As the house lights begin to dim, and music begins to play, an announcement rings out through the studio, “From 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York, it’s Late Night with Seth Meyers!”
In front of the stage, away from the peering eyes of the camera, orchestrating the madness of late-night television is none other than Eric Leiderman. The class of 1999 University of Iowa alum, who works as a producer for “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” was recently named the 2025 UI Alumni Fellow.
On Oct. 14, when Leiderman returned to campus to give his Alumni Fellow speech, he was greeted in the Iowa Memorial Union by past instructors and friends. The Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Sara Sanders, introduced Leiderman at the event as a prime example of what the Alumni Fellow represents.
“We did this program so we had the opportunity to distinguish alumni who have taken the brand of Iowa and gone out in the world and made a huge difference in the field that they are in,” Sanders said, “We know students here need the opportunity to go out and interact with the field they want to pursue.”
Leiderman was selected as the 2025 Alumni Fellow after being nominated by the UI Communication Department Chair, Kembrew McLeod. Before the nomination, McLeod had heard about Leiderman from various students and staff and, after getting in contact with him, knew that he could be a positive voice on campus.
“ Eric became a no-brainer, especially after he and I connected on the phone. We had similar personalities, we clicked, and that led me to be like, ‘Okay, this person is going to give a really good lecture or a talk,’” McLeod said. “He’s just a funny, engaging guy. I said we gotta get him back to campus.”
Moving to New York after graduation in 1999, Leiderman slept on his sister’s couch at night while working as a production assistant on “The Daily Show” during the day. While at “The Daily Show,” he also found time in his 10 to 12-hour days to rehearse drums with his band.
He was working the artist’s hustle, finding time whenever he could to write scripts or play music and working his way up the ladder as a freelance producer. Finally, he landed a stable job at “Late Night with Seth Meyers” in 2013.
On the music side, his consistent grind during late nights landed him touring gigs with big-name artists like Meat Loaf and the Revolver. That music experience gave him a unique perspective when it came to the house band for “Late Night with Seth Meyers.”
The band was led by famous comedian Fred Armisen on the drums, but because of his busy schedule, they consistently ran into issues with his availability.
As a result, Leiderman constructed a system where the show had a rotating system of famous drummers stepping into that role.
Leiderman’s network in the music world allowed him to get in contact with agents and musicians who made this unique idea possible.
Now, as his career continues to move forward, he is hoping to give back to his alma mater. One of those ways by giving a lecture on Oct. 14 in the Iowa Memorial Union.
“I love coming back to Iowa City. But to come back now and feel the love and be recognized — it was so nice,” Leiderman said. “I got this great career, and I want to bring more students into the fold and be like, ‘Hey, you can be a part of this, you can be a part of entertainment.’”
Leiderman has gone from the bottom of the call sheet all the way to the top. Now, as a leader of his crew and in the industry, he still focuses on the basics of treating coworkers with respect.
“I love relating to people,” he said. “But also keeping it professional, so it’s about straddling that line, especially in comedy.”