Jeff Schaffer

Jeff Schaffer (born ) is an American film and television director, writer, and producer.

Early life and education Schaffer was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and was raised in Warren, Ohio. He is Jewish.

After graduating from Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, Schaffer attended Harvard College, where he was on the staff of the humor publication The Harvard Lampoon.

Film Schaffer wrote and directed EuroTrip, a 2004 teen comedy, and participated in the screenplay for the 2003 adaptation of the Dr. Seuss book The Cat in the Hat. Other scripts he helped write include two comedy features starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Brüno (2009) and The Dictator (2012). All four would later write the TV movie Clear History starring Larry David.

Festivus pole Dan O'Keefe, who worked with Schaffer on Seinfeld, credits Schaffer with introducing the concept of the Festivus pole as the only decoration for Festivus, the December 23 holiday. Festivus was popularized in the 1997 Seinfeld episode "The Strike". The aluminum pole was not part of the original O'Keefe family celebration, which centered on putting a clock in a bag and nailing it to a wall.

Personal life Schaffer married the former Jackie Marcus, also his professional partner, particularly on The League; their life experiences have often been translated into the plot of the series. They have a daughter, Arwen (named for the character in The Lord of the Rings), born in 2012.