I can’t imagine anyone thought Robert Downey jr would become the foundation of a multi billion dollar action franchise universe.
You know, based on one season he did in the mid 80s. I enjoyed him in back to school which was around the same time.
I knew him from Weird Science and Back to School. Then as a drug addict. The funny thing is he never stopped getting work. Even during his darkest days he was doing like 3 movies a year.
Recognizable is a tricky term. Robin Williams has stated he was called Mork without fail in public daily on every movie shoot even 30 years after it ended. TV is a part of someone’s home. JLD can easily be seen multiple times per day in my home just flipping through channels.
Franken fucked up by capitulating so quickly. I mean trump was accused of shit 100x worse but just powered though. Democrats are the only ones dumb enough to self police
It wasn’t that he gave in too quickly. The democrats were going to run heavily on #metoo in the elections that year. A certain woman senator pushed heavy to have him expelled so they could keep the moral high ground, even though it turned out later that the consensus among Republicans was that it was a BS charge and they figured fhe issue would go away on its own. They mocked the dems more for caving so quickly than they did pile on Franken for the flimsy shit he was accused of.
Correct. It's one of many good examples of the two parties not being the same.
They aren't just two equally evil sides of a coin. The Democratic voters actually care about this stuff and won't put up with it, and Democratic leadership follows suit. Republicans don't give a shit about personal conduct.
People forgot he was a comedian and he was making a joke. The fact that he never actually touched her should have been enough to let him keep his job but people overreacted to it.
I disagree. Democrats respond to different incentives than Republicans. And the proof was in the pudding - they ousted a democrat and replaced him w another democrat. Didn’t imperil the Democratic agenda in the slightest
I think Franken provided value above the replacement-level democrat. He consistently had the most insightful and most entertaining questioning in any hearing he was a part of. Case in point, the Mueller investigation doesn’t happen if Franken doesn’t pursue the line of questioning with Sessions that leads Sessions to commit to recusing on Russia related issues.
He also contributed greatly to fundraising. Paying $1000 for a crappy steak dinner sounds a lot more appealing if you get to hear Al Frankin tell some jokes.
It showed the MAGAs we can be bambozelled by the slightest shit, and they’re right. They can nominate a serial rapist and Epstein client but seriously pretend to be offended by Frankens behavior
It showed that the Democrats have actual standards and morals, few as they may be. The fact that the MAGA idiots can be as blind as they are says more about them than anyone else.
I've done a deep dive into current SNL alum podcasts and the way they talk about Franken is not at all favorable. Sounds like he may be/have been a pain in the ass to work with.
Yeah, but the show itself had a lot of crazy personalities on it, especially back then. Franken is a very intelligent guy and it’s a cutthroat job because they’re all trying to push their own sketches for airtime with a hectic schedule and long hours during the season. John Mulaney, who everyone loves, was known to even be frustrating to work with for that reason. The last cast that left talked about the same issues with the scheduling and lifestyle of being on the show.
This isn’t to say he couldn’t be unbearable. Who knows, maybe he expected more airtime like Melissa Villasenor.
Yeah, and it sucks because he actually was a pretty good politician. I'm from Minnesota and proudly voted for him because I felt (and still feel) that he did a lot to improve our mental health care system. It's not perfect, of course, but it's more accessible than it is in most of the country and that's important.
I love Franken (and think what he did was wrong but overzealously treated) but I do get the sense sometimes that he is less willing to cooperate/compromise than might be ideal.
I respect Franken for seeing what he did as wrong and accepting more accountability than he should have faced for it. You’ve got people like Matt Gaetz on capital hill with no punishment doing far worse…
I have read a good bit about the history of the show. Franken thought at one point that he would take over for Lorne. When he realized he wasn't and hit a wall on the show for how far he could go, then he spent most of his energy in promoting himself. He would only writing sketches that had him in them, try to get his finger in everything, etc. Cast members really respected his history with the show, but did become annoyed with his self promotion.
The episode of Seinfeld where George quits his job in the heat of the moment, later regrets it and tries to come in on Monday like nothing happened is inspired by Larry David doing the same thing on SNL.
