"Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!"
For fifty years, Saturday Night Live has graced the airwaves, delivering a steady stream of hilarious sketches, iconic guest stars, and unforgettable musical performances to audiences across the country. It has become synonymous with American comedy, launching the careers of countless stars over its half-century run. Yet for all that’s known about the show, far less is known about its creator and long-running producer, Lorne Michaels. The quiet Canadian has long kept a low profile, rarely speaking to the press. With the exception of a brief hiatus, during which NBC foolishly parted ways with him, Michaels has remained at the helm for nearly the entirety of the show’s run, recently completing its milestone 50th season. Now, for the first time, author Susan Morrison has been granted full access to Michaels, offering readers an unprecedented look at the man behind the legendary show and his extraordinary career.
It seems like destiny now, but for young Canadian Lorne Lipowitz, the path to comedy stardom was anything but guaranteed. Raised in a modest household, he discovered early on that he had a sharp wit and a natural ear for humor. Morrison traces Michaels’s journey from those formative years through his time in Canadian broadcasting, where he honed his skills as a writer and producer. She charts the ups and downs of his career, revealing how the groundwork for Saturday Night Live slowly came together long before the show ever aired.
How do you capture a lifetime, especially one intertwined with half a century of comedy history, in a single book? Morrison tackles the challenge by cleverly structuring the biography around the making of a single episode of SNL: the 2018 installment hosted by Jonah Hill. Each section corresponds to a day in the show's intense weekly schedule, from the pitch meeting on Monday to the live broadcast on Saturday night. The format serves as both a behind-the-scenes look at how the sausage gets made and an innovative framework to explore the many facets of Michaels’s life and legacy.
The result is a thorough and incredibly well-done biography. Lorne is insightful, entertaining, and rich with detail. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of Saturday Night Live or simply fascinated by the people who shape pop culture from behind the scenes, Morrison’s portrait of Lorne Michaels is a must-read.
For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.
(2025, 42)
This sounds like a fascinating and fun read! I can't wait to check it out. :D
ReplyDeleteIt was very well done!
DeleteI've never watched that show.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty hit or miss, honestly, but it has become such an institution.
DeleteI am not from America but I heard of the show. It sounds interesting to read. It got me to wonder how things are done for such shows.
ReplyDeleteIt was a really interesting look behind the scenes.
DeleteWhat Yani said! Also, it's funny how a Canadian created such a staple of American TV and pop culture.
ReplyDeleteRight? It's funny how it is such an institution here.
DeleteThat is an interesting way to structure the story.
ReplyDeleteIt worked really well!
DeleteI truly know nothing about him...
ReplyDeleteHe's always been kind of an enigma. He has a caricature persona that he's known for within the show, but he's remarkably private.
DeleteI used to LOVE SNL. The 90s and early 00s were golden for me. And I always loved Tina and Jimmy doing Weekend Update. It's not what it used to be for me personally anymore, but I have to read this one.
ReplyDeleteThey talk about this in the book. There's a theory that our favorite version of SNL is from when we were young, like high school and college age.
DeleteI enjoy SNL, but some can be duds. Weekend Update usually is a hit every week and I've enjoyed the changes in cast with it, too. I haven't ever really heard much about Lorne, but I guess now that was intentional. Good for him. I'd hate to be in the spotlight.
ReplyDeleteIt is kind of crazy to think that one guy has been the captain of the show for as long as it's been around!
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