News sources indicated today that there have been some high level talks about Tina Fey taking the mantle of producer when Lorne Michaels decides it is time to leave Saturday Night Live. He’s had a pretty dang good run. With the exception of a few years in the 1980s when he stepped away, Michaels has been at the helm.
Think of what he accomplished…in almost 50 years SNL has become the incubator for some of the biggest names in comedy. And taking a step further, Michaels also produced some of the biggest comedies of all time. He literally put people on the hottest sketch show, put them in the movies and now has the most robust cell phone full of numbers if he ever needs a favor. Celebrities and Notable Individuals who would do anything to repay Michaels or get a spot hosting his show. In fact, I think some actors/comedians/musicians/politicians owe their most notable pop culture moments to SNL. And while Michaels doesn’t write the show himself, he still has his hands in a lot of cookie jars as a producer.
And now, we are talking about the next in line. Let’s hope this individual does not find themselves as part of the SNL legend like Jean Doumanian or Dick Ebersol. Rumors of walking around with a baseball bat to intimidate or complete breakdowns in front of hosts. These two proved that the job of producer for Saturday Night Live is more than just dinners and hoping that no one tears up a picture of the Pope.
I think Tina Fey would make an excellent choice for producer. She has the experience as head writer, performer, sitcom/movie star and one of the best Weekend Update anchors of all time. She knows what it takes – so much so that she starred in a television show about HER RUNNING A WEEKLY LIVE SKETCH COMEDY SHOW…that was produced by Lorne Michaels. The lady knows what she is doing and could be a great bridge to the next 50 years of the world’s most successful sketch comedy series.
Maybe you are thinking, “does it have to be an SNL alumn?” Good question! No, I don’t personally believe they have to be. It could be someone like Judd Apatow or Phil Lord/Chris Miller. There are plenty of people out there who could do a good job, but the training ground is rough. This is not a job for the faint of heart. It is relentless and you will, undoubtably, read “Saturday Night Dead” in a few headlines at the beginning, middle and end of your tenure.
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