Inside the struggle to reinvent 'SNL' as nine actors exit before premiere - New York Post

What happens when creator Lorne Michaels, now 77, finally retires — and when will that be.

Multiple sources told The Post that the decision not to replace everyone is calculated, as the large size of last year’s cast — 16 repertory players plus five featured cast members — was actually hurting it.

It’s unusual they had such a large cast,” said a TV industry source.

A spokesperson for Michaels confirmed to The Post: “Because of the pandemic, no one left [for the past couple years” — but that didn’t stop the show from adding newcomers.

The industry source, however, hinted that there might be more to Redd’s departure, which was just announced this week: “Not the easiest person, to be honest.

According to Asylum NYC improv club owner Norm Laviolette, Michaels and others in his talent acquisition crew have not seem freaked out by what seems like a mass exodus of talent.

Everyone wanted to do sketches with him because he was the guy who got talked about on Page Six,” said Cris Italia, co-owner of the Stand NYC comedy club, told The Post.

12, Michaels told reporters: “This will be a transition year.

He’ll be the gray old eminence and that is not his style,” Shales, who said that he remains in communication with Michaels, predicted.

The industry source, who’s heard Michaels brush off retirement rumors, told The Post, “‘I’m not retiring’ is his thing, but 50 is going to come and he’s going to reconsider — unless he’s having too much fun.”.

The Michaels spokesperson told The Post: “Lorne has no plans to retire.”.

You probably will still want a cold open and someone saying, ‘Live from New York…’ but you will want to minimize comparisons [between the current version of the show and a new one],” Shales said.

“She herself had debated producing but always backed away from it,” said the industry source, who also called Shookus a “polarizing” figure among the cast and crew.

Michaels is at the helm, the show is indestructible,” Piscopo told The Post.

Even this many years in, Michaels remains remarkably hands-on.

“Lorne came down [to watch the auditions],” said Asylum’s Laviolette.

Whenever Michaels liked a contender, Laviolette said, “He laughed quietly.

For newcomers, there are definite advantages that come with being on a show as entrenched as “SNL”: “You get staffed as a writer or cast as a performer and you automatically get an agent and a manager and more work opportunities — managers and agents are lining up to sign you,” Laviolette said.

I haven’t even paid attention [to the goings on at ‘SNL’],” comedian Leonard Ouzts told The Post

When it comes to those left on the show, the industry source said there are definite stars

Bowen could do so much more than they’re using him for — he’s so popular,” the source said of writer-turned-cast member Bowen Yang, who co-starred in the summer’s “Fire Island” movie

“It’s hard to imagine both the show without Lorne and Lorne without the show,” Shales said, speculating on the notion of a new leader