Meet Alex Friedman | Comedy Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alex Friedman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alex, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Just how many people it takes to get a show on the air. I worked as a footage researcher for a couple years at Late Night with Seth Meyers, which basically meant I was watching cable news and scouring the internet for funny and topical clips every day, particularly for the political segment, “A Closer Look.” When people would ask me what I did there, the most common response was “I never even realized that was a job.” And before I had it, I don’t think I did either. You turn on your TV and see a simple set with one guy behind a desk, so it might seem small, but hundreds of people work there. I think this is particularly important in light of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes; not only are the writers and actors impacted by the studios’ unwillingness to negotiate, but so is everyone around them, from the cue card guy to the production accountant to the footage researcher.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Some things happened very quickly, and other things have taken a lot of time. Like a lot of people, I was unemployed and living with my parents during the first year of the pandemic, and once I had tie dyed my entire wardrobe (and that of my parents) I took up front-facing videos. It sounds silly to say, but I attribute so much of my career growth to Twitter (pre-Musk, I must add). I had one video go viral and that led to people seeing other ones I had done, which led to getting a manager and important people reading my work for the first time, which is the part that seems fast. But until then and since then it’s also been a slog. I have written lots of pilots and specs and features, taken improv, wrote and directed sketches, studied screenwriting, had tons of general meetings, pitched original ideas, and that’s all been over the course of many years. That’s the part that isn’t unique to me and is cliché, but it takes time! I think what I’m most excited about is making my writing more personal and hopefully, eventually, getting to share that with people. I am a southern-born Jewish woman, which isn’t a perspective I’ve gotten to see on TV before. We exist! And we say things other than, “Oy, I overcooked the brisket!”

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is my favorite question, and it is because I am a born-and-raised hostess. I’ve only been in LA two years, but it feels like home. Here’s a perfect LA weekend for you, pretending there’s no traffic or I can just take Zaslav’s helicopter. Friday: Breakfast in Venice at Great White, a stroll along the boardwalk, see the canals and Abbott Kinney, grab a bite at Gjusta for lunch, drive up to El Matador Beach in Malibu for afternoon and sunset, dinner at Laurel Hardware in West Hollywood, and end the night with an “& friends” show at Largo. Saturday: Morning hike in Griffith Park, All Time for brunch and people watching, the Los Feliz Flea, afternoon coffee and snack at Canyon Coffee in Echo Park, then shower because you smell bad at this point. For dinner, Bacetti in Echo Park or Bacari in Silverlake, followed by drinks in the what I have at this moment deemed the tri-bar area (Black Cat, 4100, Bar Stella.) Sunday: Atwater Farmers Market, pastry and coffee from Clark Street, and if it’s not too hot, sit outside at Barnsdall Art Park. If it’s too hot, find a friend with a pool, and go there. During the week, I love going to under-the-radar comedy shows like Better Half at Bar Bandini. It’s a free parking lot show and–shit, I’ve said too much.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d love to dedicate my shoutout to my entire very supportive family, and in particular my niece, who at age 4 is destined to be one of the greatest performers of her generation. Shoutout as well to Ms. Fields (my teacher, not the cookie lady), Mr. Adams, and Alex Baze, the head writer at Late Night with Seth Meyers who let me write my first joke for television.

Website: www.alexfriedman.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kosherhotdogz/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kosherhotdogz

Image Credits
Allie Hine