6 Comedy Legends Share Secrets ofSaturday Night Liveand Celebrate 50 Years of Laughs and Love (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

It’s early January, and six legendary comics from the most legendary sketch comedy show in television history are together in Manhattan studio. And they are celebrating the birthday ofSaturday Night Live.OnceLeslie Jones,Kate McKinnon,Seth Meyers,Molly Shannon,Kenan Thompson, andBowen Yangfinish their photo shoot and impromptu dance party, they assemble, and two topics quickly emerge:Lorne Michaels, the creator and executive producer ofSNL(Michaels’s mantra, “The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready, it goes on because it’s 11:30,” is remembered) and, well, love. “We all did this because it’s the greatest job in television,” Shannon says. “Underneath it all is love.”‘Saturday Night Live’ cast members Kate McKinnon, Bowen Yang, Kenan Thompson, Leslie Jones, Molly Shannon and Seth Meyers on January 13, 2025.Mary Ellen MatthewsSNLpremiered on NBC in October 1975 and was boundary-breaking and FCC censor-skirting from the start. It also, without question, became a star factory, launching the careers ofBill Murray,Eddie Murphy,Adam Sandler,Tina Fey,Kristen Wiig. . . and, of course, the six sitting down with PEOPLE. Now the show is turning 50, and celebrations and retrospectives are underway: DocsSNL50: Beyond Saturday Nightand NBC’sLadies & Gentlemen . . . 50 Years of SNL Musicare now streaming on Peacock; a live music event takes over Radio City Music Hall on Feb. 14, streaming live on Peacock; andSNL’s three-hour anniversary special will be live from Studio 8H on Feb. 16 on NBC and Peacock.Molly Shannon, Kate McKinnon, Bowen Yang, Kenan Thompson, Seth Meyers, Leslie Jones.Mary Ellen MatthewsAs the six begin chatting, the love is palpable, the laughs are well-earned, and the up-all-night, swing-hard, fail-big pressure of sketch comedy before a live studio audience — and millions of screens—is recognized as only a very rare group of people can. Here they reflect on their journeys to 30 Rock and the moments, players and characters that paved the way.Kenan Thompson.Mary Ellen MatthewsYou all began, like many, asSNLfans. What cast members first inspired you?BOWEN YANGMy first exposure to the show was Molly and Will [Ferrell] and [Chris] Kattan. And then graduating college, it was Kate and Leslie, Seth and then Kenan being this perfect, constant thing. It’s amazing to have the continuum in this tableau. I’m using so many obnoxious words.KENAN THOMPSON“Continuum in this tableau.” Well said.LESLIE JONES[Gilda Radner as] Roseanne Roseannadanna. Chevy Chase falling down the stairs. Garrett Morris. Yeah. I’m old.KATE MCKINNONI started watching when I was 12. Watching Molly’s characters taught me what I wanted to do, which was to be this full wacky, amazing, joyful odd man out.MOLLY SHANNONOh my god, that’s so sweet!Molly Shannon.Mary Ellen MatthewsAuditions for the show are famously scary — and quiet. What do you remember from yours?SETH MEYERSI would’ve told you nobody laughs at auditions because nobody laughed at mine, but I was there for Leslie’s.JONESI was cocky as f—. I walked in there, I was like, “Y’all in the back, move to the front. I don’t perform like that.” And then when I finished I was like, “My name is Leslie Jones. Peace.”SHANNONI spent all my waitressing money making a five-minute VHS tape. I hired an editor and a guy to shoot it in my little dumpy apartment. I was on a payphone when they said, “Sorry, they passed on your tape.” Then I picked myself back up and worked really hard on my characters. They came back around five years later and asked for a tape again. I was like, “You have to come see my live show.”YANGAt one of my auditions, I was in a silver metallic onesie and Kate was there. She gave me a hug and was like, “You should be so proud of this audition, no matter what happens.”Bowen Yang.Mary Ellen MatthewsLet’s talk about hosts. Who came in surprisingly prepared?THOMPSONMelissa McCarthy came in with a lot of ideas and she was just like, “I just want to throw this out there real quick.“ And they were all hilarious.SHANNONI felt that way with Jim Carrey. I was like, “God, he just elevates every sketch.”Kate McKinnon.Mary Ellen MatthewsFans love it when you break.JONESIt’s funny as hell.YANGIt’s a live show. When things go wrong, it’s an error in stimulus. You laugh because something is not landing normally.JONESOr something is landing.MEYERSBut also sometimes we get to witness something the audience doesn’t. I guess it was the Betty White show, and Molly, you did Sally O’Malley. You were pulling your pants up, and Amy [Poehler] and I were at the Weekend Update desk. The audacity and the joy. We were so lucky to have that vantage point. That was one of my favorite moments.Seth Meyers.Mary Ellen MatthewsTHOMPSONMolly, you eat it up every single time. And my favorite is when you say, “Stretch.” Because it’s like the “kick” is intense. You’re having such a good time doing the dance of your gift.MEYERSI turned 50 last year, and 15 different SNL people texted me that it was time to “kick and stretch.”SHANNONThis is not funny at all, but my dad was very badly injured in an automobile accident and he had to learn to walk again. The character is based on his limp. That’s me imitating my dad. She’s like, “I can’t,” but then she fools people. She’s got power. She can f— you all.Mary Ellen MatthewsLorne has told cast members that it takes three to four years to get comfortable on the show.YANGI think it takes three to four years to get over the fear of getting fired. But I’m still a wreck every Saturday.THOMPSONComfortable is subjective because we’re always presenting something new. We never really have a relaxed moment until after it’s done.Saturday Night Liveairs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

It’s early January, and six legendary comics from the most legendary sketch comedy show in television history are together in Manhattan studio. And they are celebrating the birthday ofSaturday Night Live.

