EXCLUSIVE: Jennie Church-Cooper, a veteran manager/producer known for working with multi-hyphenate comedic talent, has launched Hello Sailor Media, a new management and production company representing comedians, actors, writers, directors and multi-hyphenate creators across film, television, podcasts and digital media.
With a commitment to championing underrepresented voices, and both emerging and established talent, Hello Sailor Media will see Church-Cooper expand her work in production following her work as an exec producer on the Peabody Award-winning Netflix series Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj and a number of lauded comedy specials.
Church-Cooper comes to launch her own company after nearly two years as a lit and talent manager at Levity Live, and a total of 18 in the business. Her career has been defined by helping comedic performers evolve into showrunners, writers, directors and creators while simultaneously producing acclaimed projects of her own.
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She brings with her a full roster of clients, many of whom she’s represented for years — some, for nearly two decades.
This includes Felicia Day, creator and star of the pioneering indie web series The Guild and current co-host of the Stuart Fails to Save the Universe companion podcast; Jerry Minor, who currently recurs as Mr. Morton on Abbott Elementary; Alyssa Limperis, who recently appeared on Hacks and appears alongside Penn Badgley and Meghann Fahy in the upcoming Amazon MGM rom-com You Deserve Each Other; Dylan Marron, writer on Seasons 3 and 4 of Ted Lasso; King Hassan, writer on the new series The Rookie: North; Erin Gibson, showrunner of Season 2 of The Chicken Sisters; Mamoudou N’Diaye, whose writing credits include The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins and How to Die Alone; and showrunner and executive producer Shauna McGarry, among many others.
“What I care about is building careers, and many of the artists I represent have been with me for well over a decade. Hello Sailor is an extension of the work we’ve already been doing together,” Church-Cooper said. “My goal has always been to help my clients build lasting, meaningful creative careers. This company gives us the opportunity to evolve in doing that while creating original work together.”
Church-Cooper added, “Great comedy does more than make people laugh. It’s often where some of the most original storytellers find their voice. I love working with artists who are curious enough to keep evolving, and helping them build careers that grow alongside their ambitions. Hello Sailor was created to be a home for those creators.”
Prior to Levity, Church-Cooper spent eight years as a manager at Haven Entertainment and seven at Principato Young Entertainment (now Artists First).
In addition to her management and producing work, Church-Cooper has served on the leadership committee for the Yes, And Laughter Lab, a nonprofit incubation lab and showcase dedicated to amplifying diverse comedic voices, since 2019.
