Biographie
Maxine's career perfectly embodies the term "hyphenate." Over the past 15 years, she has achieved success as an entertainer, TV comedy writer and producer, New Media entrepreneur, and now adds Reality Show Diva to her repertoire.
Currently, Maxine is producing and co-hosting an 8-hour reality series for BRAVO titled Situation: Comedy—a documentary styled like Project Green Light that focuses on sitcom writing. Created by Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) to air on Bravo in late spring, Maxine and Stan Zimmerman are Executive Producing and supervising two pilots central to the series for NBC.
For television, Maxine is developing an animated series with cult artist Shag and actress/producer Lisa Kudrow (Friends), along with a mock-reality show co-produced with Ben Silverman's company, Reveille. She also completed her first feature film, a dark comedy called BOY MEETS GIRL.
As one of Hollywood’s most successful television writer/producers, Maxine has contributed to some of the decade’s most influential half-hour comedies, including the final season of Ellen (earning three Emmy nominations), Roseanne (Emmy nomination for Best Comedy Series and a Golden Globe win during her tenure), Home Improvement (People’s Choice Award for Best Comedy Series), and the last season of Dharma and Greg, among others.
In 1999, Maxine shifted focus from the daily sitcom grind to New Media, co-founding VOXXY, Inc., an acclaimed interactive network and multimedia entertainment company targeting teen girls. She personally raised over two million dollars in initial funding and recruited some of the most influential women in entertainment, business, and sports to help give teen girls a voice and community online.
Maxine also secured participation from top show business names to star in and create interactive content for VOXXY, including Jennifer Aniston, who starred in a show Maxine co-created and served as the company’s spokesperson; comedienne Caroline Rhea; Melissa Etheridge; and over thirty top writers, producers, and directors in Hollywood.
From 1999 to 2001, Maxine served as Co-President of VOXXY, managing talent relations, negotiations, programming, finance, public relations, strategic partnerships, and corporate affairs.
VOXXY earned awards for design and programming and received significant press coverage. The company and its founders were featured in numerous trade and consumer publications such as The Wall Street Journal, US Weekly, Talk Magazine, Detour Magazine, The Industry Standard, Time Digital, Seventeen, TV Guide, and People Magazine. VOXXY also appeared on television programs including CNN-FN, The Today Show, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, and Extra.
Before VOXXY, Maxine combined her writing and performing talents in SITUATION TRAGEDY: Observations on 10 Years in Hollywood...with Bongos, a behind-the-scenes look at working in television. The innovative production featured dancing boys, an all-girl band, and Maxine’s famous Liza tribute. It ran to sold-out audiences at the Globe Playhouse in Hollywood, winning fourteen Dramalogue Awards and earning a nomination for the Ovation Award (LA’s equivalent of the Obie) for Best New Musical.
Maxine began her career at fourteen, performing stand-up comedy in small Pittsburgh clubs. Encouraged by headliner Dennis Miller to try New York, she instead completed eighth grade while perfecting her isosceles triangle. After high school, she attended Carnegie Mellon Drama School, graduating with a B.F.A. in acting and playwriting.
She then moved to New York, performing stand-up and singing at renowned clubs like the Duplex, Caroline’s, Freddy’s Supper Club, The Improvisation, Catch a Rising Star, and The Bottom Line.
During years touring nationally as a headliner, Maxine also appeared on TV shows such as A&E’s Evening at the Improv and featured in the film Wisecracks, about female comedians.
Additionally, Maxine has written comedy material for Joan Rivers, Andrea Martin, Lily Tomlin, and Joley Fisher.
