A lot of speculation can stop now.
Lorne Michaels, creator and Executive Producer of “Saturday Night Live,” is not going anywhere.
The famed 79 year old has been with “SNL” since he created it in 1974.
Last night at the star studded premiere of a documentary about him called “Lorne,” directed by Morgan Neville, he has no intention of retiring any time soon.
Every year there is speculation that Michaels will step down and hand the reins over to one of his favorite performers, like Seth Meyers or Tina Fey.
“I don’t see it,” he told me at dinner at the swanky Lincoln Ristorante in Lincoln Center — across West 65th St from Alice Tully Hall, where celebs from David Letterman, Natasha Lyonne, Diane Lane, Candace Bushnell, Amy Schumer, and Steve Buscemi filled the fabled theater to the brim.
They were joined by members of the “SNL” family like Seth Meyers, Kenan Thompson, Colin Jost, Mikey Day the guys from Please Don’t Destroy, Marcello Hernandez, Chloe Fineman, James Austin Johnson, Andrew Dismukes, Ashley Padilla, Kam Patterson, Tommy Brennan, Robert Smigel.
“Lorne” is a surprising documentary because Michaels really didn’t want to do it in the first place, and is very elusive on camera. But Neville spent two years wearing him down and filming him to the point where Michaels really opens up for the first time. You learn a lot about his interaction with five decades of cast members, and his total immersion in the production of every episode. (Now we know what it looks like in the control room when a sketch is bombing.)
The subject of retirement comes up in the film, in which Michaels suggests that “SNL”‘s time will end one day, like everything else. He told me later, “I love everyone I’m working with, and I can’t imagine not doing it.”
The film is well constructed because we know so much about “SNL” at this point from other films and articles. Neville makes it fresh, alternating between Michaels producing a run of shows, and telling some of his back story — from Toronto, Michaels had a disagreement with his father when he was a teen. His father had a heart attack and died shortly thereafter.
Michaels had his own comedy show in Toronto when he was starting out, which is how he met a lot of the soon to be Not Ready for Prime Time Players. He pitched a sketch show about comedy and politics to NBC in 1974, and the rest is history.
A running gag throughout the film — which appears to be true still — is that Michaels is largely unknowable. He keeps his own counsel, even with very close friends like Paul Simon, who’s interviewed along with Conan O’Brien, ex wife Rosie Shuster, plus Chevy Chase, and groups of actors from the show.
Neville hits most beats in “SNL” history, including the five years Michaels was gone (1981-86) and a moment when he brought it back from the brink. There’s also quite a sharp slap at late NBC overlord Don Ohlmeyer, who fired popular stars like Adam Sandler and Norm MacDonald.
“Lorne” opens next Friday in theaters. I’ve always said, through all of NBC’s ups and downs in late night, the one person who knows everything and always comes out on top is Lorne Michaels. Neville’s movie explains in some ways why keeping your nose down and doing the job is the secret of success. More on it later today…
PS There was a surprise guest out of left field who everyone at the party wanted to talk to — Al Jardine of the Beach Boys! He’s on tour right now with the Pet Sounds Band. Click here to find out more. Very Very cool.
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