Pleased as Punch
Hacks unites TV treasure Jean Smart — as a Vegas comic who’s been around the block — with rising star Hannah Einbinder as the writer hired to punch up her jokes. It’s a windfall for Smart, who as a girl dreamed of being Phyllis Diller. And for Einbinder, who comes from stand-up, working with Smart is like a win at the slots.
Lisa Rosen
We meet her on the new HBO Max dark comedy
Hacks, as she tries not to embody the title. She's a comedian who's had a Vegas hotel residency for decaes, and some of her jokes have been around just as long. She's not packing in the crowds like she used to, and hotel owner Marty (Christopher McDonald) wants to cut her weekend dates to make way for some fresh talent.