Abbi Jacobson

Abbi Jacobson Headshot

Comedian • Actress • Wrestler

Birth Date: February 1, 1984

Age: 40 years old

Birth Place: Wayne, Pennsylvania

Spouses: Jodi Balfour

As one of the creators, writers and breakout stars of the hit comedy series, "Broad City" (Comedy Central 2014-), Abbi Jacobson was part of a new generation of female comedy writers and performers who found success through their own creations. Along with her writing partner Ilana Glazer, the duo parlayed their 20-something experiences of being young, single and broke in New York City into a web series-turned-cable-comedy. Despite following other female-driven shows about singles in the big city, the series succeeds thanks to the duo's crackling onscreen chemistry and the outrageous yet rooted in reality story lines. Abbi Jacobson was born on Feb 1, 1985 in the Philadelphia suburb of Wayne, Pennsylvania. While in high school, she briefly dabbled in acting, taking Saturday classes at the Walnut Street Theatre and the Actor's Center in Philadelphia, but it was the visual arts that would be her first creative pursuit. She left her home state to attend the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she pursued a degree in fine arts and a minor in video, the latter of which would soon overshadow her art career. After graduating in 2006, Jacobson made the move to New York City to try her hand at dramatic acting, but quickly discovered that comedy was more her forte, after she learned about the comedy incubator Upright Citizens Brigade. Jacobson found her comedic voice in improv and sketch and trained with the Atlantic Acting Conservatory and the Magnet Theater in addition to the UCB. It was there that Abbi met her future writing partner, Ilana Glazer, when the two bonded as the only women in their improv group. What followed was the typical grind for struggling creatives. Their mindless and varied day jobs to pay the bills would become future plotlines of their comedy projects. After relentless auditioning, Jacobson still couldn't get a commercial agent, so she and Glazer decided the only way to break into the business was to create their own material. In 2009, they started a scripted web series based on their friendship called Broad City. With the help of their UCB friends, the crudely produced show eventually blossomed into an online hit. By 2011, the duo was finishing up their second season and had a pilot they were looking to shop around. In their pursuit to end the show's season with a bang, they asked one of their UCB teachers to see if UCB founder and one of its most famous alumni, Amy Poehler, would be a guest star on the show. Much to their surprise, Poehler said yes and even signed on to become the executive producer of the TV series. With a big name attached to the project, Jacobson and Glazer quit their jobs and flew to Los Angeles to pitch the series as a television show. While FX had originally taken interest, they eventually passed on the pilot until Comedy Central took up the reins and ordered ten episodes, which aired in 2014. Drawing heavily from their own experiences, the characters were based on exaggerated versions of themselves. With a strong background in improv, the two actresses played off each other in a loose form akin to "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO 2000-2011). Despite drawing strong comparisons to "Girls" (HBO 2012-) - another show about millennials figuring things out in New York City - the show steered away from drama and over-analysis and stuck to the brash and absurd. The series featured a mix of big name comic talent like Amy Poehler, Fred Armisen, Amy Sedaris, Jason Mantzoukas, Janeane Garofalo, Rachel Dratch and locals from the New York comic community. Jacobson's TV debut turned out to be an impressionable one, and the series was renewed for a second season. In addition to her comedy career, she was also a talented visual artist and illustrated two coloring books for Chronicle Books in 2013, as well as the illustrated humor book Carry This Book (2016), which reached the New York Times bestseller list. Continuing her re-engagement with her fine arts background, Jacobson began the podcast "A Piece of Work" in collaboration with the Museum of Modern Art and WNYC in 2017, in which she and her guests discussed various aspects and particular works of modern art. Also during this period, Jacobson appeared in a small role in comedy sequel "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising" (2016) before co-starring in indie drama "Person to Person" (2017) and animated comedy "The Lego Ninjago Movie" (2017). Continuing in animation, Jacobson collaborated with Matt Groening on adult-oriented cartoon "Disenchantment" (Netflix 2018- ), the story of an alcoholic fairy princess. In the fall of 2018, Jacobson published her second book, a collection of essays entitled I Might Regret This, written during a three-week cross-country road trip in 2017, following the breakup of her first serious relationship with another woman.

Credits

Mae Martin: SAPStream

Director
Stand-up
2023
80%

A League of Their OwnStream

Actor
Carson Shaw
Series
2022
95%

A League of Their OwnStream

Creator
Series
2022
95%

A League of Their OwnStream

Executive Producer
Series
2022
95%

Uma Equipe Muito Especial - 1a Temporada Trailer

Actor
Carson Shaw
Show
2022

Uma Equipe Muito Especial - 1a Temporada Trailer

Creator
Show
2022

Uma Equipe Muito Especial - 1a Temporada Trailer

Executive Producer
Show
2022

Above Average PresentsStream

Guest
Series
2022

CBS Mornings

Guest
News
2021

The Mitchells vs. the Machines

Voice
Katie Mitchell
Movie
2021

The Drew Barrymore ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2020

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
Show
2019

Julia Louis-Dreyfus: The Mark Twain Prize

Guest
Show
2018

Today 3rd Hour

Guest
Show
2018

DisenchantmentStream

Voice
Bean
Series
2018
65%

Caption Contest

Guest
Show
2018

6 Balloons

Actor
Katie
Movie
2018

Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs

Actor
Show
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
Talk
2017

The LEGO NINJAGO Movie

Voice
Nya
Movie
2017

Person to Person

Actor
Claire
Movie
2017

To Tell the TruthStream

Guest
Game Show
2016

ChelseaStream

Guest
Talk
2016
41%

The Master: A Lego Ninjago Short

Voice
Chicken
Movie
2016

The Daily Show with Trevor NoahStream

Guest
Talk
2015

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
Talk
2015

Pickle and PeanutStream

Guest Star
Sneaky Patty
Series
2015

The Chris Gethard ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2015

Lip Sync BattleStream

Contestant
Reality
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Guest
Talk
2015

Hot OnesStream

Guest Star
Reality
2015

Hack Into Broad City

Actor
Abbi Abrams
Show
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Guest
Talk
2014

Broad CityStream

Actor
Abbi Abrams
Series
2014
99%

Broad CityStream

Executive Producer
Series
2014
99%

Broad CityStream

Writer
Series
2014
99%

Getting Doug With High

Guest
Show
2013

Drunk HistoryStream

Guest Star
Series
2013

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
Talk
2012

LIVE with Kelly

Guest
Talk
2011

Dish Nation

Guest
Talk
2011

PortlandiaStream

Guest Star
Series
2011
94%

Bob's BurgersStream

Guest Voice
Megan
Series
2011

ConanStream

Guest
Talk
2010

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

RuPaul's Drag RaceStream

Guest
Series
2009

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
Talk
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
Talk
2003

Crank YankersStream

Guest
Series
2002

Crank YankersStream

Guest Voice
Series
2002

The Daily Show With Jon StewartStream

Guest
Talk
1999

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

Late Show With David Letterman

Guest
Talk
1993

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Today

Guest
News
1952

News aboutAbbi Jacobson

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