Live from New York, it's... not you. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the biggest comedy superstars who once auditioned to join the “Saturday Night Live” cast but, for one reason or another, didn’t make the cut.
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00:00It seemed like such a fit for you to have ended up on Saturday Night Live,
00:03like it would have been the vehicle for you.
00:04But I never make it in the normal ways.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks
00:10for the biggest comedy superstars who once auditioned to join
00:14the Saturday Night Live cast but, for one reason or another,
00:18didn't make the cut.
00:19That's right!
00:20So bow to your queen!
00:22Number 20. Kumail Nanjiani
00:25Prior to his SNL audition, Kumail Nanjiani had already dabbled
00:29in sketch comedy, having appeared in various roles on the IFC series Portlandia.
00:34It is a 30-year fixed loan, and it is 6.5% interest,
00:39and the asterisk means that we round it up to 8%.
00:42It's 8 then.
00:44Yeah.
00:44It's not 6.5.
00:45For all intensive purposes, it is 8.
00:47This experience seemingly caught the attention of Lorne Michaels,
00:50who also produced Portlandia, prompting Nanjiani to try out for SNL.
00:55Although he wasn't selected as a cast member,
00:58Nanjiani was hired to join the writing team for a few weeks.
01:01However, prior commitments prevented him from staying longer,
01:05so he only wrote for one week before exiting the show.
01:08Wonderful! And where are you traveling in from?
01:13North Korea.
01:14Fantastic!
01:16After making a name for himself, Nanjiani eventually performed
01:19on the SNL stage in 2017, this time making his debut as a host.
01:25If someone was like, go back to Pakistan, which was part of India until 1947,
01:30and is now home to the world's oldest salt mine,
01:33I would be like, that guy seems to know what he's talking about.
01:38I'll pack my bag.
01:40Number 19, Jack McBrayer.
01:42In the early years of his career, Jack McBrayer did a lot of improv,
01:46showcasing his talents with the Second City and Iowa Theater in Chicago.
01:51What is that? What are you doing there?
01:53I am celebrating Southern culture.
01:56It was during this time that he crossed paths with Tina Fey,
02:00who later joined SNL and ascended to the role of head writer.
02:03McBrayer auditioned for the show,
02:05apparently on the same day as his longtime friend Seth Meyers.
02:09There I am, and there you are.
02:11Look at us.
02:11Wearing a sweater that only existed in the late 90s.
02:15Still have the sweater.
02:16But while Meyers secured a spot, McBrayer was passed over.
02:20Nonetheless, his audition seemingly left an impression on Fey and Lorne Michaels,
02:25as they would later offer him the role he has become most recognized for,
02:29Kenneth Parcell on 30 Rock.
02:31Kenneth, why did you bet that terrible hand?
02:35Why? Because I believe that life is for the living.
02:40I believe in taking risks and biting off more than you can chew.
02:43And also people were yelling and I got confused about the rules.
02:46Number 18, Tiffany Haddish.
02:48In November 2017, Tiffany Haddish made history
02:52as the first African-American female stand-up comic to host an episode of SNL.
02:56I lived in a lot of group homes and my favorite show growing up was SNL.
03:00That's my favorite show.
03:01And you'd have no idea how difficult it is to get a bunch of Black and Hispanic kids
03:07to watch SNL over in Living Color, okay?
03:09But it seems she may have manifested it years earlier.
03:12Prior to her breakthrough role in Girls Trip, Haddish tried out for SNL,
03:17delivering an audition that many believed was terrific.
03:20However, for some reason, it wasn't enough for SNL producers, and Haddish was turned down.
03:25You've selected Boo Boo Jeffries.
03:29Knock, knock. Who's there? Boo Boo Jeffries. Boo Boo Jeffries who?
03:33If you don't know, you stupid.
03:36Undeterred by this setback, she reportedly joked that the next time they see her,
03:40she'll be hosting. And that's exactly what happened.
03:44Her performance as host was so well-received
03:47that she won an Emmy Award for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
03:50For all you Star Wars fans, this cat claims to be the real Darth Vader.
