Saturday Night Live is responsible for breaking numerous A-list talent into the world of comedy, film, and television. Not only is the long-running NBC sketch show a fantastic training facility for writers and comedy performers, but it's wildly successful. So, it gives these talented individuals a spotlight to walk into and own. While there are a number of people who make SNL what it is, creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels is the show's mastermind.
While some claim that Lorne runs SNL like a cult leader, others have praised him for his approach to comedy. But Better Call Saul's Bob Odenkirk isn't one of them. During his time writing on the show (1987 - 1991), Bob developed a very complicated relationship with Lorne...
Bob Odenkirk's Negative Feelings About Lorne Michaels And SNL
Bob Odenkirk wasn't entirely keen on his time on Saturday Night Live. While he made a lot of friendships and learned a ton, he was never quite happy with what the show was. During two interviews with radio legend Howard Stern (one in 2021 and the other in 2022), Bob went into detail about his true feelings about the show and its creator.
"It wasn't the show I wanted it to be because it isn't... Because it is what it is... and I just couldn't come to terms with that," Bob admitted, referring to how he would often get into arguments with Lorne about the direction of the show. In his new book, "Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir", Bob said that Lorne would push him away from certain meetings because of his displeasure with the direction of SNL. While some of this was because of their behind-the-scenes conflict, Bob also claimed that this was part of the "off-balanced" energy behind-the-scenes on the show.
In his 2022 interview, Bob described how feelings of not being sure of one's self, competitiveness, and exhaustion plagued the halls of 30 Rock. And he just couldn't figure out why this was the type of atmosphere Lorne wanted his writers and performers to dwell in. In Bob's mind, this didn't contribute to a positive work environment or a good show.
"When you were a writer there, [Lorne] could've made you more comfortable. He would push you away. He wouldn't let you into certain meetings in his office. And it bothered you. Because you were looking for a confidence boost," Howard said to Bob in 2022, describing the relationship between the comedian and Lorne that he described in his memoir. "You can't do good work for someone who you think thinks you're not funny."
"And at the same time, how I could I be anything but thankful for Lorne's generosity to even hire me? And the learning that I did on that show when I [was on it] for four years. I learned so much about writing a sketch. I didn't get to put it to much use there, but later I did," Bob explained.
Bob Odenkirk Has Regrets About What He Did To Lorne Michaels
While Bob certainly has his criticisms of how Lorne ran Saturday Night Live as well as how he treated him, he doesn't claim innocence. In fact, during his 2021 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Bob expressed a lot of regret about how he treated Lorne.
"I was bad to Lorne and I sat in the back of the room and made wisecracks. During meetings," Bob explained to Howard in 2021. "He's trying to run a friggin meeting to get this goddamn show up on Saturday night and there's this a**hole, who should be a waiter in Chicago, making wisecracks out of the side of his mouth. Going, 'That scene sucks'."
Bob believes that Lorne could've been a great ally had he played the game a bit better. While he didn't like the atmosphere of the show, it was his own insecurities that got in the way of him truly embracing it. Instead of trying to contribute to the existing show, Bob wanted it to become something it wasn't. And he found ways of being rude about it. This turned Lorne off to him behind the scenes, according to Bob.
"I just wasn't right for the show at that time and I do wish I could've understood my own psyche, my own psychology better and enjoyed it and embraced it a bit," Bob said to Howard. "You know, the show was what it is. That show is a behemoth monster machine that moves forward and you gotta get on board or get out of the way."
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGiZqJpdpLGmusqiqaRlkaOxbrjOq6WeZZ2esKmtxKWqZqqVoa61tc6nqqGhoGK8r3nSp6No