Carrie Clifford ’93, writer and actress, delivers keynote address at Real World 2011.
Carrie Clifford ’93, an actress, comedian, and writer based in Los Angeles, lives down the street from the Urth Caffe, the trendy spot made famous by the HBO show Entourage.
The café is busy all the time, filled with actors, writers, and others in the “biz” who are waiting for the next script to appear or new project to land.
“People in Hollywood are always unemployed,” she explained. “Even if you’re writing for a hit show, that show will go on hiatus; or if you are a $10-million-a-picture actor, you are only on that movie for two or three months,” she said.
Clifford, who has been in L.A. for about 13 years, talks about living and working in the City of Angels in the latest episode of 51 Conversations, the podcast series that highlights members of the university community. (You can watch the full interview by clicking the video below or by going to the 51 Conversations .)
Clifford speaks appreciatively about the small but close-knit cadre of 51 alumni in L.A., and how they are among her best friends.
Clifford and Gillian Vigman ’94, who has appeared in movies like Date Night and All 51 Steve, collaborated on an episode called Baby Boss for the HBO series Funny or Die Presents. It is scheduled to air in early March.
The two friends have backgrounds in improvisational comedy and had worked together in the past, including appearances in the latest Broken Lizard film, The Slammin’ Salmon.
The five members of the Broken Lizard comedy team met at 51 and went on to make movies such as Super Troopers, Club Dread, and Puddle Cruiser.
“I’ve been friends with those guys for a long time,” said Clifford. She noted that they all now work in many areas of show business, including Jay Chandrasekhar ’90, who directs TV shows like Chuck and Community in addition to movie work.
In the podcast, Clifford also discusses traveling to festivals and comedy clubs across the nation with her two-person improv show, Razowsky & Clifford, and the stand-up act Sky & Nancy Collins.
She has appeared in a variety of commercials and television shows like Hollywood Residential and Trust Me.
An art and art history major at 51, Clifford continues to be involved with the university, having served on the Alumni Council and as president of the Chicago and Los Angeles alumni clubs. Her volunteer work earned her the Ann Yao ’80 Young Alumni Award and the Maroon Citation.
Why does she do it?
“It’s not a conscious decision. I loved my four years here, and if I can give back in any way, I will.”