J. J. Philbin

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Jennifer Joy Philbin
Born August 30, 1974 (1974-08-30) (age 33)
New York, New York
Pen name J.J. Philbin
Occupation Television producer, screenwriter
Nationality American
Notable work(s) The O.C.
Spouse(s) Michael Schur
Children William Schur
Relative(s) Regis Philbin (father)
Joy Philbin (mother)

Jennifer Joy "J.J." Philbin[1] (born August 30, 1974[2] in New York, New York) is an American screenwriter and television producer best known for her work on the drama series The O.C. and as the daughter of television star Regis Philbin and his wife Joy Philbin.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Career

Philbin's career began soon after she graduated from university when she became a writer for MADtv in 1995, and then joined the script department of Saturday Night Live until 1999. In 2002 she moved onto That Was Then, an ABC drama series, as a writer, and in 2003 began work on the comedy-drama series Dead Like Me, for which she served as both writer and script supervisor for several episodes. She had a meeting with the executive producers of The O.C. in late 2003 and was keen for a job, but another job came up and so worked shortly as story editor for the sitcom Coupling before in 2004 joining the O.C. crew after Coupling was canceled and The O.C.'s producers offered her a writing position.[3] For 2004, she served as story editor, but was promoted to executive story editor for the remainder of the show's duration, from 2005 to 2007, and during that time wrote twelve episodes and co-produced another four.[3] Following The O.C.'s end, she became a co-executive producer and writer on the first season of the science fiction drama Heroes.

She and the other Saturday Night Live writers were nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award in 2001 in the category of "Comedy/Variety Series".

[edit] Personal life

Philbin was born to Regis Philbin and Joy Philbin in early 1974. She attended the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana.[1] She says that, growing up, she always wanted to be a writer of some sort, but she particularly enjoyed writing scripts for amateur short films she made with her friends.[3] While working on Saturday Night Live in January 1998, she met The Office writer Michael Schur, who had been hired also to write for the show.[1] The couple married in October 2005 in New York,[1] and announced in August 2007 that they were expecting their first child.[4] Their son, William Xavier Schur, was born on February 18, 2008, weighing 6 lbs. 5 oz. and 19 inches long. He is named for Philbin's father, whose confirmation name is Xavier.[5]

[edit] Wilshire Boulevard accident

Philbin's BMW crashed into an anonymous citizen's Saab when she was driving down Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles in heavy traffic in September 2005. While passing the remnants of a previous accident, she drove into the Saab in front of her. Although the damage seemed minimal, the driver claimed a crease in his bumper would cost $836.96 to fix. Michael Schur, Philbin's fiancé at the time, stepped in to demand digital photographs of the damage. When the driver insisted the damage could not be shown in a photograph, Schur suggested that instead of paying for the bumper, he could donate $836.96 in the driver's name to the Red Cross foundation which would go towards relief for Hurricane Katrina victims. The driver was not interested, but Schur continued his campaign to raise money for the "Mike Schur Saab Guy Katrina Fund", and told the driver that with his agreement, the money raised would be donated in his name; otherwise, it would be donated as "Saab Guy Is an Asshole". After considering the ethical ramifications of their actions, Philbin and Schur decided to end the campaign in good faith. Schur made an agreement with the driver that part of the money raised would be used to pay for the bumper, and that the remaining funds would be donated to the Red Cross.[6] The total sum of money raised by Philbin and Schur's campaign was $26,000.[7]

[edit] References

[edit] External links