What’s It Like to Host SNL? Here’s a Tick-Tock of Their Entire Week.

In his weekly column for LateNighter, Chris “Wally” Feresten, (a.k.a. the guy who holds the cue cards on Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and beyond) shares stories and insights from his remarkable career. Got a question you’d like Wally to answer in a future column? Send it to [email protected].

I’m going to tell you something that probably won’t surprise you: Hosting Saturday Night Live is hard. It’s physically and emotionally demanding, and that’s one reason many people have turned down the chance to host—another is because the show is live, which is scary as hell.

So what does a typical week look like for a host? I’ve laid it out below, based on what I’ve seen over my 35 years working on the show.

When someone agrees to host Saturday Night Live, they know they’re giving up a week of their life—and that it will likely be one of the hardest, but hopefully one of the best, weeks of their life. Every host who I’ve worked with has worked hard because it’s a requirement of the job.

If they’re a first-time host, the talent department will walk them through the week’s schedule up top, but no one really knows what it’s like until they’ve actually done it. I’m not saying a first-time host gets tricked into thinking maybe it won’t be as demanding as former hosts say, but the pacing of the week may lull them into initially believing just that.

Monday

The host will come to the SNL offices on the 17th floor at Rockefeller Center late afternoon/early evening on Monday to meet with Lorne Michaels and the talent department.

After that, it’s time for the famous “pitch meeting,” where Lorne introduces the host to the cast and the writers, and they take turns pitching sketch ideas to the host. These pitches aren’t necessarily real sketches the writers intend to write; it’s more of a way to break the ice with the host and get a feel for what they think is funny. Occasionally a “fake pitch” will lead to a real sketch, as Bobby Moynihan described to Mark Malkoff in a recent episode of LateNighter’s podcast Inside Late Night how ‘Rice and Fire’ became a real, and very funny, sketch.

When the pitch meeting is over, so is the host’s first day. All told, the host has just a few hours of low-pressure meetings—a pretty easy first day.

Tuesday

On Tuesday, the host will get fitted for their wig bubble and face scan and will shoot the digital promo. This takes about four hours or so.

That night the writers pen the actual sketches they hope will make it into the show. A host can be as involved in that process as they want to be; they can hang out with the writers and give input as they’re brainstorming ideas and writing, or if this process is something that isn’t in their wheelhouse, they don’t have to be involved at all.

The one event that is both mandatory and fun for the host is the host dinner. This typically happens on Tuesday night and involves Lorne, the host, and a few writers and cast members. At this dinner, everybody gets to know the host a little better and I’m sure Lorne helps them navigate the rest of the week.

Wednesday

Wednesday is read-through day, where the host arrives around 1 p.m. to start reading the 40 or so sketches that have been written for their show. Ahead of this, the writers of each sketch come into the host’s dressing room to give them an idea of how they should play their part in their sketch. It’s probably a bit overwhelming to be getting notes on 40 sketches, but it’s low-pressure as they will just be reading the sketches off scripts around a large table set up in Studio 8H.

Before the writers start going into the host’s dressing room, I meet the host for the first time. I bring two cue cards with me: one with regular-sized printing and one with larger-sized printing. I introduce myself and ask about their eyesight, and whether they’ve ever worked with cue cards before.

I’ll show them both cards. If they have good eyesight, we use the regular-sized printing, as this allows for more words on a cue card—which enables the host to have a better rhythm while reading them. If their eyesight isn’t great, we’ll use the bigger printing, since seeing their lines is the most important thing.

I’ll gloss over a few other cue card-related items, as I don’t want to overwhelm them with too much information. This first meeting helps me get a read on what combination of nervous, excited, scared, and relaxed the host is feeling, and how I can best be of help.

Read-through usually takes three to four hours to go through the 40-ish sketches picked. After that, the producers, director, and head writers will convene in Lorne’s office to pick the 11 sketches that will be produced for that week’s episode. It’s a longest day for many, but still only requires about eight or nine hours of the host’s time.

Thursday

Thursday is when things really get started, albeit at a slow and steady pace. The host comes in around noon to take the episode’s bumper photos with famed SNL photographer Mary Ellen Matthews. When this is done, they’ll shoot the network promos with the week’s musical guest and a cast member. 

