Higgins has been too far removed from SNL for a while and hadn’t really done much since leaving. Fey is more of a comedienne herself than a producer/manager. I can only imagine the inner politics and jockeying for advanced consideration that might be going on there now. SNL is an extremely valuable asset to NBC creative content; likely, the most valuable at present. Yet, they might appoint someone the cast likes or someone nobody expects. I was just puzzled by seemingly endless promotion of Mulaney everywhere for no good reason. If they are going to pick from the ex-staff, I do think Seth Meyers is a more credible all-round candidate than Frey though.
Fey is a smart and funny woman.
I could be a breath of fresh air for the show.
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Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
Funny is not gonna be the decisive factor in who gets the top job. I recommend reading NYM article about Michaels. He really wanted to be the first Weekend Update host but still decided against it, because he felt it would make him as vulnerable and insecure as actors and writers, which he saw as a major weakness for a producer.
I really like Fey, btw, and 30 Rock is at the top-5 on my list of favourite TV comedy shows. Choosing between people mentioned here, I would put my money on Meyers, because he checks all boxes. But it could be none of the above and NBC may decide to go with some hot-shot business executive we know nothing about.
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"An idea is always a generalization, and generalization is a property of thinking. To generalize means to think." Georg Hegel
“To generalize is to be an idiot.” William Blake
Last edited by CaptainYooh; 02-18-2025 at 12:47 PM.
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Higgins has been the producer of SNL since 1995. I think that is his main job, despite being sidekick and announcer for Fallon.
Yeah, weird to call Higgins too far removed when he’s the longest running active producer of the show after Michaels.
Mulaney was a producer on SNL for one season. Fey is probably the next most accomplished SNL alum who is also an accomplished producer after Higgins but she’s never produced for SNL and Meyers really has very few production credits to his name.
I imagine if Fey, Meyers, or Mulaney were being considered at all then they’d want to bring them in as producers under Michaels for a significant stretch of time first.
Finally got to watch the Anniversary special. Was definitely one of the most entertaining versions of SNL there's been in a long time. Not just a reel of golden moments but a lot of great new sketches as well as character callbacks. Drunk Uncle had me howling.
Overall just looked like everyone was having a fun time and that's how it's supposed to feel. It will definitely be interesting with Lorne gone. His whole demeanour is the heart of the show, and I think that's what Fey has above the others as well. I think she carries herself in much the same way as him. I think Meyers or Jost/Che or Higgins would fine choices as well, but I think Fey is more the Lorne clone.
I don't see how her credits are below Meyers, like what? Meyers himself would probably laugh in your face for suggesting it. She created and produced one of the best TV shows ever that was actually based on producing SNL itself, AFTER presiding over probably the best era of SNL since the beginning (if not ever), including producing live versions of said show multiple times. She's a no-brainer IMO.
The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true. Go Flames Go!
I don't think Lorne's role has any writing responsibilities.
Mostly:
- assess potential talent
- managing existing talent
- keep NBC execs from messing with the show
- line up guest and musical stars
- keep writers from veering too far off course
- other boring manager things.
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I enjoyed the in memoriam sketch with all the questionable skits, portrayals, guests etc. wish it was longer and with fewer bleeps.
And admittedly I was a little bit confused when people online thought it was some sort of apology and snl owning up to their shameful past. I thought it was hilarious. Humour has no taste or boundaries.
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I enjoyed the in memoriam sketch with all the questionable skits, portrayals, guests etc. wish it was longer and with fewer bleeps.
And admittedly I was a little bit confused when people online thought it was some sort of apology and snl owning up to their shameful past. I thought it was hilarious. Humour has no taste or boundaries.
I liked that part as well. It reminded me of the "Censored Sketches" bit from Kids in the Hall.
Tina Fey did an interview (wanna say with Seth Meyers, but might have been Kimmel or Colbert) and she talked about sitting down with her daughters and binging on old SNL skits.
Now and again her daughter would comment "wow, that is suuuuper problematic!"
Tina would agree 100%.
(while thinking to herself "yeah, I full tilt wrote that...")
I don't think Lorne's role has any writing responsibilities.
Mostly:
- assess potential talent
- managing existing talent
- keep NBC execs from messing with the show
- line up guest and musical stars
- keep writers from veering too far off course
- other boring manager things.
I don't fully understand all of Lorne's job, and I don't think anyone else does either. From the interviews I've seen, he keeps himself somewhat removed and is a bit of a tyrannical leader. Lorne has not groomed any replacement and no one can imagine anyone else doing it. He probably thinks having a successor lined up would make him look weak.
At some point Lorne is just going to be too old and start completely failing at the job. Then NBC will force a replacement. My Dad is two years younger to Lorne and that just happened to him.
The article I had mentioned describes Lorne’s normal week day-by-day. He is ultimately responsible for approving a host and securing difficult to get hosts/musical guests. But his main job is to cut sketches on Friday and Saturday after a test run. He stands under the bleachers and watches viewers reactions, then makes final cuts for the live show. He tries balancing physical comedy with intellectual comedy and political humour to ensure he gets a “Mars bar with just the right amount of ingredients, because everyone can live with a Mars bar” (his favourite analogy). Most cast members say that nobody can “see funny” better than Lorne. But many SNL writers think that it’s become Lorne’s brand of funny only. Everyone’s wrong somewhere, of course. So, the usual corporate inner politics…
SNL spends $20M on each episode and loses money each week. It’s very problematic. Arguably, Lorne is a bad business manager, but a great brand manager. Two of his children are working in the industry in senior positions and there are rumours of him wanting to keep SNL “in the family”.
__________________
"An idea is always a generalization, and generalization is a property of thinking. To generalize means to think." Georg Hegel
“To generalize is to be an idiot.” William Blake
The article I had mentioned describes Lorne’s normal week day-by-day. He is ultimately responsible for approving a host and securing difficult to get hosts/musical guests. But his main job is to cut sketches on Friday and Saturday after a test run. He stands under the bleachers and watches viewers reactions, then makes final cuts for the live show. He tries balancing physical comedy with intellectual comedy and political humour to ensure he gets a “Mars bar with just the right amount of ingredients, because everyone can live with a Mars bar” (his favourite analogy). Most cast members say that nobody can “see funny” better than Lorne. But many SNL writers think that it’s become Lorne’s brand of funny only. Everyone’s wrong somewhere, of course. So, the usual corporate inner politics…
SNL spends $20M on each episode and loses money each week. It’s very problematic. Arguably, Lorne is a bad business manager, but a great brand manager. Two of his children are working in the industry in senior positions and there are rumours of him wanting to keep SNL “in the family”.
That's interesting. Also, very Canadian of him to use the Mars Bar analogy since you can't get a Mars Bar in the U.S. (easily).
I do feel like one way to save money would be to cut down on the cast. I think there's something like 16 or 17. For a lot of years they got away with 7 with 2 or 3 featured players. Show is the same amount of time as it always was.