03:57First I laughed, then he choked me from across the room.
04:00Number 17. Marc Maron
04:03In 1995, SNL saw a major overhaul in its lineup,
04:07with many longtime cast members being replaced with new faces.
04:11One of those faces could have been Marc Maron.
04:14I was a little high.
04:16You shot up high for the meeting with Lorne?
04:18A little bit, just a little pot.
04:20The renowned comedian and podcaster auditioned as a potential replacement
04:24for Norm Macdonald on Weekend Update. However, during the audition,
04:28Maron was reportedly high and nervous, and got into a staring contest with Lorne Michaels.
04:34Reflecting on the experience, Maron speculated that his decision to take a
04:38candy from a bowl on Michaels' desk may have cost him a spot on the show.
04:42You saw the candy, you grabbed a piece of candy.
04:44I took a Jolly Rancher, and I put it in my mouth, and I swear in my memory,
04:48Higgins and Lorne looked at each other like, that's it, he's out.
04:51Years later, Michaels dismissed those concerns during an appearance on Maron's podcast,
04:56clarifying that the show was just undergoing significant changes
05:00and uncertainties about its future direction.
05:03Number 16. Kathy Griffin
05:05Kathy Griffin got her start in comedy performing with the L.A. improv troupe The Groundlings.
05:10How you doing?
05:11I'm okay, but I didn't have enough time to finish getting ready.
05:17In the early 1990s, Lorne Michaels visited L.A. to see a performance by The Groundlings.
05:22This visit seemingly sparked hope in Griffin, as she aspired to catch
05:26Michaels' attention and secure a spot on SNL. Unfortunately,
05:30Michaels was only impressed by Julia Sweeney, choosing her over Griffin
05:34and another aspiring performer who would later rise to fame.
05:38Disappointed by this outcome, Griffin initially struggled to cope with the lost opportunity.
05:43However, she seemed to channel her disappointment into her career,
05:46ultimately becoming a renowned comedian and actress in her own right.
05:50Dreams come true!
05:51Number 15. Jennifer Coolidge
05:54Jennifer Coolidge also performed with The Groundlings,
05:57and was one of many hopefuls who tried for a spot on SNL in 1995.
06:02Coolidge auditioned alongside fellow Groundlings, Will Ferrell, Cheri O'Terry, and Chris Kattan,
06:08and was the only one among them who wasn't cast. Just a few years later, however,
06:13she got her big break after landing the role of Stifler's mom in the American Pie franchise.
06:18If you object if I said that you were quite striking.
06:22Mr. Finch, are you trying to seduce me?
06:25Although her career faced a decline afterwards,
06:28she experienced a remarkable resurgence with her award-winning performance in The White Lotus.
06:33I think I want to charter a boat and just bring her out into like the deepest part of the ocean.
06:39Way, way out into the deep.
06:41These days, Coolidge reflects on her SNL rejection with a positive perspective,
06:46stating that she was quote spared a bullet, as she likely wouldn't have fared well on the show.
06:52Number 14. Nick Kroll
06:54Like many other comedians, Nick Kroll harbored a lifelong aspiration to join the cast of SNL.
07:00But it was always kind of my dream to be on SNL.
07:02Attempting to fulfill this dream, he auditioned for the show in the late 2000s.
07:06However, despite his performance being solid, the producers didn't see him as an ideal fit,
07:11and opted not to cast him.
07:13And Lorne Michaels was sort of like, uh, uh, they're in the bathroom. And I was like,
07:18what? They're outside. And I go, what? He goes, they're outside. I go,
07:21are they out there talking about how great I am? And he was like,
07:24no.
07:24Of course, this setback hardly hindered Kroll's career momentum,
07:28as he quickly found success shortly after.
07:30In fact, SNL may have made the wrong decision, as Kroll later proved in his own series Kroll Show,
07:37that not only did he excel at sketch comedy,
07:39but he could also command the spotlight as the sole focus of an entire show.
