Days after Colin Jost and Michael Che celebrated ten years behind the “Weekend Update” desk together, another SNL anchor team is marking their own anniversary. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler made their debut as a “Weekend Update” duo twenty years ago today.
Although Fey had already spent four years behind the Update desk alongside Jimmy Fallon, SNL’s Ben Affleck-hosted Season 30 premiere on October 2, 2004 was the first time she’d be paired with Poehler.
While a “Weekend Update” debut of this sort might have gone unnoticed by viewers who don’t follow the show, Poehler’s likely registered with everyone watching. “That was my first joke!” she declared excitedly after reading her first news story.
The segment kicked off with a new opening sequence, with Fey’s former co-anchor Jimmy Fallon exuberantly announcing “It’s Weekend Update with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Yayyyy!” (Fallon’s “yayyyy” was removed from the open on all future episodes.)
20 years ago today: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler made their co-anchor debut on SNL's Weekend Update. #SNL pic.twitter.com/5c1IBvXWZ6
— LateNighter (@latenightercom) October 2, 2024
Fey and Poehler went on to welcome three guests over the course of the segment: Host Affleck as a “Hollywood actor” presumed to be himself, Horatio Sanz as Elton John, and surprise guest James Gandolfini as a certain unnamed New Jersey resident. (Gandolfini was starring as New Jersey mobster Tony Soprano on The Sopranos at the time.)
The segment also made a few references to Fallon by name, with Fey remarking that she liked the energy of having Poehler on her team—albeit by comparing them to the serial-killing duo from the film Monster. They wrapped up the newscast with a congratulatory hug.
Poehler and Fey’s pairing for Update only lasted two seasons, and Fey was even absent for a few of those shows. Horatio Sanz filled in for Fey while she was on maternity leave, co-anchoring three episodes in 2005. Fey exited the show permanently at the end of season in 2006.
Poehler remained behind the desk the following season, with Seth Meyers joining her. That duo remained a team until Poehler’s own departure in 2008.
Poehler and Fey, who first met while performing improv in Chicago’s comedy scene, have continued to collaborate professionally since leaving SNL, working on several films together, co-hosting the Golden Globes four times between 2013-2021, and most recently touring the country with their own joint comedy show, “The Restless Leg Tour.”
Earlier this year, the duo was among several TV legends chosen to participate in a series of surprise reunions at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, where they revived their old “Weekend Update” roles to present the award for Outstanding Live Variety Special.
🎥 | Tina Fey and Amy Poehler perform a special Weekend Update at the #Emmys to present the award for Outstanding Live Variety Special
— Tina Fey Rocks (@TinaFeyNet) January 16, 2024
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