Chris Rock, forged member, 1990–93: I bear in mind I noticed Dana Gould [at the audition]. He didn’t find yourself getting the present and I’ll by no means know why.
Sasheer Zamata, forged member, 2014–17: I bear in mind listening to Leslie Jones [auditioning] earlier than me and destroying, as a result of she’s hilarious.
Ellen Cleghorne, forged member, 1991–95: The casting girl informed me, “Don’t be strident,” and I had no concept what that phrase meant. We didn’t have Google again in these days, so I needed to truly go get a dictionary and look it up.
There was this factor that I did the place I performed a younger little one who was having a tantrum, so I made a decision not to do this character. She was strident. Possibly that’s why I bought the job.
Bobby Moynihan, forged member, 2008–17: My first audition was within the precise studio. And after they walked me in, I bear in mind simply going, “Oh my God, I’m strolling…. After they go into the studio for the monologue, they usually undergo, that is the place the cue playing cards are, and that is the place they’ve all of the paint to color the units.” And I used to be like, I can’t consider I’m right here. It was like I used to be a fan on a tour after which I went, Oh yeah, right here’s a few characters I may do. Okay—now can I have a look at the studio some extra?
Tim Robinson, forged member, 2012–13; author, 2013–16: You’re like moving into the Simpsons’ home for actual or no matter. You’re like, “Holy shit.”
Devon Walker, forged member, 2022–current: I bear in mind being so nervous that I couldn’t even take heed to music in my house. I used to be pacing round backwards and forwards in my house. After which I took the practice into the town and I ended up sitting there. That they had me get there at possibly three or 4, and I used to be simply in a dressing room for 5 hours, simply ready and pondering.
And I ended up discovering Chloe Troast, who was within the dressing room that might turn into my dressing room, and me and her simply type of posted up. We performed some music and simply type of stored one another firm. And [SNL writer-producer] Steve Higgins ended up strolling by.
Higgins took me and Chloe and simply walked us round into the studio, the place they do the auditions, and he was like, “Hey, it’s only a room. It’s only a room with a stage. You guys have accomplished this earlier than. You’ve accomplished it a thousand instances. Now you’re auditioning for a job, however it’s no completely different. Simply method it such as you’ve approached all these different levels. You’re already right here, so that you’re ok to get right here, so why not go get the job?” He type of took down the mystique. Like, “Yeah, you understand how to do that. Simply go do it.” And that took off plenty of the strain.
Michael Che, author, 2013–current; forged member, 2014–current: I got here in as a author first. Then I moved as much as Replace, however we did a take a look at, which was kind of like an audition. I don’t name it that as a result of it wasn’t the identical factor. However yeah, it was nonetheless on residence base, and it was nonetheless in entrance of Lorne and the producers, and I don’t assume I’ve ever been extra nervous in a present enterprise setting in my life. It’s a complete different animal as a result of as a performer you’re [used to] listening to the viewers and going off of the vitality of the group and it’s kind of a dialogue. That is simply kind of a monologue into the darkness and your boss is watching. It’s like a nightmare.