07:44Look, if you guys want to hang out later, we can't argue like this,
07:47all right? I haven't locked in plans yet, all right?
07:49Number 13. David Cross
07:51Comedian David Cross is known today for his groundbreaking work with the maverick
07:56mid-90s comedy program, Mr. Show with Bob and David.
08:00Can I use this chair?
08:02Sure.
08:03Oh, no, I started it. That's part of the monologue.
08:07Oh, God.
08:09However, Cross's unique and uncompromising style of comedy didn't always do him favors,
08:14like the time he auditioned for a spot on SNL. Cross took a chance by bringing his Boston-based
08:19group, Cross Comedy, to New York City in the years prior to Mr. Show's breakout success.
08:24It apparently didn't go down well with SNL brass,
08:27as Cross Comedy was soundly rejected and sent packing back to Boston.
08:32Could somebody answer me?
08:36Jesus, talk to me.
08:37Yeah, it's fine.
08:38No!
08:39Number 12. Lisa Kudrow
08:41Before she gained worldwide recognition as Phoebe Buffay on the hit sitcom Friends,
08:46Lisa Kudrow honed her skills as a performer at the Groundlings.
08:50In the early 1990s, when Lorne Michaels cast Julia Sweeney from the improv group,
08:55it was Kudrow and Kathy Griffin he passed over for the spot.
08:59They were mostly there for Julia, I think.
09:01And how disappointing was that for you when she got cast and you didn't?
09:05It was, well, it wasn't a surprise, that's for sure.
09:08Lorene Newman, one of the founding members of the Groundlings and an original SNL cast member,
09:14put in a good word for Kudrow with Michaels.
09:17However, she wasn't deemed the right fit for the series at the time,
09:20even though her audition was brilliant.
09:22But yeah, there were people who appreciated what I did.
09:25While the rejection was pretty disappointing,
09:27Kudrow ultimately proved she didn't need the Studio 8H stage to make a name for herself.
09:33Okay, ever since I was a teenager, I had this fantasy about Saturday Night Live.
09:39Number 11. Kevin Hart
09:41It may be hard to believe it now,
09:42but there was once a time when Kevin Hart was a struggling performer,
09:45hoping to make it big in Hollywood.
09:47During that period, Hart tried out for SNL,
09:50delivering what was, by his own description, a disastrous audition.
09:54What happened in that audition?
09:56Well, first of all, I know when you say you can't believe it is,
09:59of course, because of my success now.
10:01But if you had seen this tape, you would understand why I didn't get it.
10:03The comedian put on a poor impression of NBA player-turned-coach-turned-sports
10:08analyst Avery Johnson.
10:10Perhaps his first mistake was picking Johnson,
10:12a relatively obscure figure Lorne Michaels didn't even appear to be familiar with.
10:17I'm going to do an impression of Avery Johnson.
10:20And I remember Lorne Michaels looking at me, and he was like,
10:24Okay.
10:24Needless to say, it was unsuccessful.
10:27After achieving global fame years later, Hart returned to SNL,
10:31this time as a host, and joked about the failed audition during his monologue.
10:35Um, I found out that white people didn't know who Avery Johnson was.
10:39Number 10.
10:40Donald Glover.
10:42Actor, singer, comedian, rapper, writer, and director,
10:45Donald Glover has worn many hats throughout his career.
10:48But one role that evaded him was that of an SNL cast member.
10:52I used to live in New York, and it's so great to be back here,
10:54especially now that I'm rich.
10:55Indeed, the multi-hyphenate performer tried out for SNL not once,
10:59but twice in the late 2000s, and was rejected both times.
11:03However, Glover harbors no resentment about it,
11:06even though he referenced it repeatedly during his hosting stint in 2018.
11:10But it truly is an honor to be hosting SNL, you know,
11:12instead of just auditioning for it, which I did twice.
11:16That's not a joke, I'm just still pissed.
11:18Surprisingly, he believes that if he had been cast on SNL,
11:22he may not have the career he has today.
11:24Seeing the remarkable career he's since cultivated in film,
11:27TV, and music, it seems fortunate that he wasn't hired on the show.
