Lorne Michaels, the creator of Saturday Night Live (SNL), has admitted that he believes comedy has limited power in the face of totalitarianism. The 81-year-old made the comments after a Los Angeles screening of his new documentary, Lorne, directed by Morgan Neville.
“I think in the face of totalitarian government, I don’t think comedy really does much good; I think the totalitarians win every single time,” Michaels argued. He added that comedy serves as a “safety valve” in culture, allowing people to “think those thoughts.”
SNL is known for its political satire. In a recent “Weekend Update” segment, cast members Colin Jost and Michael Che mocked President Donald Trump’s claims about Iran, joking that Iran “is literally holding a strait.” They also targeted First Lady Melania Trump’s denial of ties to Jeffrey Epstein, quipping that Epstein introduced the couple “when Trump cracked open her shipping container.”
Michaels also discussed the launch of SNL UK, stating his vision that it should be “the cooler of the two shows” and “smarter, funnier and more original” than the US version. He emphasised that the UK show “had to be its own thing” and not an imitation.
As SNL’s season 51 finale approaches, featuring Will Ferrell and Paul McCartney, speculation grows that it may be Michaels’ last season.
