody Stevens: Enjoy It! HerselfRecurring role; 3 episodes
2013 Adam Devine's House Party HerselfEpisode: "Space Jump II" [31]
2014 Talking Marriage with Ryan Bailey HerselfEpisode: "Comedians in Car Ports"
2014Esther With Hot ChicksHerselfWeb series (3 episode run for MTV)
2014Pound HousePhone GirlRecurring role; 2 episodes
2014Hope and RandyHopeTelevision mini-series
2014 Key & Peele CassieEpisode: "Alien Impostors"
2014Six Guys One CarPawn Shop GirlRecurring role; 2 episodes
2015 Comics Unleashed HerselfGuest appearance
2015 Difficult People Cissy DonatoEpisode: "The Children's Menu"
2015 Candidly Nicole HerselfEpisode: "Ex-Girlfriend"
2015–2017Cocktales with Little EstherHerselfWeb series; host
2015–2016 @midnight HerselfGuest appearance; 4 episodes [31]
2016 Workaholics JordanaEpisode: "Save the Cat"
2016 Lady Dynamite Kristy CoombsEpisode: "Loaf Coach"
2016 The Amazing Gayl Pile JennyRecurring role; 3 episodes
2016 Brooklyn Nine-Nine EmilyEpisode: "Coral Palms: Part 2" [31]
2016 Not Safe with Nikki Glaser HerselfEpisode: "I'm the Boat"
2016–2018 Love AlexisGuest role; 3 episodes
2016–2019 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend MayaRecurring role; 19 episodes
2018 Alone Together EstherMain role; 20 episodes; also co-creator, writer, executive producer
2018The Story of our TimesCandaceTelevision film
2019 Shrill KaylaEpisode: "Pencil"
2019–2022 Dollface IzzyMain role
2021 iCarly BrookeEpisode: "iTake a Girls Trip"; also writer
2022 Reboot MarcyEpisode: "What We Do in the Shadows"

Comedy specials

YearTitleNotesRef.
2020Hot for My NamePremiered on Comedy Central [26]

Podcasts

YearTitleNotesRef.
2011–2014Brode & EstherCo-hosted with Brody Stevens [17]
2012–2017Weird Adults with Little EstherInterview-style podcast [32] [33]
2017–presentGlowing UpBeauty and lifestyle-themed podcast; co-hosted with Caroline Goldfarb [34]
2020–presentMy Pleasure (formerly Esther Club)Solo podcast [35]
2021–present Trash Tuesday (formerly Bloodbath)Co-hosted with Annie Lederman and Khalyla Kuhn [36]
2021Edith!Plays Trudie Grayson

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References

  1. ↑ "Esther Povitsky". DirecTV . AT&T. Archived from the original on April 29, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Esther Povitsky". Noovie. National CineMedia, LLC. Archived from the original on April 29, 2020.
  3. ↑ Skiles, Christa (2020). "Five Questions with Esther Povitsky". Dramatics . Archived from the original on May 5, 2020.
  4. ↑ Swartz, Tracy (June 1, 2020). "Esther Povitsky returns home for new Comedy Central special". Concord Monitor . Archived from the original on July 27, 2020.
  5. ↑ Frydburg, Tracy (January 24, 2018). "For a couple of Jewish millennial BFFs, poor and platonic equals funny". The Times of Israel . Archived from the original on April 29, 2020.
  6. ↑ Povitsky, Esther (August 17, 2017). "You Had Your First Orgasm to the Pam Anderson Porn?". Guys We F****d (Interview). Interviewed by Fisher, Corinne; Hutchinson, Krystyna. Event occurs at 42:00. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2020– via Acast.
  7. ↑ Luc, Karie Angell (April 19, 2016). "Shout Out: Mary Povitsky". Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on July 5, 2021.
  8. ↑ Oltuski, Romy (July 16, 2020). "Please Pay Attention To Esther Povitsky (Please?)". Elle . Archived from the original on July 27, 2020.
  9. ↑ Slefo, George (June 25, 2012). "MTV Buys Pilot From Skokie Native". Patch . Archived from the original on May 5, 2020.
  10. ↑ Gardner, Tara (November 6, 2019). "Who to Watch: Esther Povitsky". Chicago Splash. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020.
  11. 1 2 Floyd, Thomas (January 16, 2019). "'Alone Together's' Esther Povitsky is happy hitting the stage on her own". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on May 5, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Esther Povitsky - LA Casting". Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Little Esther - Comedian". Improv.com. September 12, 2011. Archived from the original on September 12, 2011.
  14. ↑ "The Ice House :: Esther Povitsky". Icehousecomedy.com. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  15. ↑ "'Last Comic Standing' Season 9 Premiere Recap: Meeting The Comedians". Buddytv.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Search Results piecast". Deathsquad.tv. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  17. 1 2 "Brode & Esther". Deathsquad.tv. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Feral Audio // Weird Adults with Little Esther". Feralaudio.com. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Feral Audio //Glowing Up with Esther and Caroline". Feralaudio.com. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Search Results little esther ice house". Deathsquad.tv. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Belgian Man Arrested in Los Angeles for Allegedly Stalking Comedian Esther Povitsky". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on November 3, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Pierre Van Lint, Belgian Man, Arrested For Allegedly Stalking Comedian Esther Povitsky". HuffPost . Associated Press. February 29, 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  23. ↑ Petski, Denise (July 5, 2016). "Freeform Greenlights 'Alone Together' Comedy Pilot From Lonely Island". Deadline. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  24. ↑ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (December 15, 2016). "Freeform Greenlights The Lonely Island's Comedy 'Alone Together'". Variety. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  25. ↑ Pedersen, Erik (October 18, 2017). "The Lonely Island's 'Alone Together' Gets Season 2 Renewal Ahead Of January Premiere On Freeform". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  26. 1 2 Braxton, Greg (July 16, 2020). "She was a rising star of L.A.'s comedy scene. Then COVID-19 halted comedy altogether". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on July 17, 2020.
  27. ↑ Symons, Alex (2023). Women Comedians in the Digital Age (1st ed.). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. p. 89. ISBN   978-1-003-26868-0. OCLC   1349461077.
  28. ↑ Symons, Alex (2023). Women Comedians in the Digital Age (1st ed.). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. p. 89. ISBN   978-1-003-26868-0. OCLC   1349461077.
  29. ↑ Oltuski, Romy (July 16, 2020). "Please Pay Attention to Esther Povitsky (Please?)". Elle.com. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  30. ↑ Povitsky, Esther (April 3, 2024). "i have identified the source of my acid reflux for the last nine months (insert one million heart emojis here)". Instagram. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  31. 1 2 3 "Esther Povitsky Credits". TV Guide . Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Weird Adults with Little Esther". Stitcher. Archived from the original on June 21, 2018.
  33. ↑ "Weird Adults with Little Esther". TuneIn. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020.
  34. ↑ Manders, Hayden (September 1, 2017). "THE GLOWING UP GIRLS' GUIDE TO FAKING THAT COOL GIRL L.A. GLOW". Nylon . Archived from the original on July 27, 2020.
  35. ↑ "My Pleasure on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts . Retrieved July 27, 2020.
  36. ↑ "Trash Tuesday w/ Annie, & Esther, & Khalyla". Apple Podcasts . Retrieved December 30, 2021.
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