Sarah Silverman's Real Name: Sarah Silverman
Sarah Silverman → Sarah Silverman
Quick answer: The comedian and actress is known professionally as Sarah Silverman. Encyclopedia.com dates her birth to December 1, 1970, in Bedford, New Hampshire, and uses the name Sarah Silverman. The Television Academy independently lists a birthday of December 1 and a birthplace of Bedford, New Hampshire, also without a longer legal form (Encyclopedia.com; Television Academy).
Real name and early life
She is known professionally as Sarah Silverman. Because neither Encyclopedia.com nor the Television Academy supplies a longer birth name, this page titles the public name. Encyclopedia.com places the birth on December 1, 1970, in Bedford, New Hampshire, an affluent suburb of Manchester, and names her parents as Donald, a clothing store owner, and BethAnn, a college theater director. It says she was the last of four daughters, attended New York University around 1988-89, began stand-up in New York in the late 1980s, and appeared on Comic Strip Live in the early 1990s. The Television Academy confirms December 1 and Bedford, New Hampshire, without a year.
Career highlights
Encyclopedia.com says producers for Saturday Night Live saw her work and she joined the NBC series for the 1993-94 season as a writer and performer, appearing only briefly in a few skits. The Television Academy independently says she rose to fame as a writer and occasional performer on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s. Both sources record The Sarah Silverman Program on Comedy Central; Encyclopedia.com dates the series from 2007. The Academy lists film roles including There's Something About Mary, School of Rock, Heartbreakers, School for Scoundrels, and Rent, a featured turn on HBO's Mr. Show with Bob and David, and a 2003 Primetime Emmy for outstanding original music and lyrics for Jimmy Kimmel Live. Encyclopedia.com independently lists those films among others, plus the 2005 film of her one-woman show Jesus Is Magic. The Academy also records two Emmy wins and 12 nominations overall, including 2025 nominations for the Netflix special Sarah Silverman: PostMortem.
Name notes for searchers
Sarah Silverman is the professional name used by both Encyclopedia.com and the Television Academy. Searchers looking for The Sarah Silverman Program, Jesus Is Magic, or her Saturday Night Live season are usually aiming at the same person.
FAQ
What is Sarah Silverman's real name?
She is known professionally as Sarah Silverman. The Encyclopedia.com and Television Academy sources used here do not give a longer legal form.
When and where was she born?
December 1, 1970, in Bedford, New Hampshire, according to Encyclopedia.com. The Television Academy confirms December 1 and Bedford, New Hampshire, without a year.
What was her early television break?
Saturday Night Live, as a writer and performer in the 1993-94 season, according to Encyclopedia.com. The Television Academy also highlights that SNL work.
Did she win an Emmy?
Yes. The Television Academy lists a 2003 Primetime Emmy for outstanding original music and lyrics for Jimmy Kimmel Live, and a career total of two Emmy wins and 12 nominations.