James Thomas Fallon is an American comedian, television host, actor, singer, writer, and producer. Best known for his work in television, Fallon's breakthrough came during his tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1998 to 2004. He was the host of the late-night talk show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon from 2009 to 2014, and became the anchor of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon following his departure from Late Night.
Michael Herbert Schur is an American television producer, writer, director, and actor. He was a producer and writer for the comedy series The Office, and co-created Parks and Recreation with Office producer Greg Daniels. He created The Good Place, co-created the comedy series Brooklyn Nine-Nine and was a producer on the series Master of None. He also played Mose Schrute on The Office. In 2021, he was one of three co-creators of the Peacock comedy series Rutherford Falls.
Janine Ditullio is an American comedy writer, voice actress, and stand-up comedian. She has been nominated for six Emmy Awards and won two Writers Guild of America Awards for her writing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
Mike Drucker is an American stand-up comedian, writer and producer known for his work on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (2016), The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) and Bill Nye Saves the World (2017).
Meredith Stiehm is an American television producer, writer, and trade union leader who has served as president of the Writers Guild of America West since 2021. She is the creator of the hit crime drama Cold Case and the FX thriller drama The Bridge.
Megan Amram is an American comedy writer, producer, and performer. She is most known for her work as co-writer and producer for the NBC series The Good Place. Amram created and starred in the comedy web series, An Emmy for Megan, which depicts Amram's quest to win an Emmy.
Paul W. Downs is an American actor, writer, director, and producer. He is the co-creator, co-showrunner and star of the critically-acclaimed HBO Max series Hacks, for which he has received a Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Peabody Award, among others. Downs first gained attention for his role in the Comedy Central series Broad City, which ran for five seasons and for which he was also a writer, director and executive producer.
Lucia Aniello is an Italian-born American director, writer, and producer best known for her work on Hacks, for which she won multiple Emmy Awards, and Broad City. She has directed and written episodes of both shows, as well as the miniseries Time Traveling Bong and the 2017 film Rough Night.
Ashley Nicole Black is an American comedian, actress, writer and producer. She was a writer and correspondent for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (2016–2019), for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special.
Stefani Robinson is an American screenwriter and producer. She is best known for her work on FX's Atlanta, for which she won two Writers Guild of America Awards, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. Robinson was a writer and executive producer for the FX television series What We Do in The Shadows, for which she received Emmy nominations for writing, and for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2020 and 2022. She wrote the screenplay for the 2023 biopic Chevalier.
Natasha Rothwell is an American writer, actress, and comedian. She is known for working on the HBO television series Insecure as a writer, series regular, and supervising producer. She is also known for her work in HBO's The White Lotus, which earned her a nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
The Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Comedy/Variety Talk Series is an award presented by the Writers Guild of America to the best writing in a comedy or variety talk program. With the exception of 1998 in which no award was given, it has been presented annually since the 49th Writers Guild of America Awards in 1997 where Late Night with Conan O'Brien won the first award. From the award's creation, the category was dominated by Late Night with Conan O'Brien, winning six of the first nine awards. Recently, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has won the award the last four years in a row, and five times in the last six years.
Emily Elizabeth Heller is an American comedian, writer, actor and podcast host. Her stand-up comedy career includes two Comedy Central specials, two albums, and guest appearances on Conan, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. She is a writer and producer for the HBO series Barry.
Hacks is an American comedy-drama television series created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky that premiered on May 13, 2021, on HBO Max. Starring Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, and Carl Clemons-Hopkins, the series centers on the professional relationship between a young comedy writer and a legendary stand-up comedienne. The series received critical acclaim and won accolades including Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing, Outstanding Directing, and for Smart, Outstanding Lead Actress, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. In June 2021, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on May 12, 2022. In June 2022, the series was renewed for a third season, which is set to premiere in spring 2024.
The Writers Guild of America Award for Television: Comedy/Variety - Sketch Series is an award presented by the Writers Guild of America to the best writing in a comedy/variety sketch series, until 2015, sketch series competed along with comedy/variety talk programs in the category Television: Comedy-Variety Talk Series. In 2016, a separate category was added only for sketch series.
"There Is No Line" is the pilot episode of the American comedy-drama television series Hacks. It was directed by Lucia Aniello and co-written with Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky. The episode establishes the plot of the series, which centers comediennes from different generations who are thrust into a working relationship after separate circumstances threaten their careers. The episode premiered on streaming network HBO Max on May 13, 2021 with an approximate running time of 29 minutes.
Gabe Liedman is an American stand-up comedian, television writer, producer, and actor known for his work on PEN15, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Inside Amy Schumer. He is the showrunner of Netflix animation series Q-Force and the first season of PEN15.
The Writers Guild of America Award for Best Television Writing in a Comedy/Variety Specials is an award presented by the Writers Guild of America to the best written television comedy or variety specials. During the 70s, different categories were presented to recognize writing in comedy or variety specials until 1987, when the category Variety – Musical, Award, Tribute, Special Event started to be awarded, later being renamed to its current name, Comedy/Variety Special.
Ali Barthwell is an American writer. She reviews television for Vulture and is a staff writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, for which she won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.
The first season of American comedy-drama streaming series Hacks debuted on May 13, 2021, on HBO Max. The series was co-created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky. Starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, the season follows two comedians from different generations who forge a working relationship. Season one received critical acclaim and earned accolades including Primetime Emmy Awards for directing, writing, and acting.