Following the promos, we block and rehearse four sketches, usually four of the easier sketches. What I mean by “easy,” is that the host usually doesn’t have much blocking for their character. It’s either a sketch where the host talks directly to the camera or one where they’re seated at a table or on a couch for most of the sketch. 

I think this is done on purpose to ease the host into the SNL sketch rehearsal process. I’ll tell them where all the sets of cards will be, as there are multiple sets for each sketch: typically one in the center, then one on the left side of the set and one of the right side. I’ll also let them know which set of cards they should be reading from, or “playing.”

If they’re confused at all, I’ll tell them the general rule is to play the set of cards that is closest to the cast member they’re talking to. I’ll also suggest they play the center set of cards occasionally, as most of the cameras are out in front of the set, so it will prevent them from spending too much time shot in profile.

Two of the stage managers, Gena Rositano and Chris Kelly, with also work with the host on their blocking, marks, and how they will be cued. We finish rehearsal around 10 p.m., making Thursdays a roughly a 10-hour day for the host—but still a somewhat relaxed 10-hour day.

Friday

Friday is the day when things start to get super busy and super real for the host. They usually begin their day around 6 a.m. at the studios we use to shoot the majority of the digital video pieces. Because there are typically three shorts a week, they often aren’t done shooting their parts until 2 or 3 p.m., approximately nine hours later.

As soon as they’re done, they’re whisked back to NBC to start blocking and rehearsing the remaining sketches. 

We try to get two sketches finished before we all break for dinner—well, not everyone breaks for dinner. The host and cast will work with the choreographer to rehearse any dance moves that might needed for a sketch, which we’ll then all rehearse after dinner. Around this time, the host is also doing wardrobe fittings, voiceovers, and talking with writers about their lines and what they like or don’t like about any individual sketches.

After dinner, we finish the rest of the sketches with the monologue typically coming last. When the monologue is done, the host will go back to their dressing room with the writers and writer/producer Steve Higgins to go over line changes or express any ideas they might have to make to their monologue better or more suited to them. By this time, it’s usually around 11:30 p.m. or so, and they are exhausted, but they’ve still got to meet with Lorne and do any last-minute wardrobe fittings. 

Saturday

Saturday starts with the host showing up around noon to begin rehearsal at 12:30 p.m. This day has been well documented over the years and hasn’t changed much, so I’ll keep my description brief.

We do a run-through of all the sketches with the actors in as much wardrobe and as many wigs as possible from 12:30 p.m. until about 5 or 5:30 p.m. We break for dinner while the musical act does their sound check.

After dinner, we rehearse the cold open and “Weekend Update.” Since hosts rarely appear in those two segments, they’ll usually have a nice few hours to go over their lines, eat, and mentally prepare for dress rehearsal.

We do the dress rehearsal from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. Then Lorne, the producers, and the host meet to decide which sketches will be in the live show and which will be cut.

After those tough decisions are made, Lorne leads a meeting with the cast, writers, and the department heads where he goes over the changes in each sketch and addresses any mistakes that were made by the actors, the director, lighting, sound and, yes, even cue cards. Mistakes happen, but everyone does their absolute best to not make any during the live show.

The show starts live at 11:30 p.m. ET and usually flies by—especially with three fewer sketches being performed, all while riding high on the energy of the live audience. 

After the show, everyone—including the host—heads to the cast party to wind down and celebrate the week. When the host arrives, they get a huge round of applause from everyone as they are escorted to their table. They drink, they eat, and they talk with all the cast and crew members with whom they shared this wonderfully stressful week.

Most times, the host is shocked by how fast the live show went by and are often itching to be asked back, especially now that they know more about how the process of hosting SNL works.

Mostly I think the party is a way to celebrate the host surviving the week—and hopefully loving every minute of it.

I’m thankful to play a small part in helping the host through their journey on SNL and have made many long-lasting friendships along the way.

If you would like your very own personalized cue card written and autographed by Wally, please go to cuecardsbywally.com and get all the information you will need. It’s the perfect gift for that late night comedy fan in your life.