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Watch John Mulaney Tell the Story of His SNL Audition and "the Call" from Seth Meyers
Ahead of the Five-Timers Club member's sixth time hosting, hear the story of his Saturday Night Live audition.
Comedian, writer, and actor John Mulaney's impact on Saturday Night Live is undeniable. As a writer on the show from 2008-2013, Mulaney is remembered for creating characters like Bill Hader's Stefon and The Vogelchecks Kissing Family. He's subsequently returned to host SNL five times, made several cameos, and even been impersonated by cast members Sarah Sherman and Melissa Villaseñor. But Mulaney originally auditioned to be an SNL cast member himself — a story he recounted in a video for the show.
As Mulaney explains in the 2020 interview, he was working around town as a stand-up comic at the time of his audition while appearing on the TV show Best Week Ever as a commentator. It was the summer of 2008 when he got the call from a talent agency asking if he'd like to take a studio test in two days.
"I said, 'Yes, okay'," he recounted.
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John Mulaney auditioned for SNL in August 2008 alongside Nick Kroll and Donald Glover
"I remember thinking, 'I'm not going to get it, but, I'll go and I'll do my favorite like four minutes of stand-up," Mulaney said, sharing that the audition took place on 30 Rock's sixth floor "in what was [Conan O'Brien]'s studio."
"I went into the waiting room of everyone waiting to audition. It was Nick Kroll, T.J. Miller, Ellie Kemper, Donald Glover, and Bobby Moynihan," Mulaney continued, as the video showed a montage of the now-stars' intros at the top of their auditions.
"Guess who got it," Mulaney joked, referring to Moynihan, who was a cast member from 2008-2017.
"Everyone had been saying like, 'They don't laugh'," Mulaney said. "So I went out and I did like four minutes, and I heard laughing." The video revealed a snippet of Mulaney's own SNL audition, telling what's now a very well-known joke from the comedian about Law & Order.
Seth Meyers called to offer John Mulaney his SNL job
Then it was time to wait until The Call. "I went home that weekend to Chicago, and I was at a restaurant and a 212 number called," Mulaney continued, saying he shushed his mom and picked up.
It was then-writer and cast member Seth Meyers on the other end. "He said, 'We wanna offer you a writing job on the show.' I said, 'Yes.' He goes, 'I wanna be clear. Like, this is not the cast.' And I was like, 'I wanna be clear. I would never think I'd be in the cast.'"
Now that he's known for starring in sketches like "Diner Lobster," "Subway Churro," "Airport Sushi," and "Cha Cha Slide," it's hard to imagine he ever doubted himself.
When was John Mulaney's first SNL appearance?
April 24, 2010.
Though Mulaney stayed largely behind the scenes as a writer and producer, he did make a memorable "Weekend Update" desk debut in 2010. In it, he pushed for year-round Girl Scout cookies and waxed poetic about Thin Mints.
Watch John Mulaney make his return to host Saturday Night Live on November 2, 2024 with Musical Guest Chappell Roan on NBC and Peacock, streaming next day on Peacock.
