Puck‘s Matt Belloni got the first interview of the season with Lorne Michaels late Thursday, with the Saturday Night Live creator and executive producer weighing in on the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, how he’s feeling about the prospects for Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers (whose shows he produces), and teasing a coming reinvention for SNL51.
Belloni reports that auditions for the new season took place last week in Studio 8H, after the usual scouting trips for new cast members to Los Angeles and Chicago. Michaels also spent part of the summer in London, working on casting for the forthcoming U.K. version of SNL.
According to Belloni, the shape of SNL‘s new season will be determined early next week, when Michaels makes final calls on returning cast, new hires, and even who will be behind the “Weekend Update” desk. Belloni characterized the changes as a “significant shake-up,” with several current cast members expected to exit.
Asked about the cancellation of Colbert’s Late Show, Michaels said, “I was just stunned. I’m on the side of the people who do shows, but there’s two audiences now. There’s the audience that is [watching on] TikTok and YouTube, and there’s a linear audience. Both Seth [Meyers] and [Stephen] Colbert are heirs to David Letterman… Conan [O’Brien] as well. They’re going to be doing that [type of show], just as I’m still doing SNL, as if everybody’s watching that night. But Jimmy [Fallon] does a lot of stuff that you can watch all day.”
Pressed on whether Colbert’s cancellation might have been political, Michaels said, “I don’t think any of us are going to ever know that.” He compared the moment to the cancellation of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1969, recalling, “Being a martyr is thrilling, and everyone’s cheering, and then it’s show business. It just goes on.”
As for Fallon and Meyers, he expressed confidence in NBC’s support: “I think [Comcast CEO] Brian Roberts—who I will be working for for the rest of my life, who I have very high admiration for—has integrity. But at the same time, everyone has [broadcast] licenses, everyone has… you know. But I really don’t believe that we affect things.”
“Whatever crimes Trump is committing, he’s doing it in broad daylight,” Michaels added. “There is absolutely nothing that the people who vote for him—or me—don’t know.”
Turning back to SNL51, Michaels reflected on why he kept the core cast together last season. “I wanted people coming back and being part of [the 50th season]… And that meant there couldn’t be those kind of disruptions [to the cast], or anything that was going to take the focus off [the 50th season].”
Asked whether he feels pressure to reinvent this season, Michaels responded, “Yeah, for sure. It’ll be announced in a week or so.”
One thing he did confirm is that James Austin Johnson will continue in his role as Trump. (Michaels memorably left Johnson twisting in the wind in similar interviews last year, when he suggested he might recast the role.)
On succession and delegation, Michaels said he has expanded responsibilities within his team over “the past year or so.”
Ultimately, he added, “There’s a lot of people in that room with a lot of opinions. I make the final decision, obviously. But it’s not as if people don’t let me know how strongly they feel.”
Belloni’s full interview with Michaels (which includes details about the SNL creator’s surprisingly emotional reaction to SNL’s 50th) is available to Puck subscribers at this link.
1) A bunch of the current cast need to go… Wickline and Walker should be first out the door.
2) The cast is too damn big. If Lorne is going to bring in new people, get rid of at least 6 if you’re going to add 2.
3) Lorne is a major asshole for waiting this long to tell people that they’re fired and not coming back for season 51. In other words, typical Lorne.
If anyone needs to go, it’s Lorne Michaels! He’s a fucking asswipe who’s time has long since expired!
“Whatever crimes Trump is committing, he’s doing it in broad daylight,” Michaels added.
Don’t expect political nuance on SNL this upcoming season with that partisan attitude.
Perhaps this Canadian khazer also needs his house to raided by the FBI.
Maybe try acknowledging your Dear Orange Toddler’s crimes, suck! It’ll help make things easier for a simpleton, like you
Liberals r gay
You’re a retarded cunt!
Michaels says, ““Whatever crimes Trump is committing, he’s doing it in broad daylight” and you think his house should be raided by the FBI?
Get psychological help. Seriously. There is something very wrong with you.
Liberals supposedly want to help the poor and then whine when criticizing a liberal worth at least $500 million dollars.
Hey stupid! You’re only making Leo’s case for him.
Mark Anderson- “Liberals supposedly want to help the poor and then whine when criticizing a liberal worth at least $500 million dollars.”
First of all, I didn’t “whine” about anything. It says something about YOU that you need to try and pretend that someone pointing out your stupidity is somehow “whining”
Second, what the hell does telling you that you need psychological help for saying Micheals house should be raided by the FBI have to do with how much money he has? His wealth has NOTHING to do with your idiotic comments.
Seriously, you are a complete imbecile.
As I said before, get psychological help. There is something very wrong with you.
Coming from the side that damages Teslas because your candidate didn’t win, perhaps you should seek help first.
Tesla’s were already damaged, thanks to Elmo Muck wrecking them with his stupidity. But you’d know that, if your ugly head wasn’t deep up your orange traitor’s ass.
There is no apostrophe Teslas because it’s not possessive. Please be smarter.
How are they already damaged when lunatic liberals are torching, keying, and throwing bricks at them?
Bitch, you fucking slurp Drumpf! A fence post is smarter than you! Don’t be trying to project your stupidity onto me, loser! That is the lamest thing you ignorant MAGAts can do!
And Teslas are already damaged, because they’re designed and built wrong, all by Elmo Muck himself, who thinks he’s Tony Stark, but, in reality, is Stupid Lex Luthor! You were fucking dumb enough to believe that a vulture capitalist was some kind of tech wizard!
You are so fucking lame and stupid! Do what Leo tells you to do and get psychological help, now! You fucking understand, boy?