Jen Statsky

Last updated
Jen Statsky
Jenstatsky 2021 (cropped).jpg
BornNovember 19, 1985 (1985-11-19) (age 38)
OccupationTelevision writer
Years active2009–present

Jen Statsky (born November 19, 1985) is an American television writer and comedian known for her work on Hacks , The Good Place , Parks and Recreation , and Broad City . She is the co-creator and co-showrunner of the critically-acclaimed HBO Max series Hacks , for which she has received a Primetime Emmy, Peabody Award, and multiple WGA Awards, among others.

Contents

Personal life

Jen Statsky was born November 19, 1985, in Milton, Massachusetts, where she grew up before moving to New York City to study at New York University. She attended Tisch School of the Arts where she studied Film and Television. [1] She is a Los Angeles Clippers fan. She is married to Travis Helwig, the Emmy-winning writer formerly at Crooked Media.

Career

Early beginnings

In school, Statsky developed an interest in writing. When she graduated from NYU in 2008, she was working in a coffee shop as well as performing stand-up comedy. Statsky continued her writing career as an intern for Saturday Night Live , Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Onion . [2] She joined Twitter in 2009 and used it to write jokes, ultimately gaining a following over time. [2] In 2011, while Statsky continued keeping her Twitter account active, A. D. Miles, the head writer of NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon , messaged her, suggesting Statsky apply to a writing position that was available. She applied for the position and in March 2011 her manager confirmed Statsky was hired as a writer. [2] Before using Twitter, Jen Statsky had applied to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and did not get the job. [3]

Television

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon was Statsky's first experience as a television writer. She later worked as a staff writer for Hello Ladies and has worked as a writer for Parks and Recreation , Broad City , Lady Dynamite , and The Good Place . In 2019, Statsky joined other WGA writers in firing their agents as part of the WGA's stand against the ATA and the practice of packaging. [4] [5] In 2021, she signed an overall deal with Universal Television. [6]

Book

Statsky has made a written contribution to the book The McSweeney's Book of Politics and Musicals that was published in 2012. [7] Statsky also wrote a contribution for the book Notes From the Bathroom Line: Humor, Art, and Low-Grade Panic From 150 Of The Funniest Women In Comedy.

Filmography

YearTitleCredited asNotes
WriterProducer
2011 Onion SportsDome NoYesAssociate producer
2011–13 Late Night with Jimmy Fallon YesNo
2013 Hello Ladies YesNoStaff writer
2014–15 Parks and Recreation YesNoWrote 2 episodes
Also story editor and executive story editor
2015–19 Broad City YesYesWrote 4 episodes, also consultant
Consulting and co-executive producer
2016 The Characters YesNoConsultant writer, episode: "Paul W. Downs"
2016ObamtourageYesNoTelevision short, idea by
2016–17 Lady Dynamite YesNoWrote 2 episodes
Also story editor and executive story editor
2016 Another Period YesNoWrote: "Tubman"
2018 Forever YesYesSupervising producer, story by: "Kase"
2016–2020 The Good Place YesYesWrote 7 episodes
Also co-executive, supervising, and co-producer
2020 A Parks and Recreation Special YesNoTelevision special
2021–present Hacks YesYesCo-creator with Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs
Wrote 3 episodes
2023 Chris Fleming: Hell NoYesExecutive Producer

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2012
Writers Guild of America Awards Best Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series - Television Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Nominated
2014
Writers Guild of America Awards Comedy Series Parks and Recreation Nominated
2016
Writers Guild of America Awards Comedy Series Broad City Nominated
2019
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television The Good Place Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards Comedy Series The Good Place Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series The Good Place (as Supervising Producer)Nominated
2020
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series The Good Place (as Co-Executive Producer)Nominated
2021
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Hacks (as Executive Producer)Nominated [8]
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Hacks(Episode: "There Is No Line (Pilot)")
(Shared with Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs)
Won [9]
Writers Guild of America Awards Comedy Series HacksWon [10]
New Series HacksWon
Golden Globe Awards Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy Hacks (as Executive Producer)Won [11]
AFI Awards Outstanding Television Program of the Year Hacks Won [12]
Peabody Awards Peabody Award, Entertainment Honoree Hacks Won [13]
2022
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series Hacks(as Executive Producer)Nominated [14]
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series Hacks(Episode: "The One, The Only")
(Shared with Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs)
Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards Episodic Comedy Hacks (Episode: "The One, The Only")
(Shared with Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs)
Won [15]
Comedy Series Hacks Nominated
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television Hacks (as Executive Producer)Nominated [16]
AFI Awards Outstanding Television Program of the Year Hacks Won [17]

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References

  1. Peyser, Eve (August 31, 2015). "Jen Statsky on the art of the one-liner, writing for late night, and comedy with 'heart'". The Daily Dot . Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Hollander, Jason (Spring 2012). "The Tweet Life" (PDF). NYU Alumni Magazine. New York University. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 18, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  3. Angelo, Megan (November 3, 2011). "TV Comedy Writers on Twitter". The New York Times . p. AR20. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 12, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  4. Andreeva, Nellie (13 April 2019). "Writers Share Signed Termination Letters As Mass Firing Of Agents Begins After WGA-ATA Talks Fail". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  5. "I Stand With The WGA". Personal Twitter. Archived from the original on 2019-05-24. Retrieved 2019-04-15.
  6. White, Peter (2021-08-09). "'Hacks' Co-Creator Jen Statsky Extends Overall Deal With Universal Television". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on 2021-08-10. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  7. McSweeney's (January 1, 2012). The McSweeney's Book of Politics and Musicals. Vintage Books. ISBN   9780307387349.
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