The first episode of NBC's Saturday Night Live premiered on October 11, 1975, kicking off fifty years of subversive, satirical and sometimes just silly comedy. That first chaotic night was dramatized in the 2024 film Saturday Night. Clearly, no one expected the young and crazy crew to create something that would survive multiple seasons of network television, and yet Lorne Michaels and company's revolutionary show continues to make a mark on pop culture fifty years later.
SNL is where many comedy writers honed their craft and where countless actors and comedians became household names. Some cast members lasted one season, and some have lasted more than 20 years. It's not surprising that with so many talented writers and comics passing through the halls of Studio 8H, many went on to publish books of their own. Some of them spilled behind the scenes gossip from their SNL days while others took a more vulnerable approach, letting fans see a different side of the funny faces we know and love.
Bob Odenkirk worked in the SNL writers' room for several years and made appearances in sketches from time to time long before he became better known for dramatic series like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. His 2022 memoir, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama, is a funny and fascinating read for those who want to know more about his roots in Chicago comedy, improv, and working with the legendary Del Close.
Molly Shannon became best known for over-the-top SNL characters like Sally O'Malley ("I'm 50!") and Catholic school girl Mary Katherine Gallagher. Readers expecting a similarly silly read will be surprised by how vulnerable Shannon gets in her memoir Hello, Molly! which does cover her time at SNL but also explores grief and her father's alcoholism. Shannon's candid delivery makes for a compelling but still humorous audiobook.
Another book that makes for tremendous listening is Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones herself, an SNL writer and cast member for 5 years. Her big personality shines in this off-the-cuff, conversational book that covers plenty of showbiz gossip as well as the hard times Jones has overcome. Sensitive listeners may not appreciate her use of colorful language, but others will appreciate how unapologetically authentic Leslie Jones is.
When I Was your Age is by SNL's longest-serving cast member, Kenan Thompson. Depending on your age, you might have grown up watching Kenan in Good Burger (this is still one of my all-time favorite movies) or as his French alter-ego Pierre Escargot. Today, he is SNL's elder statesman, dishing out advice on growing up and parenting with a refreshing look back at his own youth in the public eye.
There are many other books about SNL's history and even more memoirs from past cast and crew. As a fan of the current cast, I'd love to read a memoir by Bowen Yang, maybe a quirky novel by Sarah Sherman, and I definitely want to hear Ego Nwodim narrate her own audiobook. Who is your favorite SNL cast member past or present?
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