“Saturday Night Live” is now in its 50th year of existence, which means that the Sketch Comedy Show will spend much of 2025 heartily celebrating its own broadcast legacy. Some of this is earned. Producer Lorne Michaels was in the right place at the right time to bring together a vintage collection of comedic talent in 1975, and it’s amazing to consider that the show has remained relevant through 10 American presidencies and God knows how many changes in culture popular. Although many people still watch the show live, viewers who have other plans on Saturday night can wait until Sunday to read episode recaps on a number of websites (none better than Etan Anderton at cinema) and/or watch individual sketches on YouTube. “SNL” isn’t going anywhere – however, as a fan who lived through its lowest lows (seasons 6 and 11 in particular), I feel like it’s never been as mechanical as it is not now.
Whatever you think of the current state of “SNL,” it certainly hasn’t lost its knack for identifying pop-ready comedy talent. One of the secrets to this continued success is his audition process, which, once you’re about to get cast, boils down to a five-minute demonstration of improvisation skills. Everyone has to go through it, even if they’re a little more ready for prime time than others. And then there’s Amy Poehler. Although she did Submit yourself to a five-minute audition, it was atypical for several reasons.
SNL wanted to see Amy Poehler play herself
On the new behind-the-scenes Peacock series “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night,” Amy Poehler revealed that her audition was “unique.” Anyone who racked up New York’s Luna Lounge or the Wednesday night “Stella” showcase at Fez (hosted by State’s Michael Showalter, David Wain and Michael Ian Black) in 1996 and 1997 knew Poehler as one of the Brigades Upright citizens. Fab four. All she did was destroy. The casting director of “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” wisely brought her onto the show to play the recurring character of Andy Richter’s little sister sketch – which, given that the show was produced by Lorne Michaels, put her on the Fast Fast Tracks from “SNL.”
In “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night,” director Beth McCarthy Miller recalls that Poehler’s audition was a “formality.” She was almost cast. All they wanted to see was Poehler being herself. So she put together a “weekend update” opinion piece about whether Shaquille O’Neal is too tall to play professional basketball. Poehler delivered, but, when she watches her audition on the documentary, you can see her trying to mentally shut the clip out of existence. “Have you ever made a video for someone for their birthday and you sent the wrong one,” Poehler asks. “That’s what this audition is like, like a rough draft of an audition. Like what I would be taped to prepare for an audition.”
We don’t see the whole audition, so I can’t judge it as a comedy. I did, however, get to see Poehler in Stella more than once, and I’m shocked that it took four years for “SNL” to wise up and put her on the show.
