By Madi Zanardelli
Saturday Night Live is a late-night live television sketch comedy show composed of some of the most talented and clever comedians both as actors and writers. Through the intense auditions process, involving impressions, standup and possibly a musical performance, candidates are vetted thoroughly and the end result is nothing short of comedic gold. The environment of SNL is intense with numerous late-night collaborations and early morning rehearsals, but nearly all performers go on to act, direct, produce, or host late-night T.V. Since the beginning of SNL in 1975, there have been countless hilarious, yet brilliant cast members and writers but here is a list of my ideal team:
Writers
Tina Fey: Fey worked on SNL for 6 years and then went on to create the comedy series The Unbreakable Kimmy Shmidt and 30 rock. She has won 49 awards out of a nomination total of 132.
Seth Meyers: Meyers worked on SNL for 13 years and has since gone on to host a late-night talk show, write for numerous shows, and speak at renowned ceremonies.
John Mulaney: Mulaney wrote on SNL for 12 years while continuing his esteemed stand-up career with shows such as The Comeback Kid or Kid Gorgeous at Radio City for which he won a Primetime Emmy.
Conan O’Brien: O’Brien wrote on SNL for 4 years but before that he wrote for The Simpsons. After SNL he became the host of The Tonight Show and won 6 Writers Guild of America awards.
Cast Members
Fred Armisen: Armisen was one of the longest cast members with a total of 11 years on SNL. He is not only a great comedian but he also is an incredibly talented musician shown not only in SNL but also in his T.V. series Documentary Now (with Hader and Meyers) and Portlandia.
Dana Carvey: Carvey worked on SNL for 7 years and was best known for his impeccable impressions of George Bush and The Beatles. He hosted his own show which was “too soon for its time” but the few episodes created were full of witty skits and hilarious voices.
Rachel Dratch: Dratch was a cast member for 7 years and was most known for her sketch “Debbie Downer” which created fits of uncontrollable giggles from both the audience and her fellow performers.
Bill Hader: Hader performed for 8 years and is renowned for his impressions and has acted in over 40 different movies and shows including: Trainwreck, Skeleton Twins (with Wiig), and Barry.
Leslie Jones: Jones was a cast member for 6 years but first started her career as a writer for sketch comedy giving her many skills “freshmen only dream of having”. She has since gone on to act in different films such as: Ghostbusters (2016 version with Mckinnon), Angry Birds 2, and is currently working on I Am Maurice.
Kate Mckinnon: Mckinnon worked on SNL since 2012 and is still a current cast member. She is most known for her eccentric characters and spot-on impressions of Justin Bieber, Hilary Clinton, and Ellen.
Eddie Murphy: Murphy was a member for 2 years and is one of the most famous comedic actors starring in 40 featured films including: Mulan, Beverly Hills Cop, and Daddy Daycare.
Amy Poehler: Poehler performed for 8 years on SNL but her career only grew after she left as she became a highly sought after comedic actor starring in Parks & Rec, Insideout (with Hader), and Wine Country (along with Dratch, Fey and Rudolph), gaining a net worth of 25 million dollars.
Maya Rudolph: Rudolph was on SNL for 9 years, performing in a myriad of skits impersonating, singing or riding around in a golf cart. She starred in many animated movies using her innate ability to create and commit to crazy voices and characters.
Andy Samberg: Samberg worked for SNL for 7 years and was an innovator as he was the first to create digital shorts which for him, grew into a musical group called Lonely Island and won many awards. He later went on to star in Brooklyn 99 winning a golden globe in 2014.
Kristen Wiig: Wiig performed on SNL for 7 years and is one of the funniest cast members seen through her immaculate impressions and creative characters. She is beloved by all of her fellow cast members and continued to spread laughter through esteemed films such as Bridesmaids, Zoolander 2, and Anchorman 2.