CLAS Alumni Fellows Program and The University of Iowa Lecture Committee presents:

Fragment to Focus: Making Sense of a Career in Entertainment

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Iowa Theater, IMU
Tickets: Free and open to the public.

The mythos of "Hollywood" has evolved from the world of the silver screen to a dynamic landscape of YouTube, streamers, phones and content creation. One constant is true: the entertainment industry exists in a constant state of flux. What lies ahead for graduating students looking to make a career in this exciting space is anyone's guess, but doing the work can prepare you for whatever the industry demands.

Through anecdotes, real-world advice and everything else in between, Late Night with Seth Meyers producer and '99 UI alumnus Eric Leiderman, this year's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Alumni Fellow, will share his personal and professional experience to help students navigate the realities of this ever-shifting industry.

About Eric

Upon graduating with a degree in Communication Studies, Eric pursued both his passions of music and comedy simultaneously, hoping to balance living in both worlds professionally.

He formed his own original bands and navigated the NYC and LA rock scenes; ultimately landing a drumming gig with Pearl Aday and Scott Ian, touring the US and as direct support for Velvet Revolver and Meat Loaf in the UK and Europe.

On the comedy front, he began his career at The Daily Show and Ellen, later adding senior credits with Borat and The Showbiz Show with David Spade among others. Leiderman produced or wrote for numerous shows in Los Angeles for 14 years before coming back to New York to run Impractical Jokers in 2013.

Leiderman has co-run NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers as Producer since the show's 2014 debut, overseeing multiple departments on a creative and managerial level. Additionally, he managed The 8G Band (led by Fred Armisen) and created the weekly rotating drummer program where he booked over 250 of the best musicians in the world.

Presented by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Alumni Fellows program, supported by the Department of Communication Studies’ Leah R. Vande Berg Alumni Lecture in Media Studies, in collaboration with the University Lecture Committee.