I hope this gets threadmarked.Now, the finalized version of my Muppet Quiz post.
From: Looking Back on Muppet Quiz (2015-2021)
Article by Tommy Maguire [1] for Maguire's Two Cents, March 30, 2022.
Guest post by @Trevor807; idea by @Shockeye7665
The Muppets have delighted audiences for more than 65 years. They have starred in many television series over the years, most famously Sesame Street (which has run since 1969) and The Muppet Show. In 2015, Walt Disney Television and NBC brought us Muppet Quiz, bringing the Muppets to primetime for the first time since Too Late with Miss Piggy, and in time for their 60th anniversary. The Muppeteer lineup of Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta, David Rudman, Matt Vogel, Kevin Clash, Peter Linz, Karen Prell et al joined in for the ride, while Muppets creator and former Disney chairman Jim Henson served as an executive producer and creative consultant. Clash and Barretta, along with Kirk Thatcher, were the showrunners, and Whitmire, Goelz, Clash, Barretta, Prell, and Vogel were frequent directors as well.
Like Too Late, Muppet Quiz sought to modernize the classic Muppet Show formula, with Kermit once again focusing on producing alongside Clifford, this time leaving hosting duties to affable piano-playing dog Rowlf [2], so he could focus on keeping the show from falling apart. This time, though, Muppet Quiz was more of a panel show in the vein of Match Game, with six different Muppets every week.
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= Muppet Quiz
Every episode began with a short Muppet Show-like backstage skit of the two guest stars preparing for the show and interacting with a few of the panelists.
After the panelists and guests were introduced, Rowlf bantered with the guests and some of the Muppets, before the gameplay began; the action took place on a set that parodied 1960s-1970s game shows such as Match Game, The Newlywed Game, and Password. Yes, they even used old-fashioned eggcrate displays instead of LED monitors.
Rowlf would ask six questions for both guest stars to answer (playing for points), and their responses were followed by the Muppets giving their two cents as well, usually leading to comedy skits or musical numbers from either the guests or the Muppets. Plus, quite a few skits ran on meta humor, including comments Rowlf made towards questions, as well as some lighthearted digs at Muppet corporate sibling NBC (Enby the Peacock even made a cameo appearance in one episode!) and even parent company Disney. If a guest got the question right, they would earn three points, with an additional point for each Muppet who also got it right. After each question, the show would cut to a scene taking place backstage, where Kermit would check in on what was happening.
Once all six questions were completed, the guest star with the most points would team up with a Muppet determined by the "Wheel! Of! Muppets!" The guest would then compete in a wacky final round with their Muppet competitor; for example, a cook-off with the Swedish Chef, a drum-off with the crazy drummer Animal, or a roast-off with resident critic duo Statler and Waldorf. If they got more points than the Muppet, they would win the round. Both guest stars came out on stage, along with some of the Muppets of that episode. After the credits, Statler and Waldorf gave one final comment a la The Muppet Show.
Of course, the best part was getting to see some classic Muppet antics on TV again after over a decade. Statler and Waldorf continued their usual brand of heckling from their front-row seats, Fozzie Bear told bad jokes for those two old coots to roast at like in the old days (they're practically a comedy trio at this point!), and Gonzo found new, insane yet cultured stunts to perform. Making his TV debut was Walter (introduced in 2005), who acted as Rowlf's announcer/sidekick; he would sometimes join in the panel as well [3], though he was nothing compared to his energetic yet witty twin sister Wendy (also introduced in 2005). [4]
In Muppet tradition, the guest stars themselves each had their own skits as well, whether it's actor, voice actor and director Jude Barsi bonding with Uncle Deadly and Zondra, singer Ariana Grande attracting the jealousy of vain diva Miss Piggy simply for talking to Kermit backstage, or game show host Alex Trebek briefly taking over hosting duties from Rowlf before realizing that trying to get the Muppets under control is easier said than done. Who can forget well-known chef Gordon Ramsay trying to cook with the Swedish Chef, only for the Chef’s ineptitude and wackiness to frustrate Ramsay? Seriously, if this were a PFN reality show, he would've sworn up a storm. (“It's the bleepin’ Muppets! Families are bleepin’ watching!”) [5]
At the end of the day, much like how Too Late was a variety show dressed as a talk show, Muppet Quiz is a variety show dressed as a game show.
The series was a big hit among critics and audiences, running for six seasons before its final episode aired on May 24 last year. Clash, Barretta, and Thatcher did an admirable job maintaining the integrity of the characters, staying true to Henson’s intentions. We can only hope that the next Muppet series, whenever that comes, continues the tradition of success.
MUPPET PERFORMERS
ADDITIONAL PERFORMERS
- Bill Barretta as Rowlf, Waldorf, Dr. Teeth, Pepe the King Prawn, the Swedish Chef (head and voice), Bobo the Bear, Sal Minella [6], Mahna Mahna, Big Mean Carl, and Other Muppets
- Steve Whitmire as Kermit, Statler, Beaker, Rizzo the Rat, Lips, the Newsman, Link Hogthrob, Benny Bunny [7], Ubu, Andy Pig, the Swedish Chef (hands), and Other Muppets
- Peter Linz as Walter, Nigel the Conductor, Dr. Phil Van Neuter [8], and Other Muppets
- Kevin Clash as Clifford, Mulch, Enby the Peacock, and Other Muppets
- Eric Jacobson as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam the Eagle, Marvin Suggs, and Other Muppets
- Dave Goelz as Gonzo the Great, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, Beauregard, Digit, Chip, Randy Pig, and Other Muppets
- David Rudman as Scooter, Janice, Wayne, and Other Muppets
- Matt Vogel as Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Robin the Frog, Uncle Deadly, Sweetums, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Pops, Camilla, Angus McGonagle, and Other Muppets
- Karen Prell as Wendy, Yolanda Rat, and Other Muppets
- Alice Dinnean as Wanda and Other Muppets
- Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as Zondra, Spamela Hamderson, and Other Muppets
- Tyler Bunch as Thog and Other Muppets
- Louise Gold as Annie Sue and Other Muppets
- Grant Baciocco
- Rickey Boyd
- Wayne Brady
- Julianne Buescher
- Kanja Chen
- Frankie Cordero
- Stephanie D'Abruzzo
- Ryan Dillon
- Ben Durocher
- Ali J. Eisner
- Artie Esposito
- Bradley Freeman, Jr.
- Aymee Garcia
- Dan Garza
- Leila Ghaznavi
- Andy Hayward
- John Kennedy
- Donna Kimball
- Tim Lagasse
- Bruce Lanoil
- Noel MacNeal
- Drew Massey
- Joey Mazzarino
- Brett O'Quinn
- Anney McKilligan Ozar
- Martin P. Robinson
- Yinan Shentu
- John Tartaglia
- Alex Villa
- Victor Yerrid
[1] A pun on Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland's names.
[2] I had Rowlf be the host this time, because I wanted him to get his time in the spotlight again (he was the lead Muppet before The Muppet Show due to his fame as Jimmy Dean's TV sidekick). Kermit still plays a major role as the producer like in Too Late, and he's still the undeniable leader.
[3] Inspired by this episode of Match Game ‘75 in which Gary Burghoff (himself a substitute for Charles Nelson Reilly) missed the day's taping after forgetting about Daylight Savings’ Time, so announcer Johnny Olson filled in for him.
[4] A crude mockup of Wendy's appearance.
[5] OTL's equivalent.
[6] Basically OTL's Johnny Fiama as described in the Too Late with Miss Piggy entry.
[7] OTL's Bean Bunny.
[8] Brian Henson performed this role IOTL. Here, because of his other commitments, I gave Peter this role instead.
EDIT: Added Clifford as producer.
EDIT 2: Added mention of eggcrate displays.
"To Introduce our Guest Star, that's What I'm Here to Do..." The Hensonverse Fan Contribution Thread
- Thread starter Geekhis Khan
- Start date
If I do another guest post for the next Muppet series after Muppet Quiz, then I'd pick Clifford as the lead character, and I'd go with a story-focused series like OTL's The Muppets Mayhem; it could even go on Disney Direct (TTL's Disney+ analogue). I feel him being the lead would go better in TTL's modern day (due to being far more established) than in OTL's 1996. I also considered him as host for Muppet Quiz when I started thinking of other potential hosts besides Kermit before going with Rowlf. I'd need to come up with a title, premise, and any other characters (plus performers, names and personalities for new characters).
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How about we call it muppet mornings and make it a variety show disguised as a breakfast show
Maybe make it a parody of Today in particular. I might make it another NBC show if it becomes another variety show. (Say, anyone up for Hoda Kotb as a guest star?)
14 March 2022
Just got back home after a meeting with Jim and Jane and dropped Bill home so basically my day today consisted of recording a bunch of stuff for Clifford for the last episode of muppet quiz which will air sometime in May when exactly I am not sure but I am sure NBC have something planned for marketing and the meeting with Jim and Jane as I mentioned earlier about a possible show I came up with to follow up from muppet quiz called muppets today (working title) which in my mind is basically a variety show disguised as a parody of shows like today good morning America sunrise which is an Australian breakfast show that a friend of mine that lives there always talks about and breakfast tv shows in general will probably phone the core players over the next few days and hope for their approval.
Kevin Clash
1 thoughts @Trevor807
2 @Geekhis Khan you don’t mind making the posts that trevor and I have been making canon to the franchise do you?
Just got back home after a meeting with Jim and Jane and dropped Bill home so basically my day today consisted of recording a bunch of stuff for Clifford for the last episode of muppet quiz which will air sometime in May when exactly I am not sure but I am sure NBC have something planned for marketing and the meeting with Jim and Jane as I mentioned earlier about a possible show I came up with to follow up from muppet quiz called muppets today (working title) which in my mind is basically a variety show disguised as a parody of shows like today good morning America sunrise which is an Australian breakfast show that a friend of mine that lives there always talks about and breakfast tv shows in general will probably phone the core players over the next few days and hope for their approval.
Kevin Clash
1 thoughts @Trevor807
2 @Geekhis Khan you don’t mind making the posts that trevor and I have been making canon to the franchise do you?
It's mentioned that Jane already passed away. Here's my take:
March 14, 2021:
Just got back home after a meeting with Jim and dropped Bill home, so basically my day today consisted of recording Clifford material for the last episode of Muppet Quiz, which will air sometime in May. I don't know when it'll air exactly, but I'm sure the folks at NBC have something planned for marketing. Anyway, in that meeting with Jim, we discussed a possible show I came up with to follow Muppet Quiz. I haven't come up with a name yet, but in my head it's a continuation of the variety show formula, now parodying Today, Good Morning America, Sunrise (an Australian breakfast show that a friend of mine always talks about), and morning/breakfast TV shows in general. Will probably phone Dave, Steve and the rest over the next few days to see if they approve.
- Kevin Clash
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You can probably do your own version of the post to correct it then
Just did. I also changed the date to 2021, among other things.
For co-anchors. I can see Miss Piggy being one. Her fierce temper can be a hilarious contrast to the cool, collected Clifford. To complete the trio, I'll need a Muppet who can balance them. Rizzo, maybe? He's collected like Clifford, but very sarcastic and snide; him, Gonzo, and Pepé would make a great trio as well, perhaps in a recurring sketch series in which Pepé lures Rizzo into one of Gonzo's stunts, content to sit back and watch. Kermit is the showrunner like in Muppet Quiz.
For co-anchors. I can see Miss Piggy being one. Her fierce temper can be a hilarious contrast to the cool, collected Clifford. To complete the trio, I'll need a Muppet who can balance them. Rizzo, maybe? He's collected like Clifford, but very sarcastic and snide; him, Gonzo, and Pepé would make a great trio as well, perhaps in a recurring sketch series in which Pepé lures Rizzo into one of Gonzo's stunts, content to sit back and watch. Kermit is the showrunner like in Muppet Quiz.
