2min chapter

Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade cover image

Jay Leno

Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

CHAPTER

How to Be a Successful Writer on SNL

I was amazed how unsupportive other writers were. I remember once being in the hall at NBC, and I see these guys walk by with a cue card, literally the size of your backdrop with halo written on it. And because Bob Hope couldn't see, but what happened was they would drop the cue cards right in front of Bob and his hair would go. So we had to just edit because one behind. It's really funny. When you hosted SNL, you probably could have done any time, but it says he did an 86. You went on in February, 86.

00:00
Speaker 1
Now we, he's
Speaker 2
done the punchline to the next joke. Next joke. So it comes off like he's seen how you're one behind. Yes. So we had to just edit because one behind. I remember once being in the hall at NBC, and I see these guys walk by with a cue card, literally the size of your backdrop with halo written on it. And because Bob Hope couldn't see, but what happened was they would drop the cue cards right in front of Bob and his hair would go. So every time he told the joke, you see his hair move because the cue card came down and the wind would go,
Speaker 1
because the car was like a giant fan. Right. Yeah.
Speaker 2
Yeah.
Speaker 1
It's really funny. When you hosted SNL, you probably could have done any time, but it says he did an 86. Was it a fun experience or just something to do? Right. I liked it. I was amazed how unsupportive
Speaker 2
other writers were. Like I remember being in rehearsal and I said to somebody, it didn't get me to laughs. I think, oh no, the writers don't laugh. The other guy's stuff.
Speaker 1
I go, really? It just seemed
Speaker 2
really competitive. Yeah, especially. I mean, to the point of pitting one, I mean, I learned that when I hired writers on my show, I just said, look, you're hired for a year. Don't worry about 30. We just write whatever you want. And given to me, and I'll try to make a joke out of it. So you have five guys write essentially the same joke, and each one thought they did the punchline. And when it just made more comfortable, everybody wasn't on pins and needles. I just remember being in that. It seemed like such a pressure cooker that, well, you
Speaker 1
did it. You know what I did it. Day 86, were you there? Or you came right after? I came fall of 86. You went on in February, 86. So you were the cast the year before with Randy Quaid and this and that was kind of a cool year. Yeah, I guess that's right. But yeah, it's a Game of Thrones thing. If you're all around a table, it's in comedy, stand up, you're going to get your set. Your friend gets his set. But sometimes your friend's kit goes on and they have no room for
Speaker 2
yours.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode