History of Sarah Silverman in Timeline

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Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer. She gained initial recognition as a writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live. Silverman is best known for starring in and producing The Sarah Silverman Program on Comedy Central, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Her work often involves observational humor, satire, and tackling controversial topics.

1 day ago : Sarah Silverman's 'PortMortem' Special: Grief, Masturbation, and a Father's Tribute Explored.

Sarah Silverman's new Netflix special, 'PortMortem,' delves into Jewish grief and masturbation. She pays tribute to her father, while Noa Kirel begins a TV drama role. Silverman's work receives mixed reviews.

1937: Birth of Donald Silverman

In 1937, Donald Silverman, Sarah Silverman's father, was born.

1941: Birth of Beth Ann Halpin

In 1941, Beth Ann (née Halpin), Sarah Silverman's mother, was born.

December 1, 1970: Sarah Silverman's Birth

On December 1, 1970, Sarah Kate Silverman was born. She is an American stand-up comedian, actress, and writer.

1988: Dated Kevin Brennan

In 1988, Sarah Silverman dated comedian Kevin Brennan.

1989: Graduation from The Derryfield School

In 1989, Sarah Silverman graduated from The Derryfield School in Manchester.

1992: Beginning of Stand-Up Career

In 1992, Sarah Silverman started her stand-up career.

1993: Saturday Night Live

In 1993, Sarah Silverman began her stint as a writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live during its 19th season.

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1993: Saturday Night Live writer and player

In 1993, Sarah Silverman joined Saturday Night Live as a writer and featured player for its 1993-94 season.

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1994: Departure from Saturday Night Live

In 1994, Sarah Silverman ended her time as a writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live.

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1995: Mr. Show

From 1995 to 1997, Sarah Silverman starred in the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show.

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1996: The Larry Sanders Show

In 1996, Sarah Silverman appeared on The Larry Sanders Show episode "The New Writer".

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1996: Star Trek: Voyager Guest Appearance

In 1996, Sarah Silverman made a guest appearance on Star Trek: Voyager in the two-part time-travel episode "Future's End".

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July 3, 1997: Late Show with David Letterman Debut

On July 3, 1997, Sarah Silverman made her network stand-up comedy debut on the Late Show with David Letterman.

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1997: Seinfeld Guest Appearance

In 1997, Sarah Silverman appeared on Seinfeld in the episode "The Money".

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1997: Who's the Caboose?

In 1997, Sarah Silverman had the leading role in the independent film Who's the Caboose?

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2001: Controversy Over Racial Slur

In 2001, Sarah Silverman used the racial slur "chink" in an ironic fashion during a TV interview with Conan O'Brien. Guy Aoki of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) publicly objected, leading to an open discussion on "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher." Silverman defended the joke without apologizing.

2002: Began Dating Jimmy Kimmel

In 2002, Sarah Silverman began dating Jimmy Kimmel. She referred to the relationship in some of her comedy, joking about him being Catholic.

2002: V.I.P. and Greg the Bunny Guest Appearances

In 2002, Sarah Silverman made guest appearances on V.I.P. in the episode "48+1⁄2 Hours", and as a series regular on Greg the Bunny.

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2003: School of Rock

In 2003, Sarah Silverman acted in the movie School of Rock.

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2005: Performed "Jesus is Magic" routine

In 2005, Sarah Silverman performed "Jesus is Magic" routine, where she joked about killing Jesus: "I'm glad the Jews killed Jesus. I'd do it again!" In 2019, she received death wishes from two Baptist pastors over the routine.

2005: Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic Release

In 2005, Sarah Silverman released her concert film, Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic.

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2006: Maxim Hot 100 List

In 2006, Sarah Silverman was placed 50th on Maxim's Hot 100 List.

February 2007: The Sarah Silverman Program Debut

In February 2007, The Sarah Silverman Program, a television sitcom starring Sarah Silverman, debuted on Comedy Central.

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June 2007: Jokes at MTV Movie Awards

During the MTV Movie Awards in June 2007, which she hosted, Sarah Silverman joked in her opening monologue about Paris Hilton going to jail for violating probation on an alcohol-related drunk-driving conviction, making Hilton – who was in the live audience – noticeably uncomfortable. She later apologized for the jokes.