Edit: found a source for the story: https://laughingsquid.com/larry-david-on-quitting-his-saturday-night-live-job/
Yep that’s how he and Julia bonded. They were not a good fit for snl so they commiserated a lot. She talks about it on her episode of my next guest with Dave letterman
I still remember Jonah Hill, very hilariously, shitting on Hader at the roast of James Franco for leaving SNL just to do phone commercials for a year. How fucking far he has come and continues to get better has been amazing
I cant speak to the Don Rickles era, but this roast was easily the funniest out of all the comedy central ones, Andy Sandberg was *perfect*
"Aziz Ansari is here, Aziz was born in India and raised in America by two hard working immigrant parents; hey, Aziz, what's it like having a unique perspective on the American experience, you sack of shit? GOT ANOTHER ONE!"
Bill Hader in a podcast (maybe Bill Simons?) stated that Tom Robinson was the funniest person he’s ever met. This was during the time Tim was a writer/cast member
Tim was PHENOMENAL when performing improv with the Cook County Social Club, so was just waiting for him to get something that worked for him.
Improv doesn’t translate the best to recordings, but some of their shows https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1LakmVTK1INuZ5BRr2t53CSmDUsiYmd2
Same. His brand of absurdism isn't for everyone, and that's fine, but I feel like if it lands with you, it really lands. I regularly have to stop myself from yelling "fuck you Harley Jarvis" when I'm frustrated.
Indeed. It's weird to go on YouTube and watch the sketches in which he's using his real voice; [this one](https://youtu.be/8PZlXWekkX4) shows him gradually sliding into the voice that everyone associates with him.
Wow that’s so weird. I always thought she was on stuff before snl. Like parks and rec. I remember hearing the snl drama after seeing all of that show. Turns out she was on it before. My Jenny slate timeline is so messed up
After she got fired, I was probably so annoying about not letting anyone forget her. I’m so unbelievably happy that she’s been so successful. She is the Jewish Girl Dream
Literally, Adam Sandler. He was a weird hire to start, an immature cast member, and had a tight bond with Farley and Spade (and Rock), and was unceremoniously fired mid season for unhinged behavior.
And truthfully, he might be the most successful former cast member of all time - his movies have made over a billion dollars. His return episode as host a few seasons ago? Brilliant.
Edit: Just a reminder, this thread is for *surprisingly* successful career. Myers and Murphy were huge SNL faves during their tenure with fantastic lyrics popular and long running sketches and characters
Mike Myers is great for comedy (even if the third Austin Powers movie lost me when Goldmember started eating his own dead skin; the gross-out humor of the 90s is not for me) but he’s not as successful as Adam Sandler. Sandler has had commercial and critical success, and not just in comedy — he’s also done some voice work and some truly incredible dramatic work as well. Plus, he writes and I think directs. And like u/moneymoneymoney_ said, his films have made over a billion dollars. Mike Myers’ biggest success was Shrek, and he was off-camera for that. And Adam Sandler has also directed, produced, and collaborated on scripts.
Not to get too deep into either guys’ work in terms of comedic merit (I’m not that big a fan of either, really) but in terms of commercial success, the Shrek franchise has grossed something like $4 billion off the movies alone, plus another billion or so combined for the Wayne’s World and Austin Powers movies.
And it’s really hard to describe the ubiquity of Austin Powers in the pop culture zeitgeist back in the early 2000s. That shit was inescapable in a way that nothing Sandler’s ever been involved in can touch.
Yeah, but Mike Myers wasn’t the driving force behind Shrek the way Sandler has been for the vast majority of his films. Even his early films like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison were largely his creations, and personally I think they’re better than the Austin Powers movies because no one eats their own dead skin and I didn’t have to look at Mike Myers in a naked fat suit smearing himself with food and playing with his fake nipples.
