Creative Wisdom from Saturday Night Live’s Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels has spent 50 years running the iconic show. Photo c/o Penguin Random House
Despite leading an iconic show for 50 years, Lorne Michaels is a bit of an enigma. Generations of Saturday Night Live cast members have spent years trying to figure him out – what makes this guy tick?
For the first time, Lorne gives full acces into his work and creative life in the new book aptly titled with just his first name, Lorne.
The story travels from the origins of Saturday Night Live to what happens behind-the-scenes of Studio 8H, SNL’s storied home in Rockefeller Center. Lorne is both a control freak and hands-off manager who doesn’t laugh as much as you might assume someone in comedy might. He is described as many things, including a tastemaker, a mogul, a withholding father figure, a genius spotter of talent, a shrewd businessman, a name-dropper, a raconteur, and the inspiration for Dr. Evil.
Perhaps, the most impressive thing about SNL isn’t its humor, but its longevity. It’s hard to find another creative institution with its staying power and relevance. Here, we share 10 bits of creative wisdom from Lorne that give you a taste of his worldview, obsession with the craft, and how to manage brilliant, high maintenance people.
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1. Fatigue is your friend. Fatigue wears down the critical faculties, the inner editor. If you’re tired, it’s easier to go, ‘How about this?’
2. People always think that if the process was better organized, it would work better. They don’t realize there is more invention in disorder.
3. We will always be experimenting on the air and responding to our mistakes. I know what the ingredients are, but not the recipe.
4. The quickest way to kill off somebody talented is to let him do everything he wants.
5. Cocaine is God’s way of telling you you have too much money.
6. Do it in the sunshine. (i.e. Remember that comedy is fun.)
7. What I learned is that a [good idea] all rests on conception. Because if you are wrong at point A, it never gets any better.
8. Do you know how many funny people there are in the world? There are about nine. They know who they are.
9. Agents are all about chess moves. And they are all morons.
10. You can’t spend the last half of your life watching your first half of your life.