June 2007: MTV Movie Awards Hosting

In June 2007, Sarah Silverman hosted the MTV Movie Awards, making controversial comments about Paris Hilton.

September 2007: MTV Video Music Awards Appearance

In September 2007, Sarah Silverman appeared at the MTV Video Music Awards, mocking Britney Spears' comeback performance.

2007: Maxim Hot 100 List and Cover Appearance

In 2007, Sarah Silverman placed 29th on Maxim's Hot 100 List and appeared on the cover.

2007: The Sarah Silverman Program Premiere

In 2007, The Sarah Silverman Program, starring and produced by Sarah Silverman, premiered on Comedy Central.

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2007: Blackface Sketch on The Sarah Silverman Program

In a 2007 episode of "The Sarah Silverman Program", her character wore blackface and said, "I look like the beautiful Queen Latifah."

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2007: Discussed Bedwetting

In a 2007 interview, Sarah Silverman stated she had struggled with bedwetting from the time she was young until well into her teens and stated, that she had wet the bed recently.

January 2008: "I'm Fucking Matt Damon" Video

In January 2008, Sarah Silverman appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to show a video called "I'm Fucking Matt Damon", a duet with Matt Damon about having an affair behind Kimmel's back.

July 2008: Split with Jimmy Kimmel

In July 2008, Vanity Fair reported that Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel had split.

September 13, 2008: Creative Arts Emmy Award

On September 13, 2008, Sarah Silverman won a Creative Arts Emmy Award for writing the song "I'm Fucking Matt Damon".

October 2008: Reconciliation with Jimmy Kimmel

In October 2008, the media reported that Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel were on "the road back to being together".

March 2009: Final Split with Jimmy Kimmel

In March 2009, after attending the wedding of Howard Stern and Beth Ostrosky, Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel split again.

2009: Appeared in Strange Powers documentary

In 2009, Sarah Silverman appeared in Strange Powers, a documentary about Stephin Merritt and his band The Magnetic Fields.

April 2010: Publication of "The Bedwetter" Autobiography

In April 2010, Sarah Silverman's autobiography, titled "The Bedwetter", was published, exploring the subject of bedwetting as well as other personal stories from her life.

2010: Dated Alec Sulkin Briefly

In 2010, Sarah Silverman dated Family Guy's executive producer Alec Sulkin for a brief while.

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2010: The Bedwetter Autobiography Release

In 2010, Sarah Silverman released her autobiography, The Bedwetter.

2010: Publication of The Bedwetter

In 2010, Sarah Silverman's comic memoir, The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee, was published.

2010: The Sarah Silverman Program Ended

In 2010, The Sarah Silverman Program concluded its run on Comedy Central.

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2011: Take This Waltz

In 2011, Sarah Silverman starred in the film Take This Waltz.

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September 20, 2012: Public Service Announcement on Voter ID Laws

On September 20, 2012, Sarah Silverman made a public service announcement (PSA) criticizing new voter identification laws.

2012: Susan in 313 Pilot

In 2012, Sarah Silverman starred in a pilot for NBC called Susan in 313, which was ordered for the 2012-2013 season but ultimately not picked up.

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2012: Wreck-It Ralph

In 2012, Sarah Silverman voiced Vanellope von Schweetz in Wreck-It Ralph.

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2012: Voicing Vanellope von Schweetz in Wreck-It Ralph

In 2012, Sarah Silverman voiced Vanellope von Schweetz in the Disney animated film Wreck-It Ralph.

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2012: Take This Waltz Distribution

In summer 2012, Take This Waltz, starring Sarah Silverman, was picked up by Magnolia for U.S. distribution.

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March 10, 2013: Jash Channel Premiere

On March 10, 2013, the Jash comedy channel, co-created by Sarah Silverman, premiered online.

2013: HBO Announces Silverman to Star in "People in New Jersey" Pilot

In 2013, HBO announced that Sarah Silverman would star alongside Patti LuPone and Topher Grace in the situation comedy pilot "People in New Jersey," which was produced by Lorne Michaels of SNL. However, the pilot was not picked up for a series order.