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CORRECTION: I was notified that Joe the Legal Weasel's TTL counterpart was actually introduced in 1989, as Barry Stirr (performed by Steve Whitmire). Let's pretend this is the case in this post then.
Still Not Ready for Prime Time
Still Not Ready for Prime Time: The Most Underrated SNL Cast Members
Entertainment Weekly, November 3rd 2023
By Bill Chase
Guest post by @MNM041 and with assistance from @Plateosaurus
Saturday Night Live has certainly been a show that's had its fair share of ups and downs, hasn't it? The iconic sketch comedy series has pushed the envelope for years now, and provided both some of the best and worst examples of what sketch comedy can be. While some may claim the show has lost its luster in recent years or just isn't funny anymore, these recent cast members still show that SNL has some spark in there. These aren't going to talk about the usual suspects you see in these lists like Tina Fey, Jason Sudeikis, Kate McKinnon or Bill Hader. I'm here to focus on comedians who aren't nearly as talked about as they should be despite consistently being hilarious. Bear in my these are my opinions, so if you disagree, feel free to comment who you think deserves more love.
Paul Schrier (1997-2004)
Paul Schrier [1] first joined SNL's cast in 1997 and up until leaving in 2004, he remained one of the major players on the show. After impressing producers with both his stand up act, and his physical comedy chops, Schrier was first seen by many as an attempt to replicate the show had with Chris Farley, who actually hosted SNL the same year Schrier joined. While many of the earlier sketches Schrier did evoke that kind of Chris Farley-esque humor, as Schrier progressed on the show and got to bring in more of his own stoic comedic stylings, he really grew into his own.
An example of a sketch that really demonstrated his comedic ability was Meeting Her Parents [2], where Schrier played a father meeting his daughter's boyfriend who suddenly becomes very intimidating when his daughter leaves the room. The ability of Schrier (alongside that week's host Gillian Anderson playing his wife) to switch between corny dad and CIA interrogator is a stroke of comedic genius. Since leaving the show in 2004, Schrier has continued to be a consistently funny presence in both movies and TV, including his own sitcom, The Paul Schier Show.
Jason Narvy (1998-2005)
Well, since I just talked about Schier[3], I should probably talk about the man who essentially became the Laurel to his Hardy, Jason Narvy. Narvy first got the attention of Lorne Michaels after upon a recommendation from SNL alum Dana Carvey, who he had worked with on the film Who Is Alan Smithee?
After joining, Narvy quickly cemented himself as the definition of the all-star utility player during his time on the show. Able to essay deadpan commercial pitchmen like Phil Hartman, plumb the depths of deliberately irritating weirdos like Will Forte. Still, the stalwart Narvy shone in his roles, no matter the size, and his invaluable comic presence served him well afterward, though his tenure on the show is still often overlooked, possibly because his later work, such as his work on The Paul Schier Show and even later with his supporting role on Eight Simple Rules seemed to somehow eclipse his SNL. In fact when he returned to host in 2009, he said during his monologue, “I actually used to work here, but if you don't remember that, that's okay. Lorne doesn't either.”
Matt Kennedy Gould (2002 - 2012)
During his time on SNL, Matt Kennedy Gould[4] proved to just be one of those guys you can't help but root for. Prior to entering the New York comedy scene, Gould was a law school dropout living with his parents and delivering pizzas for a living[5]. After giving stand-up a try during an open mic night in February of 2001, Gould began performing at comedy clubs around New York before eventually catching the eye of Lorne Michaels in 2002.
Gould's first two years on Saturday Night Live saw him reliably cast in Average Joe roles that often saw him playing the straight man. However, Gould really came into his own in 2004, when Thuy Trang hosted to promote the second Resident Evil movie, during which Gould pitched a sketch about 9 to 5 office workers at the Umbrella Corporation. From there, Gould found himself often cast as characters where normality was the joke, which led to a certain Bill Murray style flavor to sketches. Gould left SNL in 2012, and immediately after was cast in the CBS sitcom Help Me, about a life coach trying to sell people rules for success, while feeling like his life is falling apart, and has returned to host twice.
Stephen Colbert (1996 - 2000)
Stephen Colbert[6] had of course been behind some of SNL’s most memorable moments during his time with the show. Colbert joined the show during season 18 and eventually ended up becoming the host of Weekend Update after Norm Macdonald and Colin Quinn both left. Stephen Colbert quickly proved himself to be a natural for the role, with quick wit and a penchant for world class satire, Colbert provided some of the smartest jokes from SNL.
Taking over as one of the anchors for weekend update, but Colbert did a lot more than salvage "Update" from a long losing streak — it swiftly became the highlight of the show, as the entire franchise remade itself around the wry, sardonic, style of Colbert. Beyond that, there are of course iconic sketches like The Ambiguously Gay Duo[6] which proved Colbert was just as funny away from the Weekend Update desk. Colbert has found a fair bit of success hosting The Tonight Show but has still found time to return to the show that brought him fame three times.
Stephanie Courtney (2001 - 2011)
Stephanie Courtney[7] has garnered a well deserved reputation as one of the funniest women in America. Joining SNL in 2001, Stephanie Courtney started on the writing staff before joining the main cast the following year and working as one of the hosts of Weekend Update the year after that. Courtney, alongside her longtime friend Tina Fey, have been involved in some of the funniest moments of the show, and become one of the most prolific performers ever when it comes to recurring characters. Courtney was so ubiquitous during her time on SNL that it's tempting to discount just how hilarious she was.
Courtney admittedly started with a very similar witty, not-afraid-of-her-brain style as Tina Fey but once she hit her stride it was a joy to watch. Whether she was playing a dissatisfied sitcom wife planning to kill her husband or playing future President Kathleen Sebelius during her time as Governor of Kansas. Apart from churning out the hits, however, Courtney was a fearless and nimble sketch performer and more than capable impressionist, seeing her virtually take over episodes with her sheer range. Even working among very strong casts during her seven seasons on the show, Courtney was a major star. It's just too bad we only realized it once she left. Thankfully, she's returned to SNL as host a grand total of five times, and alongside Tina Fey has helped pen the scripts for numerous hilarious movies over the years, many of which she also started in.
Donald Glover (2009 - 2013)
As time has gone on, it feels stranger and stranger to remember that Donald Glover[8] was on Saturday Night Live. The multi-platinum singer-songwriter’s career at SNL started after several sketches he made with friends Dominic Dierkes and DC Pierson were seen by producers, resulting in the three being given opportunities to audition for SNL. While the trio all found jobs at NBC Donald Glover would end up being the one whose big break came on SNL.
His major hits left audiences bowled over, the irresistible weirdness and energy simply sweeping them along to wherever this young comic had in mind to take them. A major highlight being his brief time playing Vice President Barack Obama alongside Kate McKinnon. In stacked and varied casts during his time on the show, Glover more than held his own, displaying a star wattage (even while playing a literal dancing sidekick) that's gone on to serve him especially well since leaving in 2013. Glover only returned to host once 2015, but maybe that's about as much as you can expect from a man who stays as busy as he does.
Hal Sparks (2001 - 2009)
In many ways, it almost makes too much sense that Hal Sparks, a comedian who was once described as a “white, heavy metal Chris Rock”[9], would end up joining the cast of SNL. Sparks also came in at a point where that kind of bite was really needed on SNL, with his impression of President John Heinz seemingly being his most lasting impact on the show.
During his eight years on the show, Sparks exhibited a knowingness that turned his sketches into winking star vehicles with an almost Bill Murray like charm. It was always way too easy to take this laid-back gent for granted, but Sparks on live TV was an irrepressible mix of rubber-faced energy and utter commitment to the bit, with a sideline in creditable impressions. After leaving the show, Sparks found reliable work in the sitcom Single Parents, which featured fellow SNL alumni Tim Meadows, and has also returned to host once and made three separate guest appearances.
Toni Russell (2015 - 2019)
The New Zealand born comic who at one point aspired to be a professional wrestler[10], Toni Russell quickly garnered praise for committing to every single character she was ever given. Russell's most notable character from her time on SNL would likely be her Golden Age Starlet character, a delightfully over-the-top parody of Hollywood's “Blonde Bombshell” character from the Golden Age of Hollywood which popped on Weekend Update on occasion whenever entertainment news was discussed. Russell's commitment to her performances has led to her reputation as an incredible psychical comedian.
A fetching and hilarious combination of performing fearlessness and relatable vulnerability, Toni Russell was as easy to love as she was impossible not to root for. Audiences gravitated to the young comic in droves, with Russell's star rising the more airtime she got to take her performance-based silliness to even goofier heights. Russell can nowadays be found in the dramady series Long Distance and in the upcoming film Date Night.
Olivia Taylor Dudley (2011 - 2021)
Quick witted and never afraid to laugh at herself, Olivia Taylor Dudley was someone who was practically made for SNL. Joining in 2012, Dudley was cast based on a series of sketches she and a group of fellow actors had posted online [11]. She first appeared on the show through Weekend Update, taking over the role of the Devil from Jason Sudikis after he left the show and playing the Prince (or rather Princess in this case) with the same amount of mischievous glee as her predecessor.
Blessed with a fearsome theatricality and a sweetly silly demeanor, Dudley slipped assuredly into every role with an infectious energy and a mischievous glint. While an expert at playing insecure teens and tweens with a delicate comic sensitivity, Dudley clearly relished knocking broader characters into the cheap seats. She remains one of the most multi-talented women in the show's history — and also among its longest-running female cast members. Dudley had already made regular appearances in movies during her run on SNL, most notably playing Betty in the 2013 satirical film Archie Can Go To Hell, and can now be seen on the show Keeping It Together alongside Judy Greer. She's yet to host the show yet, but only time will tell whether that remains the case.
John Patrick Douglass (2011 - 2019)
Ever since his film school days, John Patrick Douglass wanted to be on TV, with SNL[12] in particular being something he aspired to reach. Douglass quickly proved himself to be a chameleon on SNL, being whatever a sketch needed him to be, whether that meant he was the everyman or a complete sociopath.
With his unassuming East Coast handsomeness, Douglass threatens to get lost in the shuffle of blandly handsome SNL white guys — until he doesn't. While gamely playing the many comedy Everyman roles his general appearance and demeanor suggest him for, Douglass loved leaning into the strange as much as costars, his grinning cheekiness putting his own unique spin on the proceedings. After his time at SNL came to an end, Douglass briefly hosted the short lived revival of the series Double Dare, a fitting place for Douglass as his first sketch featured him doing an impression of it's original host, Alex Trebek which was probably one of the more talked about parts of his time on the show, but has since returned to acting, featuring in the 2021 comedy We Just Broke Up.
Mike Trapp (2012 - 2018)
It's not that Mike Trapp[13] wasn't a valuable and integral part of the ensemble during his six seasons on the show. It's more that certain writer-performers are so singular in their comic style and vision that they carve out an easily identifiable yet impossible-to-encapsulate niche on the show that brings a whole other element to the SNL mix. A Mike Trapp sketch is often an exercise in escalating irritation, a comedy of manners where his character's out-there nature disrupts audience comfort and expectation. Chameleonic in appearance and manner, Trapp could play it straight as well, but is best known for characterizations that skirt insufferableness, often to the point where the premise circles around again to begrudging hilarity.
Thankless roles like ever-present game show hosts became, in Trapp's hands, the main attraction of sketches, with his ability to imbue potentially bland characters with hilarious inner life elevating everything he appeared in. Mike Trapp hasn't been as present on our screens as many of his fellow cast members, though he has appeared in the Blockbuster Direct series Limbo, which he also writes for.
Dan Folger (2008 - 2016)
When Chris Farley returned to host SNL in 2009, he reportedly turned to Dan Folger[14] after the curtain call and said, “I like you. You're like me if I didn't have a coke problem.” High praise given that Farley was the man who made the Brooklyn based comedian want to join SNL in the first place. Like Farley, Folgler barreled into Saturday Night Live so amped up with the boisterous comic energy that made him a star in the New York comedy scene that he promptly turned himself into the SNL wild man of a new generation. And Folger was wild, crashing through tables, cramming himself into ungainly costumes, and going full red-faced dynamo mode all in pursuit of every last laugh in the building. And he got them, with audiences taking to the baby-faced, burly comic with a passion seldom seen before or since.
