A gifted improv performer, Chris Kattan broke through on Saturday Night Live, where he was a cast member from 1996–2003. In this new episode of Inside Late Night with Mark Malkoff, he revisits his early days at the show—from debuting opposite John Goodman and Will Ferrell to finding his footing in sketches that became instant crowd favorites.
Kattan recalls being hired just six weeks before the end of the season and feeling like “a fish out of water” when he first arrived in New York. His first sketch, “Suel Forrester: Substitute Teacher,” killed at both dress rehearsal and live, making him realize he might have found “a home” at SNL. He also talks about writing “Acting Workshop” for Phil Hartman, developing Mr. Peepers and Mango, and teaming up with Ferrell for The Roxbury Guys—including the now-legendary night Jim Carrey joined in on the head-bopping.
Along the way, Kattan shares memories of Groundlings friends like Cheri Oteri and Molly Shannon, insight into working with writers like Robert Smigel and Fred Wolf, and rare behind-the-scenes moments—from a live show with Monty Python to a chaotic first Conan appearance when a studio fire forced the show outside at Rockefeller Center.
He also looks back on emotional milestones: saying goodbye to SNL to care for his father, reconnecting at the 50th anniversary, and the bittersweet years when injuries kept him offstage. “It just took a lot out of me,” he says, “but it was a great ride.”
Click the embed at the top of this post to watch now, or find The LateNighter Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