11:31This started with one question.
11:34Where all- where the hell are all the black people in space?
11:37Number 9.
11:38Paul Rubens.
11:39We'll be discussing the disastrous sixth season of SNL,
11:43also known as Saturday Night Live 80, a few times during this list.
11:47It sure is exciting, Uncle Lester.
11:50My very first commie hunt.
11:52Well, hell, Jim Bob is the first one they've allowed now in 20 years.
11:55It was a year that saw producer Lorne Michaels exiting the show due to burnout,
11:59taking with him the entire cast and most of the writing staff.
12:03New cast members were needed as a result of this exodus,
12:06with one of the potential comedians being a young Paul Rubens.
12:10The future Pee-Wee Herman was passed over in favor of Gilbert Gottfried,
12:14and he used his feelings of bitterness to create what would go on to become
12:18the classic kids TV program, Pee-Wee's Playhouse.
12:23Number 8.
12:24Cal Mitchell.
12:25Kenan Thompson's tenure with SNL has been well documented at this point,
12:30having been a popular fixture on the show since debuting as a featured player in 2003.
12:34Pee-Wee, there are rats in your bed.
12:37Thompson wasn't the only Nickelodeon star to try his luck getting onto the SNL stage,
12:42however, as the comedian's former co-star on All That, Cal Mitchell, also auditioned.
12:47Unfortunately, despite tons of positive fan reception to Mitchell's work on
12:51Good Burger and Kenan and Cal, it was only Thompson who nabbed an open spot.
12:56However, the pair have reunited multiple times since,
12:59including in an SNL parody of the show that made them stars.
13:03The show is not good, but Jordan Peele called us.
13:06He wants us to do a sequel to Nope.
13:10Number 7.
13:11John Goodman.
13:12Although you might be forgiven for thinking John Goodman was an SNL cast member,
13:16given the numerous times he's been on the show as a host,
13:18the former Roseanne star was actually rejected when he auditioned for SNL 80.
13:23It's the worst thing I've ever done in front of people in my life. I did,
13:27I wrote something about 15 minutes before I went over there and, oh, God, it was awful.
13:33Yep, that infamous sixth season we mentioned earlier rears its head yet again,
13:38as it was eventually revealed that Goodman was passed over during the
13:41audition process in favor of Joe Piscopo.
13:44Don't feel too bad for John, though. We hear that he ended up doing just fine.
13:48Number 6.
13:52Zach Galifianakis.
13:53Sometimes the closing of one door results in the opening of another.
13:57Case in point, Zach Galifianakis auditioned for SNL back in 1999,
14:01but sadly didn't get the part.
14:03I did a really bad stand up from the 1700s that I used to do on stage.
14:08So I would just do like, um, how are you? How are you?
14:13Is this thing on? What is this thing?
14:15He apparently left a positive impression on the SNL brass, however,
14:18and it was one good enough to land him a job writing for a number of episodes.
14:22Plus, a post-fame Galifianakis ended up returning to the SNL stage years later as a guest host,
14:28scoring a primetime Emmy nomination and bringing the whole experience full circle.
14:32It's, uh, it's great to be back hosting Saturday Night Live.
14:38Oh, what's that? I'm never host?
14:41Number 5.
14:42Aubrey Plaza.
14:44Hey, did you hear the one about the intern who worked really hard and
14:47eventually managed to land a gig with SNL?
14:49No? Then maybe you can relate to the experience of actress Aubrey Plaza,
14:53who tried to go this route when working behind the scenes at SNL in 2005.
14:57Um, right here we have the SNL page desk.
15:01Now this is one of the most important jobs at the show, which is why I was never put here.
15:06Plaza auditioned for a spot on the main cast three years later, but was passed over.
15:11Thankfully, it was only a year later that she found a home playing April Ludgate on the NBC hit
15:17Parks and Recreation.
15:18Every time someone calls and requests a meeting with you,
15:21I always schedule it for March 31st.
15:24Why?
15:25Because I didn't think March 31st existed.