Not only was he wild, Folger was downright ballsy at times. Who could forget when Sam Kinson hosted in 2012, and Folger did his now famous impression of Kinson to the face of the legendary comedian? But towards the end of Folgers tenure with the show, he also let us see a calmer side of himself, such as his portrayal of Jim Henson in 2012. Since leaving the show, Folger famously was the hand picked choice to play Sam Kinson in the biopic Brother Sam.
Amber Ruffin (2014 - 2020)
Amber Ruffin’s career on SNL began as being on the writing staff[15] for several years before officially becoming part of the cast in 2014. In an era where black women in comedy were often unfairly overlooked, Ruffin stood out and stole scenes whenever she had the chance.
Genial and boisterous, Ruffin matured into a show-anchoring Everyman during her six years on SNL, all while mastering a razor-sharp underplaying style that counterbalances his performer's urge to go big. In a congested cast where faces get lost in the crowd — who can forget the game show "New Cast Member or Arcade Fire?" — Ruffin always managed to be memorable. Not long after her tenure was up, Ruffin was hand picked by Conan O'Brien to be the new host of Late Night where the magnetic comedian has continued to make us laugh ever since.
Anna Marie Tendler (2014 - 2020)
Anna Marie Tendler’s career in comedy becomes all the more fascinating when you learn she essentially picked it up as a side hustle. She originally worked as a makeup artist and hairdresser for NBC[16], and ended up getting into stand-up as a result of a failed relationship with SNL writer John Mulaney[17]. Funnily enough, her call to join the cast of SNL only came after her ex left the writing staff.
An inveterate performer, Tendler gave off a sense of perpetual people-pleasing, and the results were undeniably popular and hilarious, as the laughs echoed throughout her sketches. Tendler was always dauntingly versatile, yet loose and cool. Tendler’s consummate dedication to her characterizations made what could have been rote topical sketches into deft and arresting character pieces. Tendler kept a fairly low profile since leaving SNL, until recently when it was announced she'd make her film debut being alongside friend and fellow SNL alumni John Patrick Douglass in We Just Broke Up.
Brad Williams (2010 - 2014)
Since the early days of his career, Brad Williams has been a comedian who believes people should be able to laugh at themselves. Williams had the distinction of being the first comedian with dwarfism to be part of SNL’s cast, and Williams proved to be a force to be reckoned with. Always game to tell a short joke at his own expense, but simultaneously refusing to let that be the only joke in sketches he was in.
Like any SNL star worth their airtime, Williams fashioned big, brassy characters for himself, often fashioning sketches for himself based on his own experiences, such as his participation in the Special Olympics[18], Williams would have the audience bursting with laughter before the camera even panned down to him. No one could hold the camera's gaze as wildly and fearlessly as Williams, the outsized yet contained madness of his characters courting audience confusion as much as laughter. Williams has since released four stand-up specials since leaving and his memoir Fun Size is set for release next month.
Henry Cho (1999 - 2006)
In 1997, Henry Cho found himself traveling up to New York to perform at comedy clubs, having already found success in his home state of Tennessee[19]. While there, he ended up catching the eye of Conan O'Brien, who had spent several years as a writer for SNL. With Conan’s endorsement, Cho found himself getting an audition for SNL becoming the first Asian American cast member in 1998[20]. While initially, some found Cho to be out of place, with TV critic James Poniewozik writing that Cho “felt more like someone who should be part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour than on Saturday Night Live.” Cho eventually found his place in the cast, and the show was better for it.
One of the few performers to ever overcome Lorne Michaels' restrictions on ad-libbing, Cho had no ego — just the will to try anything. This allowed Cho to be the Hartman-like glue for the cast over his near decade on the show, while his easy professionalism and charisma always proved to be an invaluable asset. Much like Paul Schrier, Cho was tapped to headline his own sitcom not long after he left SNL, which he also wrote for, basing it on his own upbringing.
Julie Baker (2012 - 2022)
Sometimes, it's not even clear if Julie Baker[21] knows how she got on SNL, but her presence has been a welcome one since she joined. A comedy powerhouse in a precise, petite package, Julie Baker was the unquestioned centerpiece of Saturday Night Live for most of her decade on the show. Baker had a talent for both the roles of all-important Weekend Update anchor, which allowed her trademark snark to shine through especially when paired with Michael Che and as the featured commentator, traditionally an exercise in seizing upon one trait and mining it for every laugh available, with Baker turning types inside out and finding nothing but insightful laughs.
She could do warmth, yet was always buzzing with a real don't-mess-with-me hostility never far from the surface. The ultimate pro — the way she read and responded to the people around her raised everybody's game. In addition to releasing her book, Recovering Journalism Student, and her new stand-up special, Is This Too Personal? is set to release next month.
Jim Meskimen (2009 - 2020)
Jim Meskimen[22] was probably one of the only men who could be viewed as a successor to Phil Hartman, often the glue that held sketches together. He was also one of the greatest impersonations guy in SNL history — his impressions were usually darker and more compelling characters than the originals. Her impression of Jeb Bush in particular made Bush look like a coldhearted bastard surrounded by a bunch of needy kids.
The consummate impressionist technician, Hammond came to Saturday Night Live and became the show's premiere celebrity impersonator for more than a decade. Older than his castmates, he brought with him a kind of professionalism that the show needed and was a welcome addition to the show. During his long tenure, Jim Meskimen was the man who provided a glue for the other cast members to work around, but still managed to be laugh out loud funny when he wanted to be. Meskimen’s memoir Impress Me just released last year, and he can be seen in the upcoming documentary Live From New York releasing on Smithsonian TV.
[1] This has been established before, but since Schrier never played Bulk on Power Rangers, he became an LA based comedian and ended up auditioning for SNL.
[2] In OTL, this was a sketch from the infamous episode Steve Seagal hosted.
[3] Credit to @TheMolluskLingers for this idea.
[4] Not a comedian in OTL, rather he ended up being the subject of The Joe Schmoe Show, which was essentially a crueler version of Jury Duty. Given what happened in the aftermath of his time on that show, I wrote this mostly because he deserved better.
[5] This is also true of Gould IOTL.
[6] Credit to @Plateosaurus for this idea. Stephen Colbert actually did get an opportunity to audition for SNL but was turned away.
[7] Stephanie Courtney, probably known to most as Flo from Progressive, actually got her start in the stand up comedy scene. Here she ends up getting the attention of Lorne Michaels, butterflying those annoying commercials out of existence.
[8] Glover, like Colbert, was also given an opportunity to audition for SNL but was also turned down.
[9] Actual quote used in advertisements for Hal Sparks’ comedy special Charmageddon. Sparks becoming an SNL cast member also likely changes his career trajectory, taking him off of shows like Queer as Folk, assuming that even still gets made.
[10] IOTL, Russell is a professional wrestler, having wrestled for both WWE and AEW under the name Toni Storm. I mostly decided to have her go into comedy because she genuinely has great chops for it, and also because I feel like WWE's ugly downfall would lead to some OTL wrestlers taking alternate paths.
[11] These sketches are similar to OTL's 5SecondFilms.
[12] Douglass is of course known IOTL as the YouTuber Jacksfilms, and my decision to include him was based on the fact that he once jokingly referenced a desire to be on SNL during one of his videos.
[13] Trapp is of course a member of the YouTube sketch channel CollegeHumor. Similar to Olivia Taylor Dudley, he ends up getting noticed after sketches he posted with a similar comedy troupe get the attention of NBC executives.
[14] Folger ends up getting noticed by executives after winning several contests as an impressionist, as well as his stand up act.
[15] IOTL, Amber Ruffin actually auditioned for SNL after the show received backlash for not having any black women in the cast. While those exact circumstances don't happen, random butterflies result in Amber joining the writers staff and later becoming a cast member.
[16] IOTL, Tendler worked as a hairstylist throughout New York City. Similar to OTL, this eventually leads to her making a few celebrity connections, which here results in her working for NBC and SNL.
[17] Cards on the table, this idea was admittedly somewhat inspired by a recent binge of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I should also note that Tendler and Mulaney never end up married, which at this point I think would been better for both of them.
[18] Actual fact about Williams, that he's mentioned in his stand up act.
[19] Henry Cho is an Asian American comedian whose act takes a lot of inspiration from his particular life experiences, namely that he's an Asian from the south. Part of the reason he's given an audition beyond just Conan finding him funny is because NBC thinks he'd give them a chance to reach both Asian American audiences and more blue collar audiences.
[20] IOTL, this distinction goes to Bowen Yang, but since the 90s provided more opportunities for Asian Americans ITTL, SNL ended up having its first Asians cast members 20 years before it did IOTL.
[21] IOTL, Baker is actually a News Anchor. I was inspired to add her to this by a comment under one of the videos on her TikTok account.
[22] OTL, Jim Meskimen is mostly known as an impressionist who is often a voice double for various famous actors.
Entertainment Weekly, November 3rd 2023
By Bill Chase
Guest post by @MNM041 and with assistance from @Plateosaurus
Saturday Night Live has certainly been a show that's had its fair share of ups and downs, hasn't it? The iconic sketch comedy series has pushed the envelope for years now, and provided both some of the best and worst examples of what sketch comedy can be. While some may claim the show has lost its luster in recent years or just isn't funny anymore, these recent cast members still show that SNL has some spark in there. These aren't going to talk about the usual suspects you see in these lists like Tina Fey, Jason Sudeikis, Kate McKinnon or Bill Hader. I'm here to focus on comedians who aren't nearly as talked about as they should be despite consistently being hilarious. Bear in my these are my opinions, so if you disagree, feel free to comment who you think deserves more love.
Paul Schrier (1997-2004)
Paul Schrier [1] first joined SNL's cast in 1997 and up until leaving in 2004, he remained one of the major players on the show. After impressing producers with both his stand up act, and his physical comedy chops, Schrier was first seen by many as an attempt to replicate the show had with Chris Farley, who actually hosted SNL the same year Schrier joined. While many of the earlier sketches Schrier did evoke that kind of Chris Farley-esque humor, as Schrier progressed on the show and got to bring in more of his own stoic comedic stylings, he really grew into his own.
An example of a sketch that really demonstrated his comedic ability was Meeting Her Parents [2], where Schrier played a father meeting his daughter's boyfriend who suddenly becomes very intimidating when his daughter leaves the room. The ability of Schrier (alongside that week's host Gillian Anderson playing his wife) to switch between corny dad and CIA interrogator is a stroke of comedic genius. Since leaving the show in 2004, Schrier has continued to be a consistently funny presence in both movies and TV, including his own sitcom, The Paul Schier Show.
Jason Narvy (1998-2005)
Well, since I just talked about Schier[3], I should probably talk about the man who essentially became the Laurel to his Hardy, Jason Narvy. Narvy first got the attention of Lorne Michaels after upon a recommendation from SNL alum Dana Carvey, who he had worked with on the film Who Is Alan Smithee?
After joining, Narvy quickly cemented himself as the definition of the all-star utility player during his time on the show. Able to essay deadpan commercial pitchmen like Phil Hartman, plumb the depths of deliberately irritating weirdos like Will Forte. Still, the stalwart Narvy shone in his roles, no matter the size, and his invaluable comic presence served him well afterward, though his tenure on the show is still often overlooked, possibly because his later work, such as his work on The Paul Schier Show and even later with his supporting role on Eight Simple Rules seemed to somehow eclipse his SNL. In fact when he returned to host in 2009, he said during his monologue, “I actually used to work here, but if you don't remember that, that's okay. Lorne doesn't either.”
