Akiva Schaffer

Akiva Daniel Shebar Schaffer (born December 1, 1977 in Berkeley, California) is an American writer, producer, director, comedian, actor, and rapper best known as one half of the pioneering comedy‑music trio The Lonely Island. Raised by Jewish parents who had migrated from New York, Schaffer graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2000 with a film degree, after which he moved to Los Angeles with childhood friends Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone to create low‑budget comedy shorts for the cult platform Channel 101. Their distinctive blend of absurdist sketch humor and rap‑heavy music quickly attracted attention, leading to a breakthrough in 2005 when the trio were hired by Saturday Night Live to write and produce the now‑iconic Digital Shorts, including “Lazy Sunday,” “I Just Had Sex,” “Dick in a Box,” and the chart‑topping “I’m on a Boat.” During his SNL tenure Schaffer directed, co‑wrote, and edited dozens of viral videos, earning an Emmy for “Dick in a Box” and multiple Writers Guild awards. After leaving the show he transitioned to feature‑film directing, debuting with the cult comedy Hot Rod (2007) and later helming The Watch (2012), Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016), the animated Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022), and the critically acclaimed The Naked Gun remake (2023). He also served as executive producer on projects such as MacGruber (2010), the Hulu hit Palm Springs (2020), and the award‑winning series I Think You Should Leave (2019‑present). Beyond film, Schaffer continues to record with The Lonely Island, contributing to albums like Incredibad and The Wack Album and co‑writing the Oscar‑nominated “Everything is Awesome” for The Lego Movie. He co‑hosts The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast and appears occasionally on television, such as a guest role on Brooklyn Nine‑Nine. Schaffer married comedian and writer Liz Cackowski in 2010; the couple have two children. His career, marked by a seamless blend of music, comedy, and filmmaking, has helped redefine modern internet‑age humor and established him as a versatile creative force in contemporary entertainment.