The Last Laugh ‘Hacks’ Creators: Emmys, Colbert, and What’s Next for Deborah and Ava
Aug 13, 2025
Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky, the creative trio behind the Emmy-nominated series ‘Hacks’, dive into their show's striking parallels with real-life events, like Stephen Colbert's struggles. They discuss the critical role of late-night TV, the creative tensions between art and corporate pressures, and how they landed Jimmy Kimmel for a hilarious guest spot. With engaging anecdotes about casting and character dynamics, they also tease what to expect in Season 5, especially the anticipation around Deborah and Ava's relationship.
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Late Night Is Comedy’s Training Ground
- Late-night TV serves as a cultural pipeline and training ground for comedians and writers.
- Corporate consolidation and tech disruption threaten that pipeline and reshape creative incentives.
Art Versus Commerce Drives Deborah’s Arc
- Hacks positioned Deborah's late-night arc to explore the tension between art and commerce.
- The show explicitly links corporate pressure from tech and conglomerates to creative compromises and ethical choices.
How Jimmy Kimmel Ended Up On Hacks
- Jimmy Kimmel agreed to play a bully version of himself and contributed jokes to the scene.
- The creators cast him because he felt like the funniest person to intimidate Deborah and made the late-night rivalry feel authentic.