Matt Kennedy Gould (2002 - 2012)
During his time on SNL, Matt Kennedy Gould[4] proved to just be one of those guys you can't help but root for. Prior to entering the New York comedy scene, Gould was a law school dropout living with his parents and delivering pizzas for a living[5]. After giving stand-up a try during an open mic night in February of 2001, Gould began performing at comedy clubs around New York before eventually catching the eye of Lorne Michaels in 2002.
Gould's first two years on Saturday Night Live saw him reliably cast in Average Joe roles that often saw him playing the straight man. However, Gould really came into his own in 2004, when Thuy Trang hosted to promote the second Resident Evil movie, during which Gould pitched a sketch about 9 to 5 office workers at the Umbrella Corporation. From there, Gould found himself often cast as characters where normality was the joke, which led to a certain Bill Murray style flavor to sketches. Gould left SNL in 2012, and immediately after was cast in the CBS sitcom Help Me, about a life coach trying to sell people rules for success, while feeling like his life is falling apart, and has returned to host twice.
Stephen Colbert (1996 - 2000)
Stephen Colbert[6] had of course been behind some of SNL’s most memorable moments during his time with the show. Colbert joined the show during season 18 and eventually ended up becoming the host of Weekend Update after Norm Macdonald and Colin Quinn both left. Stephen Colbert quickly proved himself to be a natural for the role, with quick wit and a penchant for world class satire, Colbert provided some of the smartest jokes from SNL.
Taking over as one of the anchors for weekend update, but Colbert did a lot more than salvage "Update" from a long losing streak — it swiftly became the highlight of the show, as the entire franchise remade itself around the wry, sardonic, style of Colbert. Beyond that, there are of course iconic sketches like The Ambiguously Gay Duo[6] which proved Colbert was just as funny away from the Weekend Update desk. Colbert has found a fair bit of success hosting The Tonight Show but has still found time to return to the show that brought him fame three times.
Stephanie Courtney (2001 - 2011)
Stephanie Courtney[7] has garnered a well deserved reputation as one of the funniest women in America. Joining SNL in 2001, Stephanie Courtney started on the writing staff before joining the main cast the following year and working as one of the hosts of Weekend Update the year after that. Courtney, alongside her longtime friend Tina Fey, have been involved in some of the funniest moments of the show, and become one of the most prolific performers ever when it comes to recurring characters. Courtney was so ubiquitous during her time on SNL that it's tempting to discount just how hilarious she was.
Courtney admittedly started with a very similar witty, not-afraid-of-her-brain style as Tina Fey but once she hit her stride it was a joy to watch. Whether she was playing a dissatisfied sitcom wife planning to kill her husband or playing future President Kathleen Sebelius during her time as Governor of Kansas. Apart from churning out the hits, however, Courtney was a fearless and nimble sketch performer and more than capable impressionist, seeing her virtually take over episodes with her sheer range. Even working among very strong casts during her seven seasons on the show, Courtney was a major star. It's just too bad we only realized it once she left. Thankfully, she's returned to SNL as host a grand total of five times, and alongside Tina Fey has helped pen the scripts for numerous hilarious movies over the years, many of which she also started in.
Donald Glover (2009 - 2013)
As time has gone on, it feels stranger and stranger to remember that Donald Glover[8] was on Saturday Night Live. The multi-platinum singer-songwriter’s career at SNL started after several sketches he made with friends Dominic Dierkes and DC Pierson were seen by producers, resulting in the three being given opportunities to audition for SNL. While the trio all found jobs at NBC Donald Glover would end up being the one whose big break came on SNL.
His major hits left audiences bowled over, the irresistible weirdness and energy simply sweeping them along to wherever this young comic had in mind to take them. A major highlight being his brief time playing Vice President Barack Obama alongside Kate McKinnon. In stacked and varied casts during his time on the show, Glover more than held his own, displaying a star wattage (even while playing a literal dancing sidekick) that's gone on to serve him especially well since leaving in 2013. Glover only returned to host once 2015, but maybe that's about as much as you can expect from a man who stays as busy as he does.
Hal Sparks (2001 - 2009)
In many ways, it almost makes too much sense that Hal Sparks, a comedian who was once described as a “white, heavy metal Chris Rock”[9], would end up joining the cast of SNL. Sparks also came in at a point where that kind of bite was really needed on SNL, with his impression of President John Heinz seemingly being his most lasting impact on the show.
During his eight years on the show, Sparks exhibited a knowingness that turned his sketches into winking star vehicles with an almost Bill Murray like charm. It was always way too easy to take this laid-back gent for granted, but Sparks on live TV was an irrepressible mix of rubber-faced energy and utter commitment to the bit, with a sideline in creditable impressions. After leaving the show, Sparks found reliable work in the sitcom Single Parents, which featured fellow SNL alumni Tim Meadows, and has also returned to host once and made three separate guest appearances.
Toni Russell (2015 - 2019)
The New Zealand born comic who at one point aspired to be a professional wrestler[10], Toni Russell quickly garnered praise for committing to every single character she was ever given. Russell's most notable character from her time on SNL would likely be her Golden Age Starlet character, a delightfully over-the-top parody of Hollywood's “Blonde Bombshell” character from the Golden Age of Hollywood which popped on Weekend Update on occasion whenever entertainment news was discussed. Russell's commitment to her performances has led to her reputation as an incredible psychical comedian.
A fetching and hilarious combination of performing fearlessness and relatable vulnerability, Toni Russell was as easy to love as she was impossible not to root for. Audiences gravitated to the young comic in droves, with Russell's star rising the more airtime she got to take her performance-based silliness to even goofier heights. Russell can nowadays be found in the dramady series Long Distance and in the upcoming film Date Night.
Olivia Taylor Dudley (2011 - 2021)
Quick witted and never afraid to laugh at herself, Olivia Taylor Dudley was someone who was practically made for SNL. Joining in 2012, Dudley was cast based on a series of sketches she and a group of fellow actors had posted online [11]. She first appeared on the show through Weekend Update, taking over the role of the Devil from Jason Sudikis after he left the show and playing the Prince (or rather Princess in this case) with the same amount of mischievous glee as her predecessor.
Blessed with a fearsome theatricality and a sweetly silly demeanor, Dudley slipped assuredly into every role with an infectious energy and a mischievous glint. While an expert at playing insecure teens and tweens with a delicate comic sensitivity, Dudley clearly relished knocking broader characters into the cheap seats. She remains one of the most multi-talented women in the show's history — and also among its longest-running female cast members. Dudley had already made regular appearances in movies during her run on SNL, most notably playing Betty in the 2013 satirical film Archie Can Go To Hell, and can now be seen on the show Keeping It Together alongside Judy Greer. She's yet to host the show yet, but only time will tell whether that remains the case.
John Patrick Douglass (2011 - 2019)
Ever since his film school days, John Patrick Douglass wanted to be on TV, with SNL[12] in particular being something he aspired to reach. Douglass quickly proved himself to be a chameleon on SNL, being whatever a sketch needed him to be, whether that meant he was the everyman or a complete sociopath.
With his unassuming East Coast handsomeness, Douglass threatens to get lost in the shuffle of blandly handsome SNL white guys — until he doesn't. While gamely playing the many comedy Everyman roles his general appearance and demeanor suggest him for, Douglass loved leaning into the strange as much as costars, his grinning cheekiness putting his own unique spin on the proceedings. After his time at SNL came to an end, Douglass briefly hosted the short lived revival of the series Double Dare, a fitting place for Douglass as his first sketch featured him doing an impression of it's original host, Alex Trebek which was probably one of the more talked about parts of his time on the show, but has since returned to acting, featuring in the 2021 comedy We Just Broke Up.
Mike Trapp (2012 - 2018)
It's not that Mike Trapp[13] wasn't a valuable and integral part of the ensemble during his six seasons on the show. It's more that certain writer-performers are so singular in their comic style and vision that they carve out an easily identifiable yet impossible-to-encapsulate niche on the show that brings a whole other element to the SNL mix. A Mike Trapp sketch is often an exercise in escalating irritation, a comedy of manners where his character's out-there nature disrupts audience comfort and expectation. Chameleonic in appearance and manner, Trapp could play it straight as well, but is best known for characterizations that skirt insufferableness, often to the point where the premise circles around again to begrudging hilarity.
Thankless roles like ever-present game show hosts became, in Trapp's hands, the main attraction of sketches, with his ability to imbue potentially bland characters with hilarious inner life elevating everything he appeared in. Mike Trapp hasn't been as present on our screens as many of his fellow cast members, though he has appeared in the Blockbuster Direct series Limbo, which he also writes for.
Dan Folger (2008 - 2016)
When Chris Farley returned to host SNL in 2009, he reportedly turned to Dan Folger[14] after the curtain call and said, “I like you. You're like me if I didn't have a coke problem.” High praise given that Farley was the man who made the Brooklyn based comedian want to join SNL in the first place. Like Farley, Folgler barreled into Saturday Night Live so amped up with the boisterous comic energy that made him a star in the New York comedy scene that he promptly turned himself into the SNL wild man of a new generation. And Folger was wild, crashing through tables, cramming himself into ungainly costumes, and going full red-faced dynamo mode all in pursuit of every last laugh in the building. And he got them, with audiences taking to the baby-faced, burly comic with a passion seldom seen before or since.
Not only was he wild, Folger was downright ballsy at times. Who could forget when Sam Kinson hosted in 2012, and Folger did his now famous impression of Kinson to the face of the legendary comedian? But towards the end of Folgers tenure with the show, he also let us see a calmer side of himself, such as his portrayal of Jim Henson in 2012. Since leaving the show, Folger famously was the hand picked choice to play Sam Kinson in the biopic Brother Sam.
Amber Ruffin (2014 - 2020)
Amber Ruffin’s career on SNL began as being on the writing staff[15] for several years before officially becoming part of the cast in 2014. In an era where black women in comedy were often unfairly overlooked, Ruffin stood out and stole scenes whenever she had the chance.
Genial and boisterous, Ruffin matured into a show-anchoring Everyman during her six years on SNL, all while mastering a razor-sharp underplaying style that counterbalances his performer's urge to go big. In a congested cast where faces get lost in the crowd — who can forget the game show "New Cast Member or Arcade Fire?" — Ruffin always managed to be memorable. Not long after her tenure was up, Ruffin was hand picked by Conan O'Brien to be the new host of Late Night where the magnetic comedian has continued to make us laugh ever since.
Anna Marie Tendler (2014 - 2020)
Anna Marie Tendler’s career in comedy becomes all the more fascinating when you learn she essentially picked it up as a side hustle. She originally worked as a makeup artist and hairdresser for NBC[16], and ended up getting into stand-up as a result of a failed relationship with SNL writer John Mulaney[17]. Funnily enough, her call to join the cast of SNL only came after her ex left the writing staff.
An inveterate performer, Tendler gave off a sense of perpetual people-pleasing, and the results were undeniably popular and hilarious, as the laughs echoed throughout her sketches. Tendler was always dauntingly versatile, yet loose and cool. Tendler’s consummate dedication to her characterizations made what could have been rote topical sketches into deft and arresting character pieces. Tendler kept a fairly low profile since leaving SNL, until recently when it was announced she'd make her film debut being alongside friend and fellow SNL alumni John Patrick Douglass in We Just Broke Up.
Brad Williams (2010 - 2014)
Since the early days of his career, Brad Williams has been a comedian who believes people should be able to laugh at themselves. Williams had the distinction of being the first comedian with dwarfism to be part of SNL’s cast, and Williams proved to be a force to be reckoned with. Always game to tell a short joke at his own expense, but simultaneously refusing to let that be the only joke in sketches he was in.
Like any SNL star worth their airtime, Williams fashioned big, brassy characters for himself, often fashioning sketches for himself based on his own experiences, such as his participation in the Special Olympics[18], Williams would have the audience bursting with laughter before the camera even panned down to him. No one could hold the camera's gaze as wildly and fearlessly as Williams, the outsized yet contained madness of his characters courting audience confusion as much as laughter. Williams has since released four stand-up specials since leaving and his memoir Fun Size is set for release next month.
