“We're shaking up a format, which I think is always a good thing. The thing about [2011 Oscar hosts] James [Franco] and Anne [Hathaway] is, they've both hosted Saturday Night Live, and they both did a good job at it. So they are accustomed to working with short rehearsal time, and live, lots of pressure, rewrites, things like that. They can make quick changes, which is very advantageous, and they're skilled comedians.” ThinkingJobsNightPressureGood ThingsComedianHostOscarsSaturdayGood JobAccustomedRehearsalShakingFormatSaturday NightSaturday Night LiveFrancoQuick Change Author:Bruce Vilanch
“It's a real democratic time for comedy, and I think my special is a sign for that. You don't have to just be a classic stand-up to get a special, or you don't just have to be on Saturday Night Live to do characters and sketch on TV. The web has allowed me to show that there are different ways to make people laugh, and the special is a combination of those things.” PeopleThinkingWayDifferentRealCharacterShowsNightLaughingComedySpecialTvsDemocraticCombinationDifferent WaysClassicSaturdayMaking People LaughSaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Nick Kroll
“I know my mom said as early as she can remember letting me watch TV, my one treat a week when I was like 6 was to stay up and watch 'Saturday Night Live.'” KnowsSaidRememberNightWatchesWeekTvsMomTreatsMy MomSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Rashida Jones
“I actually love 'Saturday Night Live,' like a sports fan watches their favorite team to see how they're doing. I know the players and the writers, I've known several people on that show for a number of years.” PeopleKnowsYearsShowsNightSportsNumbersKnownWatchesPlayerTeamFansSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night LiveSports Fan Author:Mike Birbiglia
“I was always a silent comedy nerd. I would stay up late and sneak downstairs to watch 'Saturday Night Live' and 'Kids in the Hall,' and things like that. Very early on, my parents realized that I was not going to be an engineer or a doctor. I just don't have those inclinations, at all.” KidsNightParentWatchesComedyLateDoctorsSilentHallsEngineersSaturdayNerdInclinationSaturday NightSneakSaturday Night Live Author:Mindy Kaling
“The only two TV shows I saw do that, where they don't warm them up and you can really bomb, was Saturday Night Live - and that's why it gets a lot of heat, too. Obviously it gets criticism fairly, too. But a lot of it is because Lorne [Michaels] lets the audience decide and doesn't force them to laugh.” TwoShowsNightForceAudienceLaughingSawsTvsCriticismWarmHeatBombsTv ShowsSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Norm MacDonald
“I completely understand why a businessman would fire me from 'Saturday Night Live'. Because he was seeing Jay Leno kill 10 minutes a night, doing his monologue with wall-to-wall laughs and applause, then I do 10 minutes a week to, sometimes, breathtaking silence. He's just listening for the laughs.” SometimesNightSilenceLaughingFireSeeingWeekMinutesWallListeningBusinessmanSaturdayApplauseJust ListenSaturday NightMonologuesBreathtakingSaturday Night Live Author:Norm MacDonald
“From National Lampoon, you go directly to Saturday Night Live, because it's a lot of the same people.” PeopleNightSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night LiveNational Lampoon Author:P. J. O'Rourke
“Then Saturday Night Live spawns... well, everything right down to American Pie 9, where all humor has to be irrelevant, which can get a little tiring.” WellsLittlesNightPieSaturdayIrrelevantTireSaturday NightSaturday Night LiveSpawnAmerican Pie Author:P. J. O'Rourke
“I was just trying to blend the standup that I do almost with like the visual sketch stuff that I did on "Saturday Night Live." And so in terms of how elastic in the world is, we'll see what we can get away with [in John Mulaney show].” WorldTryingShowsNightStuffTermVisualsGet AwaySaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:John Mulaney
