In the years since Saturday Night Live debuted in 1975, it has become one of the longest-running shows in television history. Of course, one of the main reasons why the show has become so legendary is that a lot of Saturday Night Live stars have become rich and famous beyond belief. In fact, the actor that Rolling Stone named SNL’s worst cast member of all time went on to become one of the most successful movie stars of all time.
Given the fact that many comedy legends have called the Saturday Night Live stage their stomping grounds over the years, it makes sense that the show’s cast garners most of the attention. However, there is one person who has pulled the strings behind the scenes at SNL throughout the vast majority of the show’s history, Lorne Michaels.
Even though Lorne Michaels fingerprints have been all over the comedy world for the last several decades, most people know next to nothing about the powerbroker. According to an anonymous former Saturday Night Live cast member, Michaels should think his lucky stars he isn’t in the spotlight. After all, that cast member compared Michaels’ behavior behind the scenes of the legendary show to a cult leader.
Hollywood Heavyweight
Throughout Holywood history, there have been a handful of powerbrokers who’ve managed to succeed behind the scenes for decades. For example, at the height of Aaron Spelling’s career, he produced so many hit shows that people thought he must have been born with the Midas touch. Just like Spelling, Lorne Michaels has become incredibly rich as a result of becoming one of the most powerful people in Hollywood.
Of course, it should go without saying that Lorne Michaels is famous mostly because he has run Saturday Night Live throughout most of the show’s history. Considering how difficult running a weekly live sketch comedy show must be, it makes sense that Michaels gets so much credit for his SNL tenure. On top of that, you have to keep in mind the fact that Michaels has to contend with a new famous host each week, many of whom are likely to have out-of-control egos.
Over the last few decades, Lorne Michaels has become so much more than just the Saturday Night Live guy. After all, Michaels has produced some massive movies over the years including Wayne’s World, Tommy Boy, and Mean Girls among others. On top of that, Michaels has produced or executive produced several shows including The Kids in the Hall, 30 Rock, Miracle Workes, Kenan, and That Damn Michael Che. Most notably, Michaels has executive produced some of the most successful late-night talk shows of all time including Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Colin Calls His Boss Out
In 2020, Saturday Night Live co-head writer and Weekend Update co-host Colin Jost released his memoir “A Very Punchable Face”. Amazingly enough, in his book, Jost makes it seem like working for Lorne Michaels is very difficult. For example, Jost explains in his memoir that he has to be very political if he wants to make sure new writers keep their jobs due to the way Michaels may react to a single sketch.
According to what Jost wrote in his book, if Lorne Michaels doesn’t like a sketch written by a new writer, Colin can’t just argue against the boss if he disagrees. As Jost explains, if he fights for a sketch Michaels was against and Lorne still doesn’t like it once the bit airs, that can mean quick doom for a new writer’s career. “Then he won’t just be angry at me (that part I don’t really care about anymore) — he’ll be angry at the first-year writer, and that writer could lose her job at the end of the year.”
Of course, it is a big deal if a Saturday Night Live sketch flops with audiences. However, when looking at the words Colin Jost wrote about trying to protect new SNL writers, the show’s fans weren’t brought up at all. Instead, based on Jost’s words, it doesn’t matter if SNL fans like a sketch if the show’s boss doesn’t which is pretty wild.
Cult Leader
When Colin Jost wrote about working for Lorne Michaels, he dared to do so under his own name. On the other hand, when one former Saturday Night Live cast member talked about Michaels for a 2008 New York Magazine article, they insisted on remaining anonymous to the public. Perhaps that is why the person in question felt the freedom to compare Lorne Michaels to a cult leader.
“Lorne wants people to feel insecure. It’s the same techniques cults use—they keep you up for hours, they never let you know that you’re okay, and they always make you think that your spot could be taken at any moment by someone else.”
While that quote doesn’t assign any malevolent motivations for Lorne Michaels’ treatment of his staff, it is still pretty damning. After all, virtually everyone thinks of cult leaders as being awful and highly manipulative people.