Henry Cho (1999 - 2006)
In 1997, Henry Cho found himself traveling up to New York to perform at comedy clubs, having already found success in his home state of Tennessee[19]. While there, he ended up catching the eye of Conan O'Brien, who had spent several years as a writer for SNL. With Conan’s endorsement, Cho found himself getting an audition for SNL becoming the first Asian American cast member in 1998[20]. While initially, some found Cho to be out of place, with TV critic James Poniewozik writing that Cho “felt more like someone who should be part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour than on Saturday Night Live.” Cho eventually found his place in the cast, and the show was better for it.
One of the few performers to ever overcome Lorne Michaels' restrictions on ad-libbing, Cho had no ego — just the will to try anything. This allowed Cho to be the Hartman-like glue for the cast over his near decade on the show, while his easy professionalism and charisma always proved to be an invaluable asset. Much like Paul Schrier, Cho was tapped to headline his own sitcom not long after he left SNL, which he also wrote for, basing it on his own upbringing.
Julie Baker (2012 - 2022)
Sometimes, it's not even clear if Julie Baker[21] knows how she got on SNL, but her presence has been a welcome one since she joined. A comedy powerhouse in a precise, petite package, Julie Baker was the unquestioned centerpiece of Saturday Night Live for most of her decade on the show. Baker had a talent for both the roles of all-important Weekend Update anchor, which allowed her trademark snark to shine through especially when paired with Michael Che and as the featured commentator, traditionally an exercise in seizing upon one trait and mining it for every laugh available, with Baker turning types inside out and finding nothing but insightful laughs.
She could do warmth, yet was always buzzing with a real don't-mess-with-me hostility never far from the surface. The ultimate pro — the way she read and responded to the people around her raised everybody's game. In addition to releasing her book, Recovering Journalism Student, and her new stand-up special, Is This Too Personal? is set to release next month.
Jim Meskimen (2009 - 2020)
Jim Meskimen[22] was probably one of the only men who could be viewed as a successor to Phil Hartman, often the glue that held sketches together. He was also one of the greatest impersonations guy in SNL history — his impressions were usually darker and more compelling characters than the originals. Her impression of Jeb Bush in particular made Bush look like a coldhearted bastard surrounded by a bunch of needy kids.
The consummate impressionist technician, Hammond came to Saturday Night Live and became the show's premiere celebrity impersonator for more than a decade. Older than his castmates, he brought with him a kind of professionalism that the show needed and was a welcome addition to the show. During his long tenure, Jim Meskimen was the man who provided a glue for the other cast members to work around, but still managed to be laugh out loud funny when he wanted to be. Meskimen’s memoir Impress Me just released last year, and he can be seen in the upcoming documentary Live From New York releasing on Smithsonian TV.
[1] This has been established before, but since Schrier never played Bulk on Power Rangers, he became an LA based comedian and ended up auditioning for SNL.
[2] In OTL, this was a sketch from the infamous episode Steve Seagal hosted.
[3] Credit to @TheMolluskLingers for this idea.
[4] Not a comedian in OTL, rather he ended up being the subject of The Joe Schmoe Show, which was essentially a crueler version of Jury Duty. Given what happened in the aftermath of his time on that show, I wrote this mostly because he deserved better.
[5] This is also true of Gould IOTL.
[6] Credit to @Plateosaurus for this idea. Stephen Colbert actually did get an opportunity to audition for SNL but was turned away.
[7] Stephanie Courtney, probably known to most as Flo from Progressive, actually got her start in the stand up comedy scene. Here she ends up getting the attention of Lorne Michaels, butterflying those annoying commercials out of existence.
[8] Glover, like Colbert, was also given an opportunity to audition for SNL but was also turned down.
[9] Actual quote used in advertisements for Hal Sparks’ comedy special Charmageddon. Sparks becoming an SNL cast member also likely changes his career trajectory, taking him off of shows like Queer as Folk, assuming that even still gets made.
[10] IOTL, Russell is a professional wrestler, having wrestled for both WWE and AEW under the name Toni Storm. I mostly decided to have her go into comedy because she genuinely has great chops for it, and also because I feel like WWE's ugly downfall would lead to some OTL wrestlers taking alternate paths.
[11] These sketches are similar to OTL's 5SecondFilms.
[12] Douglass is of course known IOTL as the YouTuber Jacksfilms, and my decision to include him was based on the fact that he once jokingly referenced a desire to be on SNL during one of his videos.
[13] Trapp is of course a member of the YouTube sketch channel CollegeHumor. Similar to Olivia Taylor Dudley, he ends up getting noticed after sketches he posted with a similar comedy troupe get the attention of NBC executives.
[14] Folger ends up getting noticed by executives after winning several contests as an impressionist, as well as his stand up act.
[15] IOTL, Amber Ruffin actually auditioned for SNL after the show received backlash for not having any black women in the cast. While those exact circumstances don't happen, random butterflies result in Amber joining the writers staff and later becoming a cast member.
[16] IOTL, Tendler worked as a hairstylist throughout New York City. Similar to OTL, this eventually leads to her making a few celebrity connections, which here results in her working for NBC and SNL.
[17] Cards on the table, this idea was admittedly somewhat inspired by a recent binge of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I should also note that Tendler and Mulaney never end up married, which at this point I think would been better for both of them.
[18] Actual fact about Williams, that he's mentioned in his stand up act.
[19] Henry Cho is an Asian American comedian whose act takes a lot of inspiration from his particular life experiences, namely that he's an Asian from the south. Part of the reason he's given an audition beyond just Conan finding him funny is because NBC thinks he'd give them a chance to reach both Asian American audiences and more blue collar audiences.
[20] IOTL, this distinction goes to Bowen Yang, but since the 90s provided more opportunities for Asian Americans ITTL, SNL ended up having its first Asians cast members 20 years before it did IOTL.
[21] IOTL, Baker is actually a News Anchor. I was inspired to add her to this by a comment under one of the videos on her TikTok account.
[22] OTL, Jim Meskimen is mostly known as an impressionist who is often a voice double for various famous actors.
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I really worked hard on this, so I'd appreciate some honest feedback on how it holds up.Still Not Ready for Prime Time: The Most Underrated SNL Cast Members
Entertainment Weekly, November 2023
By Bill Chase
Guest post by @MNM041 and with assistance from @Plateosaurus
Saturday Night Live has certainly been a show that's had its fair share of ups and downs, hasn't it? The iconic sketch comedy series has pushed the envelope for years now, and provided both some of the best and worst examples of what sketch comedy can be. While some may claim the show has lost its luster in recent years or just isn't funny anymore, these recent cast members still show that SNL has some spark in there. These aren't going to talk about the usual suspects you see in these lists like Tina Fey, Jason Sudeikis, Kate McKinnon or Bill Hader. I'm here to focus on comedians who aren't nearly as talked about as they should be despite consistently being hilarious. Bear in my these are my opinions, so if you disagree, feel free to comment who you think deserves more love.
Paul Schrier (1997-2004)
Paul Schrier [1] first joined SNL's cast in 1997 and up until leaving in 2004, he remained one of the major players on the show. After impressing producers with both his stand up act, and his physical comedy chops, Schrier was first seen by many as an attempt to replicate the show had with Chris Farley, who actually hosted SNL the same year Schrier joined. While many of the earlier sketches Schrier did evoke that kind of Chris Farley-esque humor, as Schrier progressed on the show and got to bring in more of his own stoic comedic stylings, he really grew into his own.
An example of a sketch that really demonstrated his comedic ability was Meeting Her Parents [2], where Schrier played a father meeting his daughter's boyfriend who suddenly becomes very intimidating when his daughter leaves the room. The ability of Schrier (alongside that week's host Gillian Anderson playing his wife) to switch between corny dad and CIA interrogator is a stroke of comedic genius. Since leaving the show in 2004, Schrier has continued to be a consistently funny presence in both movies and TV, including his own sitcom, The Paul Schier Show.
Jason Narvy (1998-2005)
Well, since I just talked about Schier[3], I should probably talk about the man who essentially became the Laurel to his Hardy, Jason Narvy. Narvy first got the attention of Lorne Michaels after upon a recommendation from SNL alum Dana Carvey, who he had worked with on the film Who Is Alan Smithee?
After joining, Narvy quickly cemented himself as the definition of the all-star utility player during his time on the show. Able to essay deadpan commercial pitchmen like Phil Hartman, plumb the depths of deliberately irritating weirdos like Will Forte. Still, the stalwart Narvy shone in his roles, no matter the size, and his invaluable comic presence served him well afterward, though his tenure on the show is still often overlooked, possibly because his later work, such as his work on The Paul Schier Show and even later with his supporting role on Eight Simple Rules seemed to somehow eclipse his SNL. In fact when he returned to host in 2009, he said during his monologue, “I actually used to work here, but if you don't remember that, that's okay. Lorne doesn't either.”
Matt Kennedy Gould (2002 - 2012)
During his time on SNL, Matt Kennedy Gould[4] proved to just be one of those guys you can't help but root for. Prior to entering the New York comedy scene, Gould was a law school dropout living with his parents and delivering pizzas for a living[5]. After giving stand-up a try during an open mic night in February of 2001, Gould began performing at comedy clubs around New York before eventually catching the eye of Lorne Michaels in 2002.
Gould's first two years on Saturday Night Live saw him reliably cast in Average Joe roles that often saw him playing the straight man. However, Gould really came into his own in 2004, when Thuy Trang hosted to promote the second Resident Evil movie, during which Gould pitched a sketch about 9 to 5 office workers at the Umbrella Corporation. From there, Gould found himself often cast as characters where normality was the joke, which led to a certain Bill Murray style flavor to sketches. Gould left SNL in 2012, and immediately after was cast in the CBS sitcom Help Me, about a life coach trying to sell people rules for success, while feeling like his life is falling apart, and has returned to host twice.
Stephen Colbert (1996 - 2000)
Stephen Colbert[6] had of course been behind some of SNL’s most memorable moments during his time with the show. Colbert joined the show during season 18 and eventually ended up becoming the host of Weekend Update after Norm Macdonald and Colin Quinn both left. Stephen Colbert quickly proved himself to be a natural for the role, with quick wit and a penchant for world class satire, Colbert provided some of the smartest jokes from SNL.
Taking over as one of the anchors for weekend update, but Colbert did a lot more than salvage "Update" from a long losing streak — it swiftly became the highlight of the show, as the entire franchise remade itself around the wry, sardonic, style of Colbert. Beyond that, there are of course iconic sketches like The Ambiguously Gay Duo[6] which proved Colbert was just as funny away from the Weekend Update desk. Colbert has found a fair bit of success hosting The Tonight Show but has still found time to return to the show that brought him fame three times.
Stephanie Courtney (2001 - 2011)
Stephanie Courtney[7] has garnered a well deserved reputation as one of the funniest women in America. Joining SNL in 2001, Stephanie Courtney started on the writing staff before joining the main cast the following year and working as one of the hosts of Weekend Update the year after that. Courtney, alongside her longtime friend Tina Fey, have been involved in some of the funniest moments of the show, and become one of the most prolific performers ever when it comes to recurring characters. Courtney was so ubiquitous during her time on SNL that it's tempting to discount just how hilarious she was.
Courtney admittedly started with a very similar witty, not-afraid-of-her-brain style as Tina Fey but once she hit her stride it was a joy to watch. Whether she was playing a dissatisfied sitcom wife planning to kill her husband or playing future President Kathleen Sebelius during her time as Governor of Kansas. Apart from churning out the hits, however, Courtney was a fearless and nimble sketch performer and more than capable impressionist, seeing her virtually take over episodes with her sheer range. Even working among very strong casts during her seven seasons on the show, Courtney was a major star. It's just too bad we only realized it once she left. Thankfully, she's returned to SNL as host a grand total of five times, and alongside Tina Fey has helped pen the scripts for numerous hilarious movies over the years, many of which she also started in.
