Zachary Joshua Kanin (born September 20, 1983) is an American writer, producer, and cartoonist. He is a former SNL staff writer and the co-creator, producer, and writer of Detroiters and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson.
Early life and education Kanin was born in Washington, D.C. to Dennis R. Kanin and Carol Kanin, and was raised in Newton, Massachusetts. His maternal grandfather is former Rhode Island governor Frank Licht. Kanin began drawing as early as preschool. He attended The Roxbury Latin School in West Roxbury, MA before matriculating to Harvard University. At Harvard, he received his degree in English. He joined The Harvard Lampoon in 2002 and later became president.
Career Kanin worked as an assistant to The New Yorker's cartoons editor, Robert Mankoff for two years after college. Eventually, Kanin began to submit his own work for publication. He has published approximately 300 cartoons in The New Yorker as of 2014. The style of his cartoons was described by Richard Gehr of The Comics Journal as "a slightly surreal place where things have gone sometimes seriously awry."
Kanin was hired to the writing staff of SNL in 2011 and left in 2016. While working there he met fellow writer Tim Robinson and the two became writing partners. They collaborated to create Detroiters (2017–2018), I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson (2019–), and The Chair Company (2025–). He was also a writer for Documentary Now!, The Characters, and Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special.
Personal life Kanin married Christina Angelides, daughter of former California state treasurer Phil Angelides, in 2011.Christina Angelides, Zachary Kanin - New York Times, 8 July 2011
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.2011Silver Reuben AwardGag Cartoons 2012Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Writing for a Variety SeriesSaturday Night Live2013 Outstanding Writing for a Variety SeriesOutstanding Writing for a Variety SpecialSaturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday2016 Outstanding Writing for a Variety SeriesSaturday Night Live2022Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama Or Variety SeriesI Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson20232026Outstanding Writing for a Comedy SeriesThe Chair Company2013Writers Guild of America AwardsComedy/Variety Talk SeriesSaturday Night Live2014Comedy/Variety Talk Series2015Comedy/Variety Talk Series2016Comedy/Variety Talk Series2017Comedy/Variety Talk Series2018Comedy/Variety Music, Awards, Tributes, SpecialsMichael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special2020Comedy/Variety Sketch SeriesI Think You Should Leave2022Comedy/Variety Sketch Series
References
External links
Zach Kanin at The New Yorker