In February, “Saturday Night Live” hosted its 50th anniversary special to celebrate five decades of the sketch comedy series. In the wake of this milestone, there’s been one question on everyone’s mind: Who is going to replace the show’s creator, Lorne Michaels? While on the Emmys red carpet last year, he told ET that former cast member and writer Tina Fey “could easily” be his successor, which has since become widely interpreted as an endorsement.
But when Fey was asked about Michael’s comment, she didn’t have a lot to say about potentially following in his large footsteps. “It was nice of him to say that, and I love him very much,” Fey told The Hollywood Reporter for a piece published last month. While staying tight-lipped about whether or not she would even consider the job, she continued to praise Michaels.
“He’s irreplaceable,” she said. “His set of gifts and skills are entirely unique. His eye for talent!
He’s one of the last three people in show business who actually understand everything. I’ll leave it at that.” Michaels, 80, launched the show in 1975 and has continued to serve as its executive producer for every season since, with the exception of Seasons 6 through 10. When he gave his public approval of Fey last year, it seemed almost as if he was warming up to the idea of retirement.
However, Michaels seems to have changed his mind since. In February, he told The New York Times that he won’t be making a succession plan anytime soon, saying, "I may be wrong, but I don’t feel I’m done.” Although Michaels isn’t planning his departure yet, it’s inevitable that he’ll be winding down his operations on the show within the next few years. Fey worked on “SNL” from 1997 to 2006, serving as a head writer and a cast member/“Weekend Update” anchor.
She and Michaels remained close after her exit from the show. Fey went on to create and star in the NBC sitcom “30 Rock,” which is based on the building where “SNL” takes place. Michaels served as executive producer on “30 Rock.” He also worked with her on the 2004 blockbuster “Mean Girls” and its musical reboot, which was released last year.