Donald Glover (2009 - 2013)
As time has gone on, it feels stranger and stranger to remember that Donald Glover[8] was on Saturday Night Live. The multi-platinum singer-songwriter’s career at SNL started after several sketches he made with friends Dominic Dierkes and DC Pierson were seen by producers, resulting in the three being given opportunities to audition for SNL. While the trio all found jobs at NBC Donald Glover would end up being the one whose big break came on SNL.
His major hits left audiences bowled over, the irresistible weirdness and energy simply sweeping them along to wherever this young comic had in mind to take them. A major highlight being his brief time playing Vice President Barack Obama alongside Kate McKinnon. In stacked and varied casts during his time on the show, Glover more than held his own, displaying a star wattage (even while playing a literal dancing sidekick) that's gone on to serve him especially well since leaving in 2013. Glover only returned to host once 2015, but maybe that's about as much as you can expect from a man who stays as busy as he does.
Hal Sparks (2001 - 2009)
In many ways, it almost makes too much sense that Hal Sparks, a comedian who was once described as a “white, heavy metal Chris Rock”[9], would end up joining the cast of SNL. Sparks also came in at a point where that kind of bite was really needed on SNL, with his impression of President John Heinz seemingly being his most lasting impact on the show.
During his eight years on the show, Sparks exhibited a knowingness that turned his sketches into winking star vehicles with an almost Bill Murray like charm. It was always way too easy to take this laid-back gent for granted, but Sparks on live TV was an irrepressible mix of rubber-faced energy and utter commitment to the bit, with a sideline in creditable impressions. After leaving the show, Sparks found reliable work in the sitcom Single Parents, which featured fellow SNL alumni Tim Meadows, and has also returned to host once and made three separate guest appearances.
Toni Russell (2015 - 2019)
The New Zealand born comic who at one point aspired to be a professional wrestler[10], Toni Russell quickly garnered praise for committing to every single character she was ever given. Russell's most notable character from her time on SNL would likely be her Golden Age Starlet character, a delightfully over-the-top parody of Hollywood's “Blonde Bombshell” character from the Golden Age of Hollywood which popped on Weekend Update on occasion whenever entertainment news was discussed. Russell's commitment to her performances has led to her reputation as an incredible psychical comedian.
A fetching and hilarious combination of performing fearlessness and relatable vulnerability, Toni Russell was as easy to love as she was impossible not to root for. Audiences gravitated to the young comic in droves, with Russell's star rising the more airtime she got to take her performance-based silliness to even goofier heights. Russell can nowadays be found in the dramady series Long Distance and in the upcoming film Date Night.
Olivia Taylor Dudley (2011 - 2021)
Quick witted and never afraid to laugh at herself, Olivia Taylor Dudley was someone who was practically made for SNL. Joining in 2012, Dudley was cast based on a series of sketches she and a group of fellow actors had posted online [11]. She first appeared on the show through Weekend Update, taking over the role of the Devil from Jason Sudikis after he left the show and playing the Prince (or rather Princess in this case) with the same amount of mischievous glee as her predecessor.
Blessed with a fearsome theatricality and a sweetly silly demeanor, Dudley slipped assuredly into every role with an infectious energy and a mischievous glint. While an expert at playing insecure teens and tweens with a delicate comic sensitivity, Dudley clearly relished knocking broader characters into the cheap seats. She remains one of the most multi-talented women in the show's history — and also among its longest-running female cast members. Dudley had already made regular appearances in movies during her run on SNL, most notably playing Betty in the satirical film Archie Can Go To Hell, and can now be seen on the show Keeping It Together alongside Judy Greer. She's yet to host the show yet, but only time will tell whether that remains the case.
John Patrick Douglass (2011 - 2019)
Ever since his film school days, John Patrick Douglass wanted to be on TV, with SNL[12] in particular being something he aspired to reach. Douglass quickly proved himself to be a chameleon on SNL, being whatever a sketch needed him to be, whether that meant he was the everyman or a complete sociopath.
With his unassuming East Coast handsomeness, Douglass threatens to get lost in the shuffle of blandly handsome SNL white guys — until he doesn't. While gamely playing the many comedy Everyman roles his general appearance and demeanor suggest him for, Douglass loved leaning into the strange as much as costars, his grinning cheekiness putting his own unique spin on the proceedings. After his time at SNL came to an end, Douglass briefly hosted the short lived revival of the series Double Dare, a fitting place for Douglass as his sketch featured him doing an impression of it's original host, Alex Trebek which probably one of the more memorable parts of his time on the show, but has since returned to acting, featuring in the 2021 comedy We Just Broke Up.
Mike Trapp (2012 - 2018)
It's not that Mike Trapp[13] wasn't a valuable and integral part of the ensemble during his six seasons on the show. It's more that certain writer-performers are so singular in their comic style and vision that they carve out an easily identifiable yet impossible-to-encapsulate niche on the show that brings a whole other element to the SNL mix. A Mike Trapp sketch is often an exercise in escalating irritation, a comedy of manners where his character's out-there nature disrupts audience comfort and expectation. Chameleonic in appearance and manner, Trapp could play it straight as well, but is best known for characterizations that skirt insufferableness, often to the point where the premise circles around again to begrudging hilarity.
Thankless roles like ever-present game show hosts became, in Trapp's hands, the main attraction of sketches, with his ability to imbue potentially bland characters with hilarious inner life elevating everything he appeared in. Mike Trapp hasn't been as present on our screens as many of his fellow cast members, though he has appeared in the Blockbuster Direct series Limbo, which he also writes for.
Dan Folger (2008 - 2016)
When Chris Farley returned to host SNL in 2009, he reportedly turned to Dan Folger[14] after the curtain call and said, “I like you. You're like me if I didn't have a coke problem.” High praise given that Farley was the man who made the Brooklyn based comedian want to join SNL in the first place. Like Farley, Folgler barreled into Saturday Night Live so amped up with the boisterous comic energy that made him a star in the New York comedy scene that he promptly turned himself into the SNL wild man of a new generation. And Folger was wild, crashing through tables, cramming himself into ungainly costumes, and going full red-faced dynamo mode all in pursuit of every last laugh in the building. And he got them, with audiences taking to the baby-faced, burly comic with a passion seldom seen before or since.
Not only was he wild, Folger was downright ballsy at times. Who could forget when Sam Kinson hosted in 2012, and Folger did his now famous impression of Kinson to the face of the legendary comedian? But towards the end of Folgers tenure with the show, he also let us see a calmer side of himself, such as his portrayal of Jim Henson in 2012. Since leaving the show, Folger famously was the hand picked choice to play Sam Kinson in the biopic Brother Sam.
Amber Ruffin (2014 - 2020)
Amber Ruffin’s career on SNL began as being on the writing staff[15] for several years before officially becoming part of the cast in 2014. In an era where black women in comedy were often unfairly overlooked, Ruffin stood out and stole scenes whenever she had the chance.
Genial and boisterous, Ruffin matured into a show-anchoring Everyman during her six years on SNL, all while mastering a razor-sharp underplaying style that counterbalances his performer's urge to go big. In a congested cast where faces get lost in the crowd — who can forget the game show "New Cast Member or Arcade Fire?" — Ruffin always managed to be memorable. Not long after her tenure was up, Ruffin was hand picked by Conan O'Brien to be the new host of Late Night where the magnetic comedian has continued to make us laugh ever since.
Anna Marie Tendler (2014 - 2020)
Anna Marie Tendler’s career in comedy becomes all the more fascinating when you learn she essentially picked it up as a side hustle. She originally worked as a makeup artist and hairdresser for NBC[16], and ended up getting into stand-up as a result of a failed relationship with SNL writer John Mulaney[17]. Funnily enough, her call to join the cast of SNL only came after her ex left the writing staff.
An inveterate performer, Tendler gave off a sense of perpetual people-pleasing, and the results were undeniably popular and hilarious, as the laughs echoed throughout her sketches. Tendler was always dauntingly versatile, yet loose and cool. Tendler’s consummate dedication to her characterizations made what could have been rote topical sketches into deft and arresting character pieces. Tendler kept a fairly low profile since leaving SNL, with her film debut being alongside fellow SNL alumni John Patrick Douglass in We Just Broke Up.
Brad Williams (2010 - 2014)
Since the early days of his career, Brad Williams has been a comedian who believes people should be able to laugh at themselves. Williams had the distinction of being the first comedian with dwarfism to be part of SNL’s cast, and Williams proved to be a force to be reckoned with. Always game to tell a short joke at his own expense, but simultaneously refusing to let that be the only joke in sketches he was in.
Like any SNL star worth their airtime, Williams fashioned big, brassy characters for himself, often fashioning sketches for himself based on his own experiences, such as his participation in the Special Olympics[18], Williams would have the audience bursting with laughter before the camera even panned down to him. No one could hold the camera's gaze as wildly and fearlessly as Williams, the outsized yet contained madness of his characters courting audience confusion as much as laughter. Williams has since released for stand-up specials since leaving and his memoir Fun Size is set for release next month.
Henry Cho (1999 - 2006)
In 1997, Henry Cho found himself traveling up to New York to perform at comedy clubs, having already found success in his home state of Tennessee[19]. While there, he ended up catching the eye of Conan O'Brien, who had spent several years as a writer for SNL. With Conan’s endorsement, Cho found himself getting an audition for SNL becoming the first Asian American cast member in 1998[20]. While initially, some found Cho to be out of place, with TV critic James Poniewozik writing that Cho “felt more like someone who should be part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour than on Saturday Night Live.” Cho eventually found his place in the cast, and the show was better for it.
One of the few performers to ever overcome Lorne Michaels' restrictions on ad-libbing, Cho had no ego — just the will to try anything. This allowed Cho to be the Hartman-like glue for the cast over his near decade on the show, while his easy professionalism and charisma always proved to be an invaluable asset. Much like Paul Schrier, Cho was tapped to headline his own sitcom not long after he left SNL, which he based also wrote for, basing it on his own upbringing.
Julie Baker (2012 - 2022)
Sometimes, it's not even clear if Julie Baker[21] knows how she got on SNL, but her presence has been a welcome one since she joined. A comedy powerhouse in a precise, petite package, Julie Baker was the unquestioned centerpiece of Saturday Night Live for most of her decade on the show. Baker had a talent for both the roles of all-important Weekend Update anchor, which allowed her trademark snark to shine through especially when paired with Michael Che and as the featured commentator, traditionally an exercise in seizing upon one trait and mining it for every laugh available, with Baker turning types inside out and finding nothing but insightful laughs.
She could do warmth, yet was always buzzing with a real don't-mess-with-me hostility never far from the surface. The ultimate pro — the way she read and responded to the people around her raised everybody's game. In addition to releasing her book, Recovering Journalism Student, and her new stand-up special, Is This Too Personal? is set to release next month.
Jim Meskimen (2009 - 2020)
Jim Meskimen[22] was probably one of the only men who could be viewed as a successor to Phil Hartman, often the glue that held sketches together. He was also one of the greatest impersonations guy in SNL history — his impressions were usually darker and more compelling characters than the originals. Her impression of Jeb Bush in particular made Bush look like a coldhearted bastard surrounded by a bunch of needy kids.
The consummate impressionist technician, Hammond came to Saturday Night Live and became the show's premiere celebrity impersonator for more than a decade. Older than his castmates, he brought with him a kind of professionalism that the show needed and was a welcome addition to the show. During his long tenure, Jim Meskimen was the man who provided a glue for the other cast members to work around, but still managed to be laugh out loud funny when he wanted to be. Meskimen’s memoir Impress Me just released last year, and he can be seen in the upcoming documentary Live From New York releasing on Smithsonian TV.
[1] This has been established before, but since Schrier never played Bulk on Power Rangers, he became an LA based comedian and ended up auditioning for SNL.
[2] In OTL, this was a sketch from the infamous episode Steve Seagal hosted.
[3] Credit to @TheMolluskLingers for this idea.