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2013: Susan in 313 Not Picked Up

In 2013, the pilot for the NBC show Susan in 313, starring Sarah Silverman, was not picked up for the season.

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May 30, 2014: A Million Ways to Die in the West Release

On May 30, 2014, A Million Ways to Die in the West, starring Sarah Silverman, was released.

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August 2014: Relationship with Michael Sheen Acknowledged

At the Emmy Awards in August 2014, Sarah Silverman acknowledged she and Welsh actor Michael Sheen were in a relationship.

December 2014: Attendance at Western Wall menorah lighting

In December 2014, Sarah Silverman was in attendance when women lit menorahs at the Western Wall for the first time.

2014: A Million Ways to Die in the West

In 2014, Sarah Silverman acted in the movie A Million Ways to Die in the West.

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2014: Statement on Marriage

In 2014, Sarah Silverman tweeted: "Just read that I wanna get married which is hilarious b/c I will never get married," adding, "Why would I want the govt involved in my love life? Ew. It's barbaric."

September 2015: Signed Open Letter for Women's Focus in Development

In September 2015, Sarah Silverman signed an open letter collected by the ONE Campaign, addressed to Angela Merkel and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, urging them to prioritize women in development funding as they headed the G7 in Germany and the African Union in Ethiopia, respectively, prior to a UN summit.

2015: Death of Beth Ann Silverman

In 2015, Beth Ann Silverman (née Halpin), Sarah Silverman's mother, passed away.

2015: Screen Actors Guild Award Nomination

In 2015, Sarah Silverman was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for her lead role in I Smile Back.

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2015: Endorsed Bernie Sanders for President

In 2015, leading up to the 2016 US presidential election, Sarah Silverman endorsed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for President of the United States, saying: "He says what he means and he means what he says and he's not for sale."

2015: Silverman Considered for Voice Acting Role in RWBY's Volume 2

In 2015, prior to the premiere of RWBY's Volume 2, the show's staff considered Sarah Silverman for the voice acting role of Neopolitan. However, according to the show's companion book, the voice acting role "never solidified."

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July 2016: Hospitalized with Epiglottitis

In July 2016, Sarah Silverman spent a week in the intensive care unit at Cedars Sinai Hospital with epiglottitis.

2016: Political Activism

During the 2016 United States presidential election, Sarah Silverman became increasingly politically active, initially campaigning for Bernie Sanders and later supporting Hillary Clinton at the 2016 Democratic National Convention.

2016: Supported Hillary Clinton at Democratic National Convention

In 2016, after initially supporting Sanders, Sarah Silverman spoke in support of Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention. She urged Sanders supporters to back Clinton, saying: "To the 'Bernie or Bust' people, you're being ridiculous".

2017: Host of "I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman"

From 2017 to 2018, Sarah Silverman hosted the Hulu streaming television late-night talk show "I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman."

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2017: Battle of the Sexes

In 2017, Sarah Silverman acted in the film Battle of the Sexes.

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2017: Prioritized Career Over Motherhood

In 2017, Sarah Silverman said that she has prioritized her artistic career, constantly on tour, instead of motherhood.

2017: Silverman Reflects on Racial Slur Controversy

In 2017, Sarah Silverman stated in an interview in the docu-series, "The History of Comedy", that she learned from the experience of using a racial slur in 2001, including that her comedy style isn't for everyone, but she does not want to be viewed as racist because that was not her intent.

February 2018: Breakup with Michael Sheen

In February 2018, Sarah Silverman said that she and Michael Sheen had broken up over the holidays.

2018: Hosting "I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman" Concludes

From 2017 to 2018, Sarah Silverman hosted the Hulu streaming television late-night talk show "I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman."

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2018: Ralph Breaks the Internet

In 2018, Sarah Silverman reprised her role as Vanellope von Schweetz in the sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet.

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2018: End of I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman

In late 2018, Sarah Silverman's Hulu late-night talk show I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman ended.

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October 10, 2019: Featured in "Laughing Matters" Documentary

On October 10, 2019, Sarah Silverman was featured in a 30-minute YouTube documentary called "Laughing Matters," created by SoulPancake in collaboration with Funny or Die, where a variety of comedians discussed mental health.

