Leifer revealed that her big break came when she got the opportunity to write for “Saturday Night Live” in the mid-80s. She recalled the “weird year” at SNL, which featured a unique cast that included the likes of Robert Downey Jr. and Randy Quaid. Leifer’s meeting with SNL creator Lorne Michaels turned out to be an unconventional audition process, with Michaels informing her that he didn’t do well at formal meetings but liked her work. This led to Leifer’s first writing gig on the show.
Despite enjoying her time on SNL, Leifer soon realized that she wanted to return to stand-up comedy. However, her career took an unexpected turn when she received a call from Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld in 1993. They offered her a writing job on “Seinfeld,” a show that had already garnered a huge following. Leifer admitted that her lack of experience in sitcom writing was what caught David and Seinfeld’s attention, as they wanted fresh perspectives.
One of the standout episodes that Leifer wrote for “Seinfeld” was the memorable “Marble Rye” episode. She revealed that the idea for the episode was inspired by a friend from high school who recounted a funny incident involving a couple wanting to take back a bread they brought over to someone’s house. Leifer pitched the idea to Larry David, who loved it and immediately greenlit the episode. The “Marble Rye” episode remains a fan favorite, featuring George Costanza’s hilarious attempts to return the rye without getting caught.
Leifer also praised the casting choices on “Seinfeld,” not just for the main characters but also for the smaller roles. She mentioned Grace Zabriskie and Warren Frost, who portrayed George’s fiancee’s parents, as guest actors who brought an incredible level of talent to the show.
During the conversation, Leifer expressed her admiration for the collaborative nature of working on “Seinfeld.” She mentioned that writers had the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the production process, including casting decisions and script revisions. This level of involvement made the writing experience on the show feel immersive and gave writers a sense of responsibility towards the final product.
Leifer’s time on “Seinfeld” was filled with memorable experiences, and she shared a couple of personal anecdotes. One involved a can of “Beeferoni,” which was a prop used in an episode. Leifer had kept the can as a collector’s item but unfortunately forgot to move it when she changed residences, and it was accidentally thrown away. She jokingly lamented the loss, predicting that someday, the can could become a valuable item.
Overall, Carol Leifer‘s appearance on Conan O’Brien‘s show provided fans with fascinating insights into her career as a writer and her time on the beloved sitcom “Seinfeld.” Her stories and anecdotes added another layer of appreciation for the iconic series and showcased the fun and collaborative environment that made it a success.