“I wanted to come to Chicago. I also wanted to do "Saturday Night Live." And then I got to a place where I didn't want to do those things anymore.For the sketch comedy thing, I got cast on "MADtv," and that will kill any man's desire to do comedy.” MenWantWantedDesireNightComedyCastsChicagoSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night LiveSketch Comedy Author:Simon Helberg
“[Wayne's World and Tommy Boy] was all from hosting Saturday Night Live the first time [in 1990]. I just had such a great time, and I had such a simpatico relationship with Mike Myers. And Lorne [Michaels]. I'll always be grateful for Lorne, who saw me as funny.” WorldFirstsNightBoysSawsFirst TimeGratefulBe GratefulSaturdayMikeGreat TimesWayneSaturday NightMy BoysSaturday Night LiveSimpatico Author:Rob Lowe
“[ Hosting Saturday Night Live ] paved the way for Parks And Rec and The Grinder, the Comedy Central Roast, and that whole side of my career.” WayWholeNightSidesCareersComedyParksSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night LiveGrinderParks And Rec Author:Rob Lowe
“We know that the president [Donald Trump] watches "Saturday Night Live" because he tweets about it. He doesn't like it, but he keeps watching it.” KnowsNightPresidentWatchesTrumpSaturdayTweetSaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Peter Sagal
“My brother, who's a few years older then me, went to college in New York. He said all of these people from Saturday Night Live do improv together in Upright Citizens Brigade, and I thought, "Oh, that sounds really cool." So when I got braces and couldn't play music anymore, I said to my parents that I wanted to go to New York and take a class at that place. They were remarkably on board with it. I got on the train, went up, took a class and I loved it.” PeopleTogetherNightParentCollegeBrotherTrainMy BrotherSaturdayReally CoolSaturday NightSaturday Night LiveBraces Author:Zach Woods
“I spent most of my 20s playing music. I was in a band and we worked really hard and did not get very far. I was really close to being this guy who used to be in this band who is still playing and trying to get some recordings together, but I got really lucky. That's never lost in me, that I went through Saturday Night Live.” TryingTogetherNightGuyLuckySaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Fred Armisen
“Once you're finally in a place at Saturday Night Live that you're really comfortable, that's when you should probably be leaving, unfortunately. I think most people stay two or three years longer than they should, because it's very simple, the vacations are great, and you get good at what you do. It's like any job, you're like, "Oh, I know how to do this." You know it's a temporary thing, but it's easy not to walk away from. You find yourself going, "I'll leave next year, or I'll leave the year after." But it's a job you probably shouldn't be at for longer than five years, to be honest.” PeopleThinkingNightEasySimpleHonestLeavingBeing HonestFinding YourselfTemporaryVacationSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Horatio Sanz
“When I was on Saturday Night Live, I was furious at some of the choices that were being made. None of us are all happy about every choice that's being made, but that's another part about being there for a while. You start seeing why they do it, and you've just got to try to get your punches in while you can.” TryingNightChoicesSaturdayBeing ThereFuriousSaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Horatio Sanz
“I didn't respond to the kind of sarcastic tone. It felt like some of the Sarah Palin speech was written as though it were a Saturday Night Live newscast. Maybe that's because she looks very similar . . . She's got her Tina Fey thing going.” KindNightSarcasticSaturdaySaturday NightPalinSaturday Night Live Author:Eddie Vedder
“10 years ago, I would've host Saturday Night Live. But to me, the show has declined. For some reason, humor isn't what it was. It just, to me, it's not as funny as it was, not as sharply satirical.” ReasonNightHostSaturdaySaturday NightSatiricalSaturday Night Live Author:Dick Van Dyke
