Kenan Thompson, the longest-serving cast member in Saturday Night Live’s 50-year history, recently shared his thoughts on the show’s notoriously modest paychecks.
Thompson, who joined SNL in 2003, acknowledged that financial gain isn’t the main draw for cast members.
“It’s pretty notorious that it’s more so about having the job than getting paid for the job,” Thompson told Variety in a December 6 interview.
“You gotta pay your dues a little bit, yeah.”
His comments come after several SNL alums, including Pete Davidson, Jason Sudeikis, Seth Meyers, Cheri Oteri, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, shared candid stories about their earnings in a recent video posted on New York magazine’s Instagram account.
Current cast members Bowen Yang and James Austin Johnson also joined the discussion, reflecting on how they spent their early paychecks.
Pete Davidson, who starred on SNL from 2014 to 2022, revealed his initial disappointment with his salary.
“Do you guys know what they pay us?” he joked.
“It’s like three grand an episode. I think I got dinner.”
Jason Sudeikis, who transitioned from SNL writer to featured player in 2005, echoed similar sentiments.
“You don’t really make enough money to make big purchases,” he laughed.
“New York rent was probably the biggest purchase I made after writing on SNL the first year.”
However, not everyone played it safe with their paychecks. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, an SNL cast member from 1982 to 1985, admitted to splurging on a fashion indulgence.
“I bought a pair of shoes that were out of my budget,” she confessed. “I’m gonna tell you they were $75.”
As SNL gears up for its year-end episodes, fans can look forward to seeing former cast members Chris Rock and Martin Short return as hosts on December 14 and December 21, respectively.
Despite modest beginnings, SNL alumni continue to reflect fondly on their time on the show, where the experience often outweighs the paycheck.
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