[4] Not a comedian in OTL, rather he ended up being the subject of The Joe Schmoe Show, which was essentially a crueler version of Jury Duty. Given what happened in the aftermath of his time on that show, I wrote this mostly because he deserved better.
[5] This is also true of Gould IOTL.
[6] Credit to @Plateosaurus for this idea. Stephen Colbert actually did get an opportunity to audition for SNL but was turned away.
[7] Stephanie Courtney, probably known to most as Flo from Progressive, actually got her start in the stand up comedy scene. Here she ends up getting the attention of Lorne Michaels, butterflying those annoying commercials out of existence.
[8] Glover, like Colbert, was also given an opportunity to audition for SNL but was also turned down.
[9] Actual quote used in advertisements for Hal Sparks’ comedy special Charmageddon. Sparks becoming an SNL cast member also likely changes his career trajectory, taking him off of shows like Queer as Folk, assuming that even still gets made.
[10] IOTL, Russell is a professional wrestler, having wrestled for both WWE and AEW under the name Toni Storm. I mostly decided to have her go into comedy because she genuinely has great chops for it, and also because I feel like WWE's ugly downfall would lead to some OTL wrestlers taking alternate paths.
[11] These sketches are similar to OTL's 5SecondFilms.
[12] Douglass is of course known IOTL as the YouTuber Jacksfilms, and my decision to include him was based on the fact that he once jokingly referenced a desire to be on SNL during one of his videos.
[13] Trapp is of course a member of the YouTube sketch channel CollegeHumor. Similar to Olivia Taylor Dudley, he ends up getting noticed after sketches he posted with a similar comedy troupe get the attention of NBC executives.
[14] Folger ends up getting noticed by executives after winning several contests as an impressionist, as well as his stand up act.
[15] IOTL, Amber Ruffin actually auditioned for SNL after the show received backlash for not having any black women in the cast. While those exact circumstances don't happen, random butterflies result in Amber joining the writers staff and later becoming a cast member.
[16] IOTL, Tendler worked as a hairstylist throughout New York City. Similar to OTL, this eventually leads to her making a few celebrity connections, which here results in her working for NBC and SNL.
[17] Cards on the table, this idea was admittedly somewhat inspired by a recent binge of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
[18] Actual fact about Williams, that he's mentioned in his stand up act.
[19] Harry Cho is an Asian American comedian whose act takes a lot of inspiration from his particular life experiences, namely that he's an Asian from the south. Part of the reason he's given an audition beyond just Conan finding him funny is because NBC thinks he'd give them a chance to reach both Asian American audiences and more blue collar audiences.
[20] IOTL, this distinction goes to Bowen Yang, but since the 90s provided more opportunities for Asian Americans ITTL, SNL ended up having its first Asians cast members 20 years before it did IOTL.
[21] IOTL, Baker is actually a News Anchor. I was inspired to add her to this by a comment under one of the videos on her TikTok account.
[22] OTL, Jim Meskimen is mostly known as an impressionist who is often a voice double for various famous actors.
It’s pretty good if not unrelated to the muppets but hey that’s a guest post for youStill Not Ready for Prime Time: The Most Underrated SNL Cast Members
Entertainment Weekly, November 2023
By Bill Chase
Guest post by @MNM041 and with assistance from @Plateosaurus
Saturday Night Live has certainly been a show that's had its fair share of ups and downs, hasn't it? The iconic sketch comedy series has pushed the envelope for years now, and provided both some of the best and worst examples of what sketch comedy can be. While some may claim the show has lost its luster in recent years or just isn't funny anymore, these recent cast members still show that SNL has some spark in there. These aren't going to talk about the usual suspects you see in these lists like Tina Fey, Jason Sudeikis, Kate McKinnon or Bill Hader. I'm here to focus on comedians who aren't nearly as talked about as they should be despite consistently being hilarious. Bear in my these are my opinions, so if you disagree, feel free to comment who you think deserves more love.
Paul Schrier (1997-2004)
Paul Schrier [1] first joined SNL's cast in 1997 and up until leaving in 2004, he remained one of the major players on the show. After impressing producers with both his stand up act, and his physical comedy chops, Schrier was first seen by many as an attempt to replicate the show had with Chris Farley, who actually hosted SNL the same year Schrier joined. While many of the earlier sketches Schrier did evoke that kind of Chris Farley-esque humor, as Schrier progressed on the show and got to bring in more of his own stoic comedic stylings, he really grew into his own.
An example of a sketch that really demonstrated his comedic ability was Meeting Her Parents [2], where Schrier played a father meeting his daughter's boyfriend who suddenly becomes very intimidating when his daughter leaves the room. The ability of Schrier (alongside that week's host Gillian Anderson playing his wife) to switch between corny dad and CIA interrogator is a stroke of comedic genius. Since leaving the show in 2004, Schrier has continued to be a consistently funny presence in both movies and TV, including his own sitcom, The Paul Schier Show.
Jason Narvy (1998-2005)
Well, since I just talked about Schier[3], I should probably talk about the man who essentially became the Laurel to his Hardy, Jason Narvy. Narvy first got the attention of Lorne Michaels after upon a recommendation from SNL alum Dana Carvey, who he had worked with on the film Who Is Alan Smithee?
After joining, Narvy quickly cemented himself as the definition of the all-star utility player during his time on the show. Able to essay deadpan commercial pitchmen like Phil Hartman, plumb the depths of deliberately irritating weirdos like Will Forte. Still, the stalwart Narvy shone in his roles, no matter the size, and his invaluable comic presence served him well afterward, though his tenure on the show is still often overlooked, possibly because his later work, such as his work on The Paul Schier Show and even later with his supporting role on Eight Simple Rules seemed to somehow eclipse his SNL. In fact when he returned to host in 2009, he said during his monologue, “I actually used to work here, but if you don't remember that, that's okay. Lorne doesn't either.”
Matt Kennedy Gould (2002 - 2012)
During his time on SNL, Matt Kennedy Gould[4] proved to just be one of those guys you can't help but root for. Prior to entering the New York comedy scene, Gould was a law school dropout living with his parents and delivering pizzas for a living[5]. After giving stand-up a try during an open mic night in February of 2001, Gould began performing at comedy clubs around New York before eventually catching the eye of Lorne Michaels in 2002.
Gould's first two years on Saturday Night Live saw him reliably cast in Average Joe roles that often saw him playing the straight man. However, Gould really came into his own in 2004, when Thuy Trang hosted to promote the second Resident Evil movie, during which Gould pitched a sketch about 9 to 5 office workers at the Umbrella Corporation. From there, Gould found himself often cast as characters where normality was the joke, which led to a certain Bill Murray style flavor to sketches. Gould left SNL in 2012, and immediately after was cast in the CBS sitcom Help Me, about a life coach trying to sell people rules for success, while feeling like his life is falling apart, and has returned to host twice.
Stephen Colbert (1996 - 2000)
Stephen Colbert[6] had of course been behind some of SNL’s most memorable moments during his time with the show. Colbert joined the show during season 18 and eventually ended up becoming the host of Weekend Update after Norm Macdonald and Colin Quinn both left. Stephen Colbert quickly proved himself to be a natural for the role, with quick wit and a penchant for world class satire, Colbert provided some of the smartest jokes from SNL.
Taking over as one of the anchors for weekend update, but Colbert did a lot more than salvage "Update" from a long losing streak — it swiftly became the highlight of the show, as the entire franchise remade itself around the wry, sardonic, style of Colbert. Beyond that, there are of course iconic sketches like The Ambiguously Gay Duo[6] which proved Colbert was just as funny away from the Weekend Update desk. Colbert has found a fair bit of success hosting The Tonight Show but has still found time to return to the show that brought him fame three times.
Stephanie Courtney (2001 - 2011)
Stephanie Courtney[7] has garnered a well deserved reputation as one of the funniest women in America. Joining SNL in 2001, Stephanie Courtney started on the writing staff before joining the main cast the following year and working as one of the hosts of Weekend Update the year after that. Courtney, alongside her longtime friend Tina Fey, have been involved in some of the funniest moments of the show, and become one of the most prolific performers ever when it comes to recurring characters. Courtney was so ubiquitous during her time on SNL that it's tempting to discount just how hilarious she was.
Courtney admittedly started with a very similar witty, not-afraid-of-her-brain style as Tina Fey but once she hit her stride it was a joy to watch. Whether she was playing a dissatisfied sitcom wife planning to kill her husband or playing future President Kathleen Sebelius during her time as Governor of Kansas. Apart from churning out the hits, however, Courtney was a fearless and nimble sketch performer and more than capable impressionist, seeing her virtually take over episodes with her sheer range. Even working among very strong casts during her seven seasons on the show, Courtney was a major star. It's just too bad we only realized it once she left. Thankfully, she's returned to SNL as host a grand total of five times, and alongside Tina Fey has helped pen the scripts for numerous hilarious movies over the years, many of which she also started in.
Donald Glover (2009 - 2013)
As time has gone on, it feels stranger and stranger to remember that Donald Glover[8] was on Saturday Night Live. The multi-platinum singer-songwriter’s career at SNL started after several sketches he made with friends Dominic Dierkes and DC Pierson were seen by producers, resulting in the three being given opportunities to audition for SNL. While the trio all found jobs at NBC Donald Glover would end up being the one whose big break came on SNL.
His major hits left audiences bowled over, the irresistible weirdness and energy simply sweeping them along to wherever this young comic had in mind to take them. A major highlight being his brief time playing Vice President Barack Obama alongside Kate McKinnon. In stacked and varied casts during his time on the show, Glover more than held his own, displaying a star wattage (even while playing a literal dancing sidekick) that's gone on to serve him especially well since leaving in 2013. Glover only returned to host once 2015, but maybe that's about as much as you can expect from a man who stays as busy as he does.
Hal Sparks (2001 - 2009)
In many ways, it almost makes too much sense that Hal Sparks, a comedian who was once described as a “white, heavy metal Chris Rock”[9], would end up joining the cast of SNL. Sparks also came in at a point where that kind of bite was really needed on SNL, with his impression of President John Heinz seemingly being his most lasting impact on the show.
During his eight years on the show, Sparks exhibited a knowingness that turned his sketches into winking star vehicles with an almost Bill Murray like charm. It was always way too easy to take this laid-back gent for granted, but Sparks on live TV was an irrepressible mix of rubber-faced energy and utter commitment to the bit, with a sideline in creditable impressions. After leaving the show, Sparks found reliable work in the sitcom Single Parents, which featured fellow SNL alumni Tim Meadows, and has also returned to host once and made three separate guest appearances.
Toni Russell (2015 - 2019)
The New Zealand born comic who at one point aspired to be a professional wrestler[10], Toni Russell quickly garnered praise for committing to every single character she was ever given. Russell's most notable character from her time on SNL would likely be her Golden Age Starlet character, a delightfully over-the-top parody of Hollywood's “Blonde Bombshell” character from the Golden Age of Hollywood which popped on Weekend Update on occasion whenever entertainment news was discussed. Russell's commitment to her performances has led to her reputation as an incredible psychical comedian.
A fetching and hilarious combination of performing fearlessness and relatable vulnerability, Toni Russell was as easy to love as she was impossible not to root for. Audiences gravitated to the young comic in droves, with Russell's star rising the more airtime she got to take her performance-based silliness to even goofier heights. Russell can nowadays be found in the dramady series Long Distance and in the upcoming film Date Night.
Olivia Taylor Dudley (2011 - 2021)
Quick witted and never afraid to laugh at herself, Olivia Taylor Dudley was someone who was practically made for SNL. Joining in 2012, Dudley was cast based on a series of sketches she and a group of fellow actors had posted online [11]. She first appeared on the show through Weekend Update, taking over the role of the Devil from Jason Sudikis after he left the show and playing the Prince (or rather Princess in this case) with the same amount of mischievous glee as her predecessor.
Blessed with a fearsome theatricality and a sweetly silly demeanor, Dudley slipped assuredly into every role with an infectious energy and a mischievous glint. While an expert at playing insecure teens and tweens with a delicate comic sensitivity, Dudley clearly relished knocking broader characters into the cheap seats. She remains one of the most multi-talented women in the show's history — and also among its longest-running female cast members. Dudley had already made regular appearances in movies during her run on SNL, most notably playing Betty in the satirical film Archie Can Go To Hell, and can now be seen on the show Keeping It Together alongside Judy Greer. She's yet to host the show yet, but only time will tell whether that remains the case.
John Patrick Douglass (2011 - 2019)
Ever since his film school days, John Patrick Douglass wanted to be on TV, with SNL[12] in particular being something he aspired to reach. Douglass quickly proved himself to be a chameleon on SNL, being whatever a sketch needed him to be, whether that meant he was the everyman or a complete sociopath.
With his unassuming East Coast handsomeness, Douglass threatens to get lost in the shuffle of blandly handsome SNL white guys — until he doesn't. While gamely playing the many comedy Everyman roles his general appearance and demeanor suggest him for, Douglass loved leaning into the strange as much as costars, his grinning cheekiness putting his own unique spin on the proceedings. After his time at SNL came to an end, Douglass briefly hosted the short lived revival of the series Double Dare, a fitting place for Douglass as his sketch featured him doing an impression of it's original host, Alex Trebek which probably one of the more memorable parts of his time on the show, but has since returned to acting, featuring in the 2021 comedy We Just Broke Up.
Mike Trapp (2012 - 2018)
It's not that Mike Trapp[13] wasn't a valuable and integral part of the ensemble during his six seasons on the show. It's more that certain writer-performers are so singular in their comic style and vision that they carve out an easily identifiable yet impossible-to-encapsulate niche on the show that brings a whole other element to the SNL mix. A Mike Trapp sketch is often an exercise in escalating irritation, a comedy of manners where his character's out-there nature disrupts audience comfort and expectation. Chameleonic in appearance and manner, Trapp could play it straight as well, but is best known for characterizations that skirt insufferableness, often to the point where the premise circles around again to begrudging hilarity.
Thankless roles like ever-present game show hosts became, in Trapp's hands, the main attraction of sketches, with his ability to imbue potentially bland characters with hilarious inner life elevating everything he appeared in. Mike Trapp hasn't been as present on our screens as many of his fellow cast members, though he has appeared in the Blockbuster Direct series Limbo, which he also writes for.
Dan Folger (2008 - 2016)
When Chris Farley returned to host SNL in 2009, he reportedly turned to Dan Folger[14] after the curtain call and said, “I like you. You're like me if I didn't have a coke problem.” High praise given that Farley was the man who made the Brooklyn based comedian want to join SNL in the first place. Like Farley, Folgler barreled into Saturday Night Live so amped up with the boisterous comic energy that made him a star in the New York comedy scene that he promptly turned himself into the SNL wild man of a new generation. And Folger was wild, crashing through tables, cramming himself into ungainly costumes, and going full red-faced dynamo mode all in pursuit of every last laugh in the building. And he got them, with audiences taking to the baby-faced, burly comic with a passion seldom seen before or since.
Not only was he wild, Folger was downright ballsy at times. Who could forget when Sam Kinson hosted in 2012, and Folger did his now famous impression of Kinson to the face of the legendary comedian? But towards the end of Folgers tenure with the show, he also let us see a calmer side of himself, such as his portrayal of Jim Henson in 2012. Since leaving the show, Folger famously was the hand picked choice to play Sam Kinson in the biopic Brother Sam.
Amber Ruffin (2014 - 2020)
Amber Ruffin’s career on SNL began as being on the writing staff[15] for several years before officially becoming part of the cast in 2014. In an era where black women in comedy were often unfairly overlooked, Ruffin stood out and stole scenes whenever she had the chance.
Genial and boisterous, Ruffin matured into a show-anchoring Everyman during her six years on SNL, all while mastering a razor-sharp underplaying style that counterbalances his performer's urge to go big. In a congested cast where faces get lost in the crowd — who can forget the game show "New Cast Member or Arcade Fire?" — Ruffin always managed to be memorable. Not long after her tenure was up, Ruffin was hand picked by Conan O'Brien to be the new host of Late Night where the magnetic comedian has continued to make us laugh ever since.
Anna Marie Tendler (2014 - 2020)
Anna Marie Tendler’s career in comedy becomes all the more fascinating when you learn she essentially picked it up as a side hustle. She originally worked as a makeup artist and hairdresser for NBC[16], and ended up getting into stand-up as a result of a failed relationship with SNL writer John Mulaney[17]. Funnily enough, her call to join the cast of SNL only came after her ex left the writing staff.
An inveterate performer, Tendler gave off a sense of perpetual people-pleasing, and the results were undeniably popular and hilarious, as the laughs echoed throughout her sketches. Tendler was always dauntingly versatile, yet loose and cool. Tendler’s consummate dedication to her characterizations made what could have been rote topical sketches into deft and arresting character pieces. Tendler kept a fairly low profile since leaving SNL, with her film debut being alongside fellow SNL alumni John Patrick Douglass in We Just Broke Up.
Brad Williams (2010 - 2014)
Since the early days of his career, Brad Williams has been a comedian who believes people should be able to laugh at themselves. Williams had the distinction of being the first comedian with dwarfism to be part of SNL’s cast, and Williams proved to be a force to be reckoned with. Always game to tell a short joke at his own expense, but simultaneously refusing to let that be the only joke in sketches he was in.
Like any SNL star worth their airtime, Williams fashioned big, brassy characters for himself, often fashioning sketches for himself based on his own experiences, such as his participation in the Special Olympics[18], Williams would have the audience bursting with laughter before the camera even panned down to him. No one could hold the camera's gaze as wildly and fearlessly as Williams, the outsized yet contained madness of his characters courting audience confusion as much as laughter. Williams has since released for stand-up specials since leaving and his memoir Fun Size is set for release next month.
Henry Cho (1999 - 2006)
In 1997, Henry Cho found himself traveling up to New York to perform at comedy clubs, having already found success in his home state of Tennessee[19]. While there, he ended up catching the eye of Conan O'Brien, who had spent several years as a writer for SNL. With Conan’s endorsement, Cho found himself getting an audition for SNL becoming the first Asian American cast member in 1998[20]. While initially, some found Cho to be out of place, with TV critic James Poniewozik writing that Cho “felt more like someone who should be part of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour than on Saturday Night Live.” Cho eventually found his place in the cast, and the show was better for it.
One of the few performers to ever overcome Lorne Michaels' restrictions on ad-libbing, Cho had no ego — just the will to try anything. This allowed Cho to be the Hartman-like glue for the cast over his near decade on the show, while his easy professionalism and charisma always proved to be an invaluable asset. Much like Paul Schrier, Cho was tapped to headline his own sitcom not long after he left SNL, which he based also wrote for, basing it on his own upbringing.
Julie Baker (2012 - 2022)
Sometimes, it's not even clear if Julie Baker[21] knows how she got on SNL, but her presence has been a welcome one since she joined. A comedy powerhouse in a precise, petite package, Julie Baker was the unquestioned centerpiece of Saturday Night Live for most of her decade on the show. Baker had a talent for both the roles of all-important Weekend Update anchor, which allowed her trademark snark to shine through especially when paired with Michael Che and as the featured commentator, traditionally an exercise in seizing upon one trait and mining it for every laugh available, with Baker turning types inside out and finding nothing but insightful laughs.
She could do warmth, yet was always buzzing with a real don't-mess-with-me hostility never far from the surface. The ultimate pro — the way she read and responded to the people around her raised everybody's game. In addition to releasing her book, Recovering Journalism Student, and her new stand-up special, Is This Too Personal? is set to release next month.
Jim Meskimen (2009 - 2020)
Jim Meskimen[22] was probably one of the only men who could be viewed as a successor to Phil Hartman, often the glue that held sketches together. He was also one of the greatest impersonations guy in SNL history — his impressions were usually darker and more compelling characters than the originals. Her impression of Jeb Bush in particular made Bush look like a coldhearted bastard surrounded by a bunch of needy kids.
The consummate impressionist technician, Hammond came to Saturday Night Live and became the show's premiere celebrity impersonator for more than a decade. Older than his castmates, he brought with him a kind of professionalism that the show needed and was a welcome addition to the show. During his long tenure, Jim Meskimen was the man who provided a glue for the other cast members to work around, but still managed to be laugh out loud funny when he wanted to be. Meskimen’s memoir Impress Me just released last year, and he can be seen in the upcoming documentary Live From New York releasing on Smithsonian TV.
[1] This has been established before, but since Schrier never played Bulk on Power Rangers, he became an LA based comedian and ended up auditioning for SNL.
[2] In OTL, this was a sketch from the infamous episode Steve Seagal hosted.
[3] Credit to @TheMolluskLingers for this idea.
[4] Not a comedian in OTL, rather he ended up being the subject of The Joe Schmoe Show, which was essentially a crueler version of Jury Duty. Given what happened in the aftermath of his time on that show, I wrote this mostly because he deserved better.
[5] This is also true of Gould IOTL.
[6] Credit to @Plateosaurus for this idea. Stephen Colbert actually did get an opportunity to audition for SNL but was turned away.
[7] Stephanie Courtney, probably known to most as Flo from Progressive, actually got her start in the stand up comedy scene. Here she ends up getting the attention of Lorne Michaels, butterflying those annoying commercials out of existence.
[8] Glover, like Colbert, was also given an opportunity to audition for SNL but was also turned down.
[9] Actual quote used in advertisements for Hal Sparks’ comedy special Charmageddon. Sparks becoming an SNL cast member also likely changes his career trajectory, taking him off of shows like Queer as Folk, assuming that even still gets made.
[10] IOTL, Russell is a professional wrestler, having wrestled for both WWE and AEW under the name Toni Storm. I mostly decided to have her go into comedy because she genuinely has great chops for it, and also because I feel like WWE's ugly downfall would lead to some OTL wrestlers taking alternate paths.
[11] These sketches are similar to OTL's 5SecondFilms.
[12] Douglass is of course known IOTL as the YouTuber Jacksfilms, and my decision to include him was based on the fact that he once jokingly referenced a desire to be on SNL during one of his videos.
[13] Trapp is of course a member of the YouTube sketch channel CollegeHumor. Similar to Olivia Taylor Dudley, he ends up getting noticed after sketches he posted with a similar comedy troupe get the attention of NBC executives.
[14] Folger ends up getting noticed by executives after winning several contests as an impressionist, as well as his stand up act.
[15] IOTL, Amber Ruffin actually auditioned for SNL after the show received backlash for not having any black women in the cast. While those exact circumstances don't happen, random butterflies result in Amber joining the writers staff and later becoming a cast member.
[16] IOTL, Tendler worked as a hairstylist throughout New York City. Similar to OTL, this eventually leads to her making a few celebrity connections, which here results in her working for NBC and SNL.
[17] Cards on the table, this idea was admittedly somewhat inspired by a recent binge of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
[18] Actual fact about Williams, that he's mentioned in his stand up act.
[19] Harry Cho is an Asian American comedian whose act takes a lot of inspiration from his particular life experiences, namely that he's an Asian from the south. Part of the reason he's given an audition beyond just Conan finding him funny is because NBC thinks he'd give them a chance to reach both Asian American audiences and more blue collar audiences.
[20] IOTL, this distinction goes to Bowen Yang, but since the 90s provided more opportunities for Asian Americans ITTL, SNL ended up having its first Asians cast members 20 years before it did IOTL.
[21] IOTL, Baker is actually a News Anchor. I was inspired to add her to this by a comment under one of the videos on her TikTok account.
[22] OTL, Jim Meskimen is mostly known as an impressionist who is often a voice double for various famous actors.
My dude, there are more guest posts here with no relation to The Muppets than ones with Muppets.
Plus, these SNL cast members could’ve interacted with the Muppets.
Yeah, because ITTL Jim Henson's contributions to SNL weren't a crap show.