Honestly, if you had told Sarah Silverman back in early 2020 that her next great love story would involve a gaming headset and a copy of Call of Duty: WWII, she probably would’ve laughed in your face. She was "peacefully and happily single." She felt done. Like, officially retired from the dating circuit after high-profile runs with guys like Jimmy Kimmel and Michael Sheen. But life has a weird way of throwing a curveball when you’re busy sniping digital Nazis in your sweatpants.
So, who is Sarah Silverman in a relationship with right now? That would be Rory Albanese. He’s a fellow comedian, a former executive producer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and currently a writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Yeah, you read 그 right. He works for her most famous ex.
But let’s get into the weeds of how this actually happened, because it’s not your typical Hollywood meet-cute.
The Pandemic Meet-Cute (Or "Meet-Kill")
When the world shut down, Sarah found herself isolated in New York City. She hit up a GameStop—one of the few things still open at the time—and grabbed a console. She hadn't really touched video games since the Nintendo 64 era. After posting about her new hobby on social media, Rory Albanese slid into her DMs.
He didn't lead with a cheesy pick-up line. He just asked if she had a headset and offered to talk her through the mechanics of the game.
What followed was a nightly ritual. Every evening at 7:00 PM, New Yorkers would bang pots and pans to honor frontline workers. At 7:05 PM, Sarah would put on her headset and spend hours gaming with Rory. They were "killing Nazis together" virtually before they ever even went on a real-life date. It was a slow burn. It was digital. And it was exactly what she wasn't looking for.
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By the time they finally met in person, the foundation was already there. She’s described it as a "yadda yadda yadda" transition into being boyfriend and girlfriend.
Who is Rory Albanese, Really?
Rory isn't just "Sarah Silverman's boyfriend." He’s a heavyweight in the comedy writing world. He spent years as a showrunner and executive producer at The Daily Show, winning multiple Emmys along the way. He later worked on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore and Strahan, Sara & Keke.
He’s funny. Obviously. You kind of have to be to keep up with Silverman.
The couple has a pretty unique dynamic that they frequently share on The Sarah Silverman Podcast. There’s even a recurring segment called "Rory's Side of the Albanese" where he jumps in to give his perspective on whatever topic she’s dissecting. It’s clear they have a deep intellectual and comedic shorthand.
The "Jimmy Kimmel" Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about the work situation. Rory works as a writer on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. If that sounds like the setup for an awkward HR nightmare, the reality is surprisingly wholesome.
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Silverman and Kimmel dated for seven years, from 2002 to 2009. They’ve remained incredibly close friends, which is a rarity in show business. Kimmel has even joked on air that Rory looks "almost exactly" like him.
During a 2025 interview on The Howard Stern Show, Rory admitted he checked with Sarah before taking the job. He told her, "If this is at all awkward, I will not do this." Her response? Basically, it’s fine; we’re all adults. And apparently, it really is fine. They all hang out. They joke about it. Rory and Jimmy’s wife, Molly McNearney, are colleagues. It’s a very modern, very "LA comedy scene" version of an extended family.
A Timeline of the Relationship
- March 2020: The gaming begins.
- October 2020: Sarah confirms she has a boyfriend on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (without naming him initially).
- November 2020: She officially names Rory Albanese on The Howard Stern Show.
- May 2022: They make their red carpet debut at the opening of her musical, The Bedwetter.
- May 2025: Sarah reveals they have purchased a house together in Los Angeles.
Moving In and Looking Forward
In May 2025, while promoting her Netflix special Postmortem, Sarah shared a major milestone: she bought her first-ever house, and Rory moved in with her. For someone who has spent decades being fiercely independent and skeptical of the traditional "domestic" path, this was a huge shift.
She told PEOPLE magazine that you just can't predict anything. One minute you're "done," and the next you're picking out a mortgage with the guy who taught you how to play Call of Duty.
Does this mean marriage is on the table? Maybe. Maybe not. Sarah has famously been anti-marriage for years, often citing the fact that her LGBTQ+ friends couldn't get married as a reason to abstain herself. Even though that's changed, she hasn't shown a huge rush to get a government contract for her love life. She did tell Howard Stern that if Rory really needed to be married, she’d think about it, but they seem pretty content just being "live-in lovers," as they've joked on the podcast.
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Why This Relationship Works
The key seems to be the lack of pressure. They met when neither was looking for anything serious. They bonded over shared interests and a similar sense of humor.
Also, they’ve navigated some heavy stuff together. In 2023, Sarah lost both her father and stepmother within nine days of each other. Rory was a primary source of support during that time. When you can laugh together in the middle of that kind of grief, you know you’ve found something substantial.
What you can take away from Sarah and Rory:
- Stay open to the unexpected: You might find your partner in a video game lobby.
- Friendship with exes is possible: If everyone is mature, "it's not awkward."
- Communication is everything: Rory checking in before taking the Kimmel job saved a lot of potential headache.
If you're looking for more updates on Sarah's life, her podcast remains the best place to hear her and Rory bicker and laugh in real-time. It’s a refreshing look at a long-term Hollywood relationship that actually seems grounded in reality.