After Going Back To SNL, David Spade Is Shocked By How The Cast Interacts With Lorne Michaels Now

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If you’re familiar with the backstage world or have watched many documentaries about Saturday Night Live (SNL), you probably have a specific image of Lorne Michaels in your mind. You might envision him as somewhat detached, perhaps a bit reserved and hard to approach, but essentially compassionate at heart. This impression is largely shaped by anecdotes shared by numerous ex-cast members, many of which revolve around feelings of intimidation, conflicts with him, or struggles to understand his true nature. However, according to David Spade, there have been significant changes in Lorne’s demeanor since he was working at Studio 8H.

In a recent turn of events, the well-known humorist graced the stage on SNL for a brief role, portraying Hunter Biden in a skit alongside his old friend Dana Carvey. They discussed this event in their latest episode of Fly On The Wall podcast, where Spade shared he was taken aback by the way the cast engaged with Michaels. It seems Sarah Sherman unexpectedly sent him a text to inquire about why her sketch didn’t make it to air, which left Spade quite surprised. Here’s an excerpt of what he said…

In the SNL setting, when Sarah Sherman asked Lorne why her sketch was cut, it left me astounded… While I was performing as Hunter Biden, Lorne was offering suggestions and we were all there. He had a microphone, and he announced, “Cold Open.” As he started reading, he then called out, ‘Sarah’ since she was portraying Matt Gaetz. He suggested that she should be more visible in the light as she wasn’t bright enough, to which she responded, ‘I’ll try.’ At that moment, I was taken aback by her casual ‘I’ll try,’ but if I had been there, I would have likely reacted with a respectful ‘Yes, Sir.’

Over the years, some actors developed a closer friendship with Michaels, but historically, he was seen as a more imposing figure for the first 30 to 40 years of the show. Nowadays, however, he appears less intimidating compared to his past persona. Notably, Bowen Yang and other contemporary cast members have shared that they initially found him quite daunting, but later formed warm relationships with him.

It appears Michael has become less tense with age (he’s 80 now), but it could also signal a shift in workplace communication styles during the past decade. People are generally more confident to express their issues directly to their superiors, and they’re also more open to discussing concerns openly, which we’ve observed among the SNL cast in recent years when they’ve expressed dissatisfaction about certain hosts or behind-the-scenes events.

Speaking of something different, it was delightful to witness David Spade return to Saturday Night Live (SNL). In the early to mid-1990s, he was a prominent cast member there, and since then, he’s had a successful career in various sitcoms and produced some underestimated film comedies. However, a particular group of people will forever associate him with his time on Saturday Night Live.

It’s great news that this year marks the 50th season of the show! They’ve been incorporating numerous cameos and visits from past cast members to commemorate the occasion. Moreover, a special event is planned for February, and if it resembles the 40th Anniversary, it promises to be an enjoyable experience for everyone. We can expect more details about the upcoming hosts and the show’s future schedule to be announced soon.

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2025-01-05 17:39