2019: Death Wishes Over "Jesus is Magic" Routine

In 2019, Sarah Silverman received death wishes from two Baptist pastors over her 2005 routine "Jesus is Magic", where she joked about killing Jesus: "I'm glad the Jews killed Jesus. I'd do it again!" In response, Silverman condemned the pastors and the "manipulation of what can be true".

2019: Fired From Film Due to Resurfaced Blackface Sketch

Sarah Silverman said in 2019 that a resurfaced still from the 2007 blackface sketch of "The Sarah Silverman Program" had recently caused her to be fired from an unnamed film.

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September 23, 2020: Encouraged Voter ID Education

On September 23, 2020, Sarah Silverman encouraged her Instagram followers to contact VoteRiders, a voter ID education organization, to ensure they had the necessary ID to vote.

October 2020: Launch of "The Sarah Silverman Podcast"

In October 2020, after being unable to do stand-up shows during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sarah Silverman launched "The Sarah Silverman Podcast." In the podcast, she discusses topics ranging from her personal life to societal issues, politics, and current events, as well as responding to listener call-ins.

November 17, 2020: Relationship with Rory Albanese Revealed

On November 17, 2020, on Howard Stern's SiriusXM radio show, Sarah Silverman stated she was dating Rory Albanese, the former showrunner of "The Daily Show."

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2020: Endorsed Bernie Sanders Again

In 2020, Sarah Silverman again endorsed Bernie Sanders and campaigned for him for the US presidential election.

2021: Criticism for Britney Spears Jokes

In 2021, Sarah Silverman faced renewed criticism for mocking Britney Spears' "slutty clothes" and calling her two sons "adorable mistakes" at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. Silverman expressed regret over her remarks and claimed that she had not seen Spears' performance before taking the stage in the wake of the documentary "Framing Britney Spears."

July 10, 2022: "The Bedwetter" Musical Run Concludes

In 2022, Sarah Silverman adapted "The Bedwetter" into an off-Broadway musical, for which she wrote the book and lyrics. The production premiered at the Atlantic Theatre Company's Linda Gross Theatre and ran from April 30 through July 10, 2022. Silverman received Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for her work.

2022: The Bedwetter Musical Adaptation

In 2022, Sarah Silverman adapted her autobiography The Bedwetter into an off-Broadway musical.

2022: Revealed Misophonia Diagnosis

In 2022, Sarah Silverman revealed on her own podcast that she has misophonia, having first noticed it when she was a teenager.

July 2023: Sued OpenAI and Meta Platforms

In July 2023, Sarah Silverman and two other authors sued the tech companies OpenAI and Meta Platforms, alleging that their language models ChatGPT and LLaMA were trained on the plaintiffs' books without permission or compensation and that they had obtained said books through an illegal venue.

October 2023: Support for Israel During Gaza War and DSA Departure

In October 2023, Sarah Silverman posted several social media posts and stories in support of Israel during the Gaza war. She also left the Democratic Socialists of America after being a member for several years, citing their published response to the initial Hamas attacks and lack of support for Israel.

2023: Criticism for Social Media Post During Gaza War

During the Gaza war in 2023, Sarah Silverman was criticized for sharing an Instagram post on her story that supported Israel's restriction of food, water and electricity to Gaza. Silverman later took the post down, claiming she had not read it in full before posting.

2023: Death of Donald Silverman

In 2023, Donald Silverman, Sarah Silverman's father, passed away.

2023: Premiere of "Someone You Love" Comedy Special

In 2023, Sarah Silverman's hour-long stand-up comedy special, "Someone You Love", premiered on the HBO streaming service Max. The special, filmed at the Wilbur Theater in Boston, debuted her new song, "Something to Tell You", and received a Golden Globe nomination, and won the Writers Guild of American Award for Outstanding Comedy/Variety Special.

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February 2024: Hosting "Stupid Pet Tricks" Begins

In February 2024, Sarah Silverman began hosting "Stupid Pet Tricks," a TV series on TBS. This comedy variety show is based on David Letterman's popular segment on his "The Late Show with David Letterman". The series give pet owners a chance to showcase their own pet's silly antics, and will have a ten-episode first season.

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