Laraine Newman Says Lorne Michaels Initially ThoughtSNLWould Only Run for '13 Weeks' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Laraine Newman on ‘SNL’ in season 2, and pictured in September 2024.Photo:NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty; Emma McIntyre/Getty

NBC/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty; Emma McIntyre/Getty

Laraine Newmanvividly recalls the early days ofSaturday Night Liveand how its creator,Lorne Michaels, had no idea the show would last beyond a few months.

“When Lorne pitched the show to me, he said, ‘It’s 13 weeks with a five-year option,’” Newman tells PEOPLE of theSNLcreator. “I thought, like that will ever happen.”

Now, 50 years later,SNLis still going strong, and Newman, one of its original cast members, reflects on being part of such an enduring legacy.

“No one could have imagined it would last this long. Nothing lasts 50 years!” she says, still in disbelief at the show’s ongoing success.

Lorne Michaels.Julien M. Hekimian/Getty

Julien M. Hekimian/Getty

Newman, who is set to host Hollywood, Health & Society’s 2024Sentinel Awardson Oct. 24, also celebrates another 50-year milestone in 2024:The Groundlings, the legendary comedy troupe where she got her start, like many other famous comedians.

“It’s surreal,” she says. “The Groundlings, likeSNL, has shaped so much of modern comedy. I would have never imagined we’d be looking back at five decades of influence from both.”

Laraine Newman, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Jane Curtain and Gilda Radner on ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 1978.Marty Lederhandler/AP/Shutterstock

Hosting the Sentinel Awards is a full-circle moment for Newman, who’s seen firsthand how television can shape cultural values.

“Norman hostedSNL, and he was absolutely terrific,” shares the Emmy and Annie Award-nominated performer. “I love when we have people on the show who aren’t actors. The pressure is off, and they can really shine. Norman was one of those who really did.”

Eric McCandless via Getty

Newman’s career has spanned multiple generations of comedy, from her early days atThe Groundlings to becoming one ofSNL’s original cast members — the latter of which will be featured in the new film,Saturday Night.

And while she was the youngest on theSNLcast, she recalls some playful teasing. “John BelushiandDan Aykroydwould call it ‘The Groundhogs,’” she laughs. “But I eventually figured it all out.”

Throughout her time onSNL, Newman became known for some of her most iconic characters like Connie Conehead, Valley-girl Sherry and Miss Christie Christina. She was also inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2017 for her part in the original cast.

AsSNLapproaches its 50th anniversary, Newman reflects on her time on the groundbreaking show and the legacy it continues to build.

“It was such a unique experience, and I’m proud to be part of something that’s had such a lasting impact,” she says.

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source: people.com