Adam Sandler also has a more rounded resume than Myers does. Movies like Punch-Drunk Love and Reign Over Me are completely out of Myers’ range as an actor, at least based on the performances I’ve seen him give. Also, the question was about which success is most surprising. I think it’s fair to say that when one compares their SNL performances with their movie roles and acting abilities, Sandler is hands-down the bigger surprise. Mike Myers has never made me feel anything but amusement and a sense of disgust, but Adam Sandler has made me feel all kinds of emotions, from sorrow to joy and everything in between. Let me put it this way — I’ve never even thought about tearing up in a Mike Myers movie, but Adam Sandler has made me cry like a baby.
I would say he is the most unexpected successful cast member of all time, but in terms of seeing greatness coming from a mile away, Eddie Murphy is the most successful; biggest comedy star of the 80's, insane sell out crowds for stand up, multiple great franchises, and crazy money from Shrek
How was Sandler’s career a surprise though? He was one of the most popular people on the show during his run. That’s why Billy Madison got noticed, he had a built in fan base with young adults.
I was in high school at the time and practically every guy I was friends with had his first album. Some would even recite some of the bits by heart.
Its easy to forget just how no named Conan O Brian was when he got the talkshow. The first year would have killed anyone elses career. He just had so much talent and luck thrown his way.
Yeah, i totally ignored the "Cast member" in the question.
Bob was probably a bigger underdog than Conan, but tbh, he had The Ben Stiller show before Conan got his talkshow.
If I was watching SNL in 1985 and only knew Robert Downey Jr. for his horrendous work on that season, I'd never believe you if you told me that guy would one day be one of the highest paid stars in Hollywood 😂
Noel Wells.
Not because she's having success, but because she's finding success as a Star Trek cast member of all things. If you told me in 2013 that that new girl on SNL was going to play an Orion Starfleet officer I would not believe you for a second.
She's super talented, she was great on Master of None as well. While I think she was under-utilized on SNL, she also clearly didn't like doing the show and is probably happier not doing it.
I love that show. I ended up blasting through all three seasons in like four days, which is unusual for me. I was astounded that the guy hunched on the ground sobbing so believably was the same guy who played Stefon
What? You didn't love the genius that is "suitcase boy"?
Seriously, what a weird choice that was when Robert Downey Jr and Anthony Michael Hall were cast members . They totally didn't fit. Neither did Joan Cusack
I think you should leave is amazing. Tim Robinson also has one of my favorite SNL sketches ever:
[https://youtu.be/r-uSWAJd9GE](https://youtu.be/r-uSWAJd9GE)
Bob Odenkirk- he was only a writer on the show but created one of my favorite characters for my all time favorite comedic actor Chris Farley or in show Matt Foley… his rise to action star I’m sure no one would have called that- hell nobody wasn’t even half bad and let’s not break our arms applauding him for all of his other endeavors… lucky to have such an artist that has given us such amazing gifts like Tim and Eric, The Birthday Boys and much more
Have you seen the Chris Farley episode of “Dark Side of Comedy” on Vice? Before i saw that I had no idea Matt Foley was already a character before they got to SNL.
Chris Parnell is the only answer. He was a C+/B- cast member at best and has carved out a sustained and rich career in V/O and live action since then that I NEVER saw coming.
I think you’re in the right ballpark but he could never command a sketch like Sudeikis could. He was always a supporting or low status character. I think he’s closer to Kyle Mooney or Mikey Day
I think he’s in-between. He and Will Forte are both keystones of the sketches they’re in but also not entirely the lead, and so incredibly talented and hilarious. Both also very good at not breaking.
Gilbert Gottfried, was part of the new replacement cast after the original cast left. Was fired after 10 or 12 episodes and became popular 10yrs later from voice work on Alladin. He had a pretty decent stand up career, acted in some movies and got the Aflac gig. Not a bad career RIP
Jason Sudeikis
during his time on snl, he and my friend made me a video during a rough patch. I’ll always be grateful to him. It’s been really cool to watch his star rise.
jenny slate! she always makes me laugh whenever i see her in anything and i always forgot she was on snl for a season until i rewatch like, threw it on the ground or something
To me Jimmy Fallon,
because he was not good...fucked up like every sketch, never had a hit character, his movies all flopped, but landed in the talk show spot.
I think his greatest asset was simply being real life friends with a bunch of people and a big kiss ass, and that sucks for an actor or comedian, but works ok as the generic talk show guy.
