noone else could save it from being cancelled after 2-3 years after Lorne leaves and I think he knows that. The question is, does Tina want to take on that milestone and risk being the one that sank a 50 year old TV institution?
I think whoever takes over has to time it such that they do it officially essentially the day he dies, and then build out “The Final Season” as a tribute to Lorne before shutting it down on purpose.
Like, Fey agrees to stand at the helm of the ship on its last voyage. Not trying to save it, but to give it a good sendoff kind of vibe.
Anything else, and yeah, like you say, it becomes an albatross around whoever’s neck is foolish enough to take the job.
Even though they deny it, I kinda always figured it would be her, the only other person I can think of off the top of the head that would be REALLY good at it is Conan but NBC burned and buried that bridge.
A recent report indicated that Tina Fey is being courted to take over SNL from Lorne Michaels, and NBC has now responded to the claims. According to The New York Post, a source claims the show’s former head writer is posed to be its new executive producer when Michaels retires. Addressing the reports, an NBC spokesperson told ET Canada that “there is no truth to this report.” The rep also noted an interview Michaels did with the New York Times in 2022, wherein he clearly stated, “I have no plans to retire.”
Discussions around who might take over for 78-year-old Michaels have swirled for years, but the renowned producer told the New York Times, “I’m not a big person for celebrating. Even the 40th [anniversary show], in the end, the only way I got through it was because I knew I was doing a show, and at a certain point, the credits would roll and we’d be off the air. The 50th will be a big event. We’ll bring everyone back from all 50 years and hosts and all of that.” Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary will take place in the fall of 2024.
Notably, in a 2022 interview with fellow former Saturday Night Live cast member Leslie Jones, Seth Meyers addressed rumors that he, too, was on deck to replace Michaels. During the conversation, Meyers — who worked at SNL from 2001 to 2014 — told Jones and her The Fckry podcast co-host Lenny Marcus that he currently has no plans to take over as the show’s executive producer if Michaels retires.
Offering her thoughts on the matter, Jones said, “I think it’s gonna be Tina Fey, honestly,” referring to Meyers’ old Weekend Update co-host and SNL’s first-ever female head writer. This prompted Meyers to make a bold assessment, saying, “Nobody can take over for Lorne. If you don’t think with the money Lorne Michaels has made, he’s not getting some special blood transfusion done one day. If you don’t think …”
Jones jumped in, quipping, “Because Lorne literally pushes for that, for that budget too. 'Cause it takes a lot of money to run. And I think they [NBC] give it to him because it’s Lorne.” Meyers then joked, “I already asked Lorne. I asked him, ‘Will you speak at my funeral?’” Jones added, “'Cause I’m like, 'You are a vampire, OK?!”
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