Interview with Laura Silverman

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Laura Silverman, the delightful co-star of The Sarah Silverman Program on Comedy Central and sister of comic Sarah, answers questions about Jews in New Hampshire, Jimmy Kimmel, and being a bad-ass.

How is working with your sister on a daily basis? Do you ever have to call each other on diva like behavior?
Well, I can't really call her on it, cause technically she's my boss. It's totally fun, we get along really well in general and love to make each other laugh so it's perfect, and we're kind of a huggy family so it's nice to have each other there for support, too. We're also so different in our acting styles, and big fans of each other's work, so there's no competition or anything.

What has been your favorite episode/scene/or quote of the show so far?
I would definitely have to say the classroom scene in the AIDS episode. It's so brilliant in so many ways and still just perfectly ridiculous. And Sarah acted it so well. That scene just kills me.

There are four sisters in your family- what sister are you? What is your role in the family?
Sarah and Jody are really close in age, so I'm the middle sister all the way. I'm the one everyone turns to for advice or support. My sisters call me the Buddha.

What was it like growing up in New Hampshire?
Cold. Very cold. We were outsiders in a way, because for one thing there's not much of a Jewish population where we lived, and even though we weren't religious at all, people definitely were looking for our horns. The funny part was we didn't even really understand it. But mostly we were different because our parents are very outspoken liberal democrats and that's not very common there. New Hampshire is surprisingly cultural though, some of the best regional theaters are there, it's very close to Boston, which is an awesome city, and there are a lot of artisan communities up north.

How long have you been in Los Angeles for? Thoughts on LA?
I've been here for ten years, and I like it well enough. The weather's nice but I find when I'm noticing the weather it means things aren't going too well professionally. I love to work (as an actress) more than anything, so if I'm working I like it anywhere!

Out of the four of you who is the biggest bad-ass?
Sarah's a tough cookie, I admire the way she stands up for herself on a regular basis. She has a lot of confidence and it's a great quality. But I think I could take her in a fight.

Are your parents funny?
Yeah, they're pretty funny! And they totally appreciate our brand of humor, which is nice. I'm sure not all parents would.

What are your long-term hopes for the show?
Well, we just got picked up for fourteen more, which is great, and if that is the end of it, it's fine. I never think too far ahead because you never know what will happen, and I also don't think longevity is that important. For example, the Comeback only lasted one season but that season has a great arc and a great finale. We all would have loved to have done more but it's still sort of perfect as it is. I hope this show stays around but I also always get excited about what I'll get to do next. But still, in this business, it sure is nice to have a job. I'm grateful for everything I get to do!

Do you get along with Jimmy Kimmel? And do you have a boyfriend or husband- does Sarah get along with them or are they enemies like in the show? Is your police officer boyfriend in the show based on anyone you dated in the past?
I get along great with Jimmy, we really have a nice friendship and we definitely think of each other as family. Jimmy is the biggest mensch you could imagine. A real stand up guy, so thoughtful and generous. My older sister has five kids, and every Chanukah he sends them eight gifts each, all carefully picked out. That's Jimmy in a nutshell.

I am single at the moment, though rest assured I have no shortage of suitors. I'm kind of enjoying being on my own right now, so if I end up with someone he'd have to be really right for me. I don't find myself wishing I had a boyfriend, but it would be nice to stumble upon real love again. It's fun to be in love, and I do kind of long to have someone else to take care of besides myself. I really enjoy that aspect of a relationship. As for Jay he's great to act with, he's talented and super sexy so I don't have to pretend he's someone else to get all moony-eyed over him. But, no, I've never dated a goofy, dumb cop!

The Sarah Silverman Program airs Thursday nights at 10:30 and throughout the week.

Photo provided by Laura Silverman