Live From New York, It’s… Absolute Chaos!

You all know Saturday Night Live — the show that’s been shaping pop culture for 50 years (yep, SNL is officially middle-aged and all the stars came out to celebrate big this weekend).

But did you know it was created in 1975 by Lorne Michaels as a bold experiment in live sketch comedy?

NBC needed a fresh Saturday night show, and what started as a wild mix of countercultural humor quickly became the launchpad for comedy legends like Eddie Murphy, Gilda Radner, and Will Ferrell.

But creating iconic comedy isn’t for the faint of heart. In fact, being a writer for SNL is one of the hardest jobs in television—and also one of the most legendary.

Just to get your adrenals going on a Monday, here’s what the typical rUN oF sHOw looks like:

Step 1: Say Goodbye to Sleep

Writers pull an all-nighter on Tuesday, cranking out dozens of sketches that may or may not make it past Lorne Michaels’ stone-faced approval. No sleep, just vibes (also caffeine and there is lore around other substances which we do not condone).

Step 2: Ruthless Competition

Only 10-12 sketches actually make it to the show. The rest? Dead on arrival. Some writers go seasons without getting a sketch on air. It’s like The Hunger Games, but with more punchlines.

Step 3: The Lorne Factor 

Lorne Michaels, the show’s creator, is a mystical comedy aficionado who rarely laughs. If he likes your sketch? You’re a star. If not? Pack it up. I’m annoyed but also understand it’s a cold world, no blanket.

Step 4: Saturday is Do or Die

Even if your sketch survives the week, it can still get cut minutes before air. And then? Showtime. No redo, no safety net, just LIVE TV. I am legit quaking.

Why do people do it?

Because if you make it at SNL, you’re in comedy royalty. Tina Fey, John Mulaney, Seth Meyers, and Conan O’Brien all survived the madness, and then went on to create some of the best shows and movies in Hollywood.

Doing stimulants (allegedly) and being told I’m not funny by a man week after week is NOT on my vision board, personally, but TBH a little pressure can be your secret weapon:

• Pressure sharpens creativity by forcing you to focus on what really matters.

• Pressure builds resilience… if you can survive an SNL deadline, you can survive anything.

• Pressure triggers flow state, that magical zone where ideas come effortlessly.

• Pressure makes you a pro at performing under stress, so when big moments come, you’re ready.

Bottom line? SNL is proof that grit + creativity + caffeine = legend status.

Now go crush your work week like an SNL writer on a deadline (but, you know, with more sleep).

Xo, The Salesgirls

Three Iconic SNL Skits For the Girls:

1. “Mom Jeans” (2003) – Some things are objectively funny and this is one of them.

2. “Totino’s Super Bowl Commercial” (2017) – Vanessa Bayer’s satire on women’s roles in game day ads is pure genius.

3. “Target Lady” (2006-2012) – Kristen Wiig’s overly enthusiastic cashier is the retail hero we didn’t know we needed. Also Wiig as anything.