A fan-made anthology of 300+ fascinating, hysterical stories behind auditions for SNL, told firsthand by the comedians who made it all the way to Studio 8H
Not making the cast of SNL was the best thing to happen to Carrey--his acting chops, at this young age, are already present and intact. Sublime (and moving) impressions of Fonda and Hepburn in 'On Golden Pond'...before he even opens his mouth to speak! WOW 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Love that Dennis Miller was in the audience for this. Remember when Dana would come on Weekend Update dressed as Miller and the two of them would sit side by side doing the same movements? 😆 It always killed.
I heard from a former cast-member, I think David Spade, that it's not good to absolutely kill with a polished stand-up act during your SNL audition. Because then they might think all you have is that 8 minutes. They want to see the natural talents, the impressions, the charisma, that you could be written for by comedy writers.
I'm guessing 1986, just before that critical '86-'87 season, where Lorne tossed most of his comeback cast and brought in Carvey and Phil Hartman. Thus saving the show.
Dana is the greatest all-time SNL cast member. The funniest and most versatile. For at least the last ten years there has been no cast member even remotely as talented as Mr. Carvey. Legend!
He was very good, yes, he is in the top 10 on talent that has come through SNL, arguably top 5. I would put Hartman at the top. Also mixed in : Myers, Armisen, Wiig, Forte, Short, Hooks, maybe Pharoah too. We're just talking talent, not being funny. Funny is a somewhat different set of people - in which Ferrell, Farley, and Murphy have to be considered.
I would say Bill Hader was remotely as talented as Carvey. Hell, I think they are in the exact same category. Though, Carvey is more musical and Hader is more "humorously stiff".
C'mon, he's great, but Phil was the guy who could do anything and assist you while making you even better than you are. That guy kept everything humming along.
Hartman's audition is legendary. Literally, walked in as if he absolutely knew he was better than the job itself.......but was funny. Nothing came across as arrogant. Just almost a "yeah, I'm hired already, here's what you're getting, love ya"@@johnnytransam5894
It seems like he already knew he had the job (due to the shorter audition and him seeming to know Lorne pretty well) but Lorne made him audition anyway. I think I heard that Lorne would do that with people.
Fun fact: Brad Carvey would actually go on to work for the National Nuclear Security Administration. I don't know if he developed a cheap nuclear fueled rocket system though.
