Jennifer Caserta
President & GM, IFC
Alt comedy is thriving on IFC, thanks to Caserta’s knack for building relationships with some of the best comic talents around. That stable includes flagship series “Portlandia” and “Documentary Now!,” and this year the network has seen nearly double-digit growth in delivery and extensions in its cadre of advertisers. 2016 also marked the 22nd live broadcast of the Independent Spirit Awards, and IFC launched a mobile app redesign that puts full episodes of its originals front-and-center. Caserta also always has an eye on new content development, including the just-hatched “Stan Against Evil” and “Brockmire,” slated to debut in 2017. Laughter figures prominently into what the IFC exec would tell her 13-year-old self: “Have a sense of humor and do not take yourself or anything else too seriously. Learning to laugh off the things that don’t matter, even if they seem like the end of the world, will serve you very well in life.”
Which sector of the cable industry best demonstrates gender equality? Which could use some enlightenment?
Cable programming has made strides producing series with women as creators/executive producers/writers, especially in comedy. Carrie Brownstein, Amy Poehler, Sharon Horgan, Amy Schumer, Pamela Adlon, Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer are just a few of the best on cable today. More and more, we are seeing stories told from women’s perspectives.
What advice would you give your 13-year-old self?
I would tell my 13-year-old self to have a sense of humor and not take yourself or anything else too seriously. Learning to laugh off the things that don’t matter, even if they seem like the end of the world, will serve you very well in life.
Which current programming best reflects the kind of women’s roles you like to see and why?
I can’t get enough of funny women in multi-dimensional roles. Characters that feel authentic, flawed and in control – even when they’re not. I’m currently loving Sarah Jessica Parker in “Divorce,” Sharon Horgan in “Catastrophe,” Julia Louis-Dreyfus in “Veep,” Pamela Adlon in “Better Things,” and Issa Rae in “Insecure.”
