SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night - Season 1

Auditions for *Saturday Night Live* last only five minutes.

The highly competitive audition process for the sketch comedy show, celebrating its 50th anniversary on February 16th, is legendary. Aspiring SNL stars showcase their comedic talents, characters, and impressions for a shot at fame.

A new episode of the four-part docuseries, *SNL 50: Beyond Saturday Night*, streaming now on Peacock, unveils this audition process. The episode, titled “Five Minutes,” features former SNL cast members watching their audition tapes and reflecting on their experiences.

We see some cast members reacting hilariously to their past selves. One comedian’s audition involved portraying a young boy reading a Christmas poem in an outlandish hat. Another is shocked watching his younger self repeatedly slapping his own buttocks. A third cast member screams while viewing his own audition, which included a meta-performance of an actor auditioning to play a choking victim.

Tracy Morgan in SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night

Successful celebrity impressions, a staple of SNL, bring unexpected elements, explains producer Lindsay Shookus. For example, one audition featured an impression of a celebrity losing their mind over a cantaloupe, another an impression of a celebrity advertising a moisturizer. Another comedian won over producer Michael Shoemaker with their impression of Bill Cosby’s wife Camille.

Many audition bits evolved into iconic SNL sketches, such as Kristen Wiig’s Target clerk and Ana Gasteyer’s radio host interviewing Alec Baldwin.

The most unusual audition featured a completely nude Henry Zebrowski. He didn’t get the role, but has since enjoyed a successful career in TV and film.

The docuseries also reveals that some cast members were essentially hired before their auditions. Producer Marci Klein states that one cast member was essentially hired before even auditioning; the audition was a formality. Word-of-mouth played a significant role, with the showrunner relying on recommendations. Jimmy Fallon recommended one cast member, and another cast member recommended a third.

The docuseries also features now-famous comedians who didn’t make the cut, offering their reflections on their unsuccessful auditions. One comedian reacts emotionally to his audition tape, ultimately declaring that not being on SNL “doesn’t matter”.

Successful auditions didn’t always lead to on-screen roles. Some were hired as writers or producers, keeping them within the SNL talent pool. Jason Sudeikis, for example, initially auditioned for a cast role but was hired as a writer before later joining the cast.

Some SNL cast members became emotional watching their audition tapes. One cast member cried, expressing self-criticism while also being amazed at her performance.

Another cast member tearfully recalled Seth Meyers’ congratulatory message after a successful audition. He reflects on the profound impact of his time on SNL, even interjecting a dark joke about a recent hypothetical murder.