“I think both of those: the subject matter, pop culture... the talent, I don't think... there's no Jim Belushi in Saturday Night Live, for me. And probably, you know, possibly the material. They've done everything over the years.” ThinkingDoneNightCultureTalentSaturdayPop CultureSaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Dick Van Dyke
“When you build characters from the outside in, they become, oftentimes they become like 'Saturday Night Live' characters or they become like caricatures of the character.” CharacterNightSaturdaySaturday NightCaricaturesSaturday Night Live Author:Ashton Kutcher
“I started on 'Saturday Night Live' the same time Conan started on 'Late Night.' We just had a relationship because I would be upstairs in the studio and whenever he couldn't get a guest - which was often back then since he was just starting out - he would just call me down to be a guest.” Would BeNightLateStartingStudiosCall MeGuestsSaturdaySaturday NightUpstairsStarting OutLate NightSaturday Night LiveConan Author:Norm MacDonald
“I do miss Saturday Night Live, that's for sure. There's nothing like it. I just hosted, and I felt I'd only been away for a week.” NightFeltWeekMissingSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Mike Myers
“When a show has been on for so long, you lose fans, you gain fans. I remember this from 'Saturday Night Live.'” LongHas BeensShowsRememberNightLosesFansGainsSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Kevin Nealon
“We had to decide: Do we want to do Saturday Night or go to our Senior Prom? We opted for Saturday Night Live.” WantNightSeniorSaturdaySaturday NightPromSaturday Night LiveProm NightSenior Prom Author:Mary-Kate Olsen
“I was in high school when Will Ferrell was first on 'Saturday Night Live', and I remember thinking, 'Man, that guy is the funniest guy ever.'” ThinkingMenFirstsSchoolFunnyRememberNightGuyHigh SchoolSaturdayThat GuySaturday NightSaturday Night LiveThinking Man Author:Seth Rogen
“Before I had children, I was - everything about my life was devoted to "Saturday Night Live."” ChildrenNightDevotedSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Maya Rudolph
“Doing Saturday Night Live definitely affects my relationship with my girlfriend and with my family, because you feel so much pressure to do well that night. But I think everyone's grown to accept that and so they give me my space at the show.” ThinkingGivingFeelsWellsShowsNightSpaceAcceptingMy FamilyGive MePressureGirlfriendSaturdayMy GirlfriendSaturday NightSaturday Night LiveMy Space Author:Adam Sandler
“Saturday Night Live is a show that I think I could have a lot of fun on, just being different characters and maybe singing, too.” ThinkingDifferentCharacterShowsNightFunSingingJust BeingSaturdayBeing DifferentSaturday NightDifferent CharactersSaturday Night Live Author:Jill Scott
“By the time I would have graduated, at 22, I was a writer and featured performer on Saturday Night Live.” NightComedyPerformersSaturdaySaturday NightNight TimeSaturday Night Live Author:Sarah Silverman
“I think 'Saturday Night Live', starting in the 1970s, really gave women an outlet to be funny. A lot of those women went on to have film careers, from Kristen Wiig now to Tina Fey and Gilda Radner.” ThinkingFilmNightCareersStartingSaturdayOutletsSaturday NightSaturday Night LiveFey Author:Emma Stone
“I wanted to be on 'Saturday Night Live' since I was ten.” WantedNightTenSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Olivia Wilde
“It's always nerve-wracking when you're hosting "Saturday Night Live." You either sink or swim.” NightSwimNervesSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night LiveSink Or Swim Author:Christina Aguilera
“I used to sneak up to the 8th floor and watch Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo rehearsing 'Saturday Night Live' and could only wonder if I would ever have the chance to be funny. It took me five years to go up the two stories, but it is such a sense of fulfillment to be able to show what I can do on national television.” IfsYearsI CanTwoStoriesShowsAbleUsedNightCan DoChanceWonderWatchesFiveTelevisionFulfillmentFive YearsSaturdaySaturday NightSneakMurphySaturday Night LiveRehearsing Author:Dana Carvey
“I dropped out of college my junior year to do saturday night live, and I didn't even consult my parents. They were very supportive because they had no choice.” YearsNightChoicesParentWomenCollegeSaturdaySupportiveJuniorsSaturday NightSaturday Night LiveJunior Year Author:Julia Louis-Dreyfus
“I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.” FeverPrescriptionsSaturday Night LiveSnlSkit Author:Christopher Walken
“Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.” NightTomorrowPleasantGood NightSaturday Night Live Author:Jane Curtin
“Saturday Night Live is hitting me on a regular basis again. This is my fourth decade that I've been lampooned on Saturday Night Live” NightLiteratureBasesDecadesFourthHittingSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Geraldo Rivera
“I can tell you how bad our boards are... I don't have to watch Saturday Night Live anymore; I just go to the board meetings.” I CanNightWatchesMeetingsBoardsSaturdaySaturday NightSaturday Night LiveFunny GraduationBoard Meetings Author:Carl Icahn
“I wasn't really qualified to be on Saturday Night Live - I'm not like an impressionist or anything.” NightSaturdayQualifiedSaturday NightNight TimeSaturday Night LiveImpressionists Author:Victoria Jackson
“They sent me the script and I thought that there was something very appealing and funny about it. Also, I was familiar with Mike Myers work in Saturday Night Live, but I did not know the extent to which he would make this creation.” KnowsNightCreationScriptsFamiliarSaturdayMikeSaturday NightSaturday Night Live Author:Michael York
“I wanted to be the next Dana Carvey. This was my ultimate goal. If I ever cut into a birthday cake and made a wish, I would wish to be on 'Saturday Night Live.' If I threw a coin into a fountain, I would wish to be on 'Saturday Night Live.' If I saw a shooting star, I would wish to be on 'Saturday Night Live.'” IfsMadeWantedNightNextWishStarsGoalSawsCuttingUltimateShootingCakeSaturdayCoinsFountainSaturday NightUltimate GoalSaturday Night LiveShooting StarBirthday CakeFlipping A Coin Author:Jimmy Fallon
“I was into the Mets because my Dad worked at IBM where he got free Mets tickets, so I was into the Mets... then I got to 'Saturday Night Live' where my boss has unbelievable N.Y. Yankees tickets, so he invites us to the games. I'm going to all the games, so I might as well root for the team I'm gonna go sit with.” WellsMightNightGamesTeamDadMetsRootsMy DadBossInvitesTicketsSaturdayUnbelievableYankeesSaturday NightSaturday Night LiveIbm Author:Jimmy Fallon
“Saturday Night Live is such a comedy boot camp in a way, because you get to work with so many different people who come in to host the show and you get thrown into so many situations and learn how to think on your feet, so filmmaking actually feels slow, in a good way.” PeopleThinkingWayFeelsDifferentShowsNightSituationComedyFeetThrownCampsHostBootsFilmmakingSaturdayDifferent PeoplesGood WaySaturday NightSaturday Night LiveBoot Camp Author:Will Ferrell
“I left 'Saturday Night Live' without a film to go to, and I'd filmed 'Old School' while I was in my last season of the show, and that hadn't come out yet. I was a free agent, in a way, but I knew it was time to leave the show and test the water.” WayShowsSchoolLastsFilmNightLeftWaterTestsSeasonsAgentsSaturdaySaturday NightOld SchoolSaturday Night LiveFree AgentsTime To Leave Author:Will Ferrell
“I'd love to become like Bill Murray, who was so funny on 'Saturday Night Live' and has gone on to do some of the landmark comedies people like. And then to add this whole other phase to his career with 'Lost in Translation' and 'Rushmore.' I always felt to be able to have something similar to that would be great.” PeopleWholeWould BeAbleNightLostFeltCareersGoneComedyBillsAddPhasesSaturdayTranslationsSaturday NightLandmarksSaturday Night LiveLost In Translation Author:Will Ferrell
“Most of the time you're too busy to think about it. But every now and then you say, 'I work at 'Saturday Night Live,' and that is so cool.” ThinkingNightBusyNow And ThenSaturdayToo BusySaturday NightNight TimeSaturday Night Live Author:Tina Fey