OnceLeslie Jones,Kate McKinnon,Seth Meyers,Molly Shannon,Kenan Thompson, andBowen Yangfinish their photo shoot and impromptu dance party, they assemble, and two topics quickly emerge:Lorne Michaels, the creator and executive producer ofSNL(Michaels’s mantra, “The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready, it goes on because it’s 11:30,” is remembered) and, well, love. “We all did this because it’s the greatest job in television,” Shannon says. “Underneath it all is love.”

‘Saturday Night Live’ cast members Kate McKinnon, Bowen Yang, Kenan Thompson, Leslie Jones, Molly Shannon and Seth Meyers on January 13, 2025.Mary Ellen Matthews

Mary Ellen Matthews

SNLpremiered on NBC in October 1975 and was boundary-breaking and FCC censor-skirting from the start. It also, without question, became a star factory, launching the careers ofBill Murray,Eddie Murphy,Adam Sandler,Tina Fey,Kristen Wiig. . . and, of course, the six sitting down with PEOPLE. Now the show is turning 50, and celebrations and retrospectives are underway: DocsSNL50: Beyond Saturday Nightand NBC’sLadies & Gentlemen . . . 50 Years of SNL Musicare now streaming on Peacock; a live music event takes over Radio City Music Hall on Feb. 14, streaming live on Peacock; andSNL’s three-hour anniversary special will be live from Studio 8H on Feb. 16 on NBC and Peacock.

Molly Shannon, Kate McKinnon, Bowen Yang, Kenan Thompson, Seth Meyers, Leslie Jones.Mary Ellen Matthews

As the six begin chatting, the love is palpable, the laughs are well-earned, and the up-all-night, swing-hard, fail-big pressure of sketch comedy before a live studio audience — and millions of screens—is recognized as only a very rare group of people can. Here they reflect on their journeys to 30 Rock and the moments, players and characters that paved the way.

Kenan Thompson.Mary Ellen Matthews

You all began, like many, asSNLfans. What cast members first inspired you?

BOWEN YANGMy first exposure to the show was Molly and Will [Ferrell] and [Chris] Kattan. And then graduating college, it was Kate and Leslie, Seth and then Kenan being this perfect, constant thing. It’s amazing to have the continuum in this tableau. I’m using so many obnoxious words.

KENAN THOMPSON“Continuum in this tableau.” Well said.

LESLIE JONES[Gilda Radner as] Roseanne Roseannadanna. Chevy Chase falling down the stairs. Garrett Morris. Yeah. I’m old.

KATE MCKINNONI started watching when I was 12. Watching Molly’s characters taught me what I wanted to do, which was to be this full wacky, amazing, joyful odd man out.

MOLLY SHANNONOh my god, that’s so sweet!

Molly Shannon.Mary Ellen Matthews

Auditions for the show are famously scary — and quiet. What do you remember from yours?

SETH MEYERSI would’ve told you nobody laughs at auditions because nobody laughed at mine, but I was there for Leslie’s.

JONESI was cocky as f—. I walked in there, I was like, “Y’all in the back, move to the front. I don’t perform like that.” And then when I finished I was like, “My name is Leslie Jones. Peace.”

SHANNONI spent all my waitressing money making a five-minute VHS tape. I hired an editor and a guy to shoot it in my little dumpy apartment. I was on a payphone when they said, “Sorry, they passed on your tape.” Then I picked myself back up and worked really hard on my characters. They came back around five years later and asked for a tape again. I was like, “You have to come see my live show.”

YANGAt one of my auditions, I was in a silver metallic onesie and Kate was there. She gave me a hug and was like, “You should be so proud of this audition, no matter what happens.”

Bowen Yang.Mary Ellen Matthews

Let’s talk about hosts. Who came in surprisingly prepared?

THOMPSONMelissa McCarthy came in with a lot of ideas and she was just like, “I just want to throw this out there real quick.“ And they were all hilarious.

SHANNONI felt that way with Jim Carrey. I was like, “God, he just elevates every sketch.”

Kate McKinnon.Mary Ellen Matthews

Fans love it when you break.

JONESIt’s funny as hell.

YANGIt’s a live show. When things go wrong, it’s an error in stimulus. You laugh because something is not landing normally.

JONESOr something is landing.

MEYERSBut also sometimes we get to witness something the audience doesn’t. I guess it was the Betty White show, and Molly, you did Sally O’Malley. You were pulling your pants up, and Amy [Poehler] and I were at the Weekend Update desk. The audacity and the joy. We were so lucky to have that vantage point. That was one of my favorite moments.

Seth Meyers.Mary Ellen Matthews

THOMPSONMolly, you eat it up every single time. And my favorite is when you say, “Stretch.” Because it’s like the “kick” is intense. You’re having such a good time doing the dance of your gift.

MEYERSI turned 50 last year, and 15 different SNL people texted me that it was time to “kick and stretch.”

SHANNONThis is not funny at all, but my dad was very badly injured in an automobile accident and he had to learn to walk again. The character is based on his limp. That’s me imitating my dad. She’s like, “I can’t,” but then she fools people. She’s got power. She can f— you all.

Lorne has told cast members that it takes three to four years to get comfortable on the show.

YANGI think it takes three to four years to get over the fear of getting fired. But I’m still a wreck every Saturday.

THOMPSONComfortable is subjective because we’re always presenting something new. We never really have a relaxed moment until after it’s done.

Saturday Night Liveairs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

source: people.com