15:27While Plaza never got to fulfill her dreams of becoming a cast member,
15:31she did ultimately host the show in 2023. So a win's a win.
15:35And the biggest miracle of all is that they let me back in the building! Oh my god!
15:41Number 4. Stephen Colbert
15:43This comedy giant may be famous today as the big shot host behind both
15:47The Colbert Report and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, but everyone starts somewhere.
15:52For Colbert, that somewhere was as an improv performer,
15:56though he eventually dreamed of making it to SNL.
15:58You and I were both there in the final callback going to network in 1996.
16:04I never worked with you. Oh, you didn't get the job. My bad.
16:08I'm sorry you didn't get the job!
16:10Colbert even caught the eye of SNL writer Robert Smigel while performing comedy in Chicago,
16:16an experience that led Colbert to nab an audition for the show in 1992.
16:20After the show, Lauren was like, show who'd everybody like? And I was like,
16:23I'm sorry, I like the understudy. I love the understudy. And that man was right here!
16:28Although Colbert wasn't hired for the job,
16:30he did end up voicing half of Smigel's ambiguously gay duo,
16:35and would later find work on The Dana Carvey Show and The Daily Show
16:38before becoming the comedian we all know and love today.
16:42We know that that polls are just a collection of statistics
16:45that reflect what people are thinking in reality.
16:50And reality has a well-known liberal bias.
16:52Number three, Louis C.K.
16:55Louis C.K. also spent time alongside Stephen Colbert writing for the short-lived Dana Carvey
17:00Show in 1996, a job for which he was well-prepared given the similar gig offered to him after he
17:06flubbed a 1993 SNL audition.
17:09I was in the airport and this old lady fell down. Okay, that's funny. Fine.
17:14C.K. was approached by Robert Smigel to write for Late Night with Conan O'Brien
17:18after SNL brass didn't pick the comedian out from his peers for a job.
17:22I was noticing in this picture, everyone's looking at the camera except you. You're looking away.
17:29You're looking to a better future than the rest of us.
17:31Although to be fair, some of the other comedians auditioning that day included Sarah Silverman,
17:37and Dave Attell, so at least C.K. was in some pretty good company.
17:41All right, we did it. We got a great show tonight.
17:45Number two, Steve Carell.
17:47Although this list is full of comedians whose rejection may seem crazy in hindsight,
17:51given their immense careers today, sometimes the final results just make a whole lot of sense.
17:56Now, you may not know this, but about 10 years ago, I auditioned for this very show.
18:01Steve Carell's 1995 audition falls in this category, as he and his wife, Nancy Walls,
18:07both tried to make it on the SNL cast. Although Walls was hired, Carell wasn't.
18:12Although he did make up the other half of Robert Smigel's ambiguously gay duo with Stephen Colbert.
18:18Juro, no!
18:19We need the answers!
18:21Wait!
18:22Come back!
18:22In the end, we must admit that maybe the show made the right decision when they decided to
18:26go with none other than Will Ferrell as their final choice. Isn't that funny?
18:31And it was between me and another guy, and they chose the other guy.
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18:54Number one, Jim Carrey.
18:56It may seem absolutely ludicrous that someone with the comedic talent of Jim Carrey would
19:01be passed over for what is essentially the great American comedy show.
19:05I come not to destroy, but to brighten your lives through laughter and merriment.
19:11But that's exactly what happened back in, you guessed it, 1980, when producer Gene Dumanian
19:17nixed Carrey's hiring. Dumanian, then replacing Lorne Michaels, ended up going with Charles
19:22Rockett, perhaps because she was focusing on the Weekend Update segment, and didn't think
19:27Carrey could make the cut. Although he was rejected more than once, Carrey went on to
19:35great success on the competing sketch show In Living Color, and eventually found his way onto
19:40the SNL stage for a little vindication, guest hosting a number of times in the years after his
19:46success. What comedians would you like to see join the cast of SNL? Drop your recommendations
19:58in the comments below. You never know, Lorne Michaels may be reading. Did you enjoy this
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