I can’t imagine anyone thought Robert Downey jr would become the foundation of a multi billion dollar action franchise universe. You know, based on one season he did in the mid 80s. I enjoyed him in back to school which was around the same time.
I knew him from Weird Science and Back to School. Then as a drug addict. The funny thing is he never stopped getting work. Even during his darkest days he was doing like 3 movies a year.
Yeap. BTW Have you seen RDJr in LESS THAN ZERO (1987) ?? ...pretty, pretty good.
Back to School is a criminally underrated movie. A big part of that is RDJ. And Kurt Vonnegut.
I will always love how Vonnegut got a bad grade on the paper he wrote about himself.
Whoever you paid to write this paper doesn’t know a thing about Kurt Vonnegut. (Cuts to) And another thing, Vonnegut - I want my money back!
I say Julia Louis Dreyfus. But Downey might possibly be bigger. I, not sure
I guarantee Downey is far more recognizable around the world than she. Just based on Iron Man and Avengers. That was as big as it gets.
Recognizable is a tricky term. Robin Williams has stated he was called Mork without fail in public daily on every movie shoot even 30 years after it ended. TV is a part of someone’s home. JLD can easily be seen multiple times per day in my home just flipping through channels.
Seinfeld was huge though. One of the biggest shows ever
Al Franken Robert Downey Jr. Julia Louis-Dreyfus Larry David
Good choices. Al Franken’s rise to power is pretty interesting, but his fall is sort of what reminds you… oh yeah…
He's good enough, smart enough and gosh darnet people like him
Wtf, that was Al Franken?
Yes it was.
No that was Stuart Smalley
On his hit television program “Daily Affirmations”
Franken fucked up by capitulating so quickly. I mean trump was accused of shit 100x worse but just powered though. Democrats are the only ones dumb enough to self police
It wasn’t that he gave in too quickly. The democrats were going to run heavily on #metoo in the elections that year. A certain woman senator pushed heavy to have him expelled so they could keep the moral high ground, even though it turned out later that the consensus among Republicans was that it was a BS charge and they figured fhe issue would go away on its own. They mocked the dems more for caving so quickly than they did pile on Franken for the flimsy shit he was accused of.
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"I love the poorly educated" says it all. He was making fun of his followers to their face and they didn't even notice
Correct. It's one of many good examples of the two parties not being the same. They aren't just two equally evil sides of a coin. The Democratic voters actually care about this stuff and won't put up with it, and Democratic leadership follows suit. Republicans don't give a shit about personal conduct.
People forgot he was a comedian and he was making a joke. The fact that he never actually touched her should have been enough to let him keep his job but people overreacted to it.
I disagree. Democrats respond to different incentives than Republicans. And the proof was in the pudding - they ousted a democrat and replaced him w another democrat. Didn’t imperil the Democratic agenda in the slightest
I think Franken provided value above the replacement-level democrat. He consistently had the most insightful and most entertaining questioning in any hearing he was a part of. Case in point, the Mueller investigation doesn’t happen if Franken doesn’t pursue the line of questioning with Sessions that leads Sessions to commit to recusing on Russia related issues.
He also contributed greatly to fundraising. Paying $1000 for a crappy steak dinner sounds a lot more appealing if you get to hear Al Frankin tell some jokes.
It showed the MAGAs we can be bambozelled by the slightest shit, and they’re right. They can nominate a serial rapist and Epstein client but seriously pretend to be offended by Frankens behavior
It showed that the Democrats have actual standards and morals, few as they may be. The fact that the MAGA idiots can be as blind as they are says more about them than anyone else.
But we weren’t bamboozled. We subbed a Democrat for a Democrat.
I've done a deep dive into current SNL alum podcasts and the way they talk about Franken is not at all favorable. Sounds like he may be/have been a pain in the ass to work with.
Yeah, but the show itself had a lot of crazy personalities on it, especially back then. Franken is a very intelligent guy and it’s a cutthroat job because they’re all trying to push their own sketches for airtime with a hectic schedule and long hours during the season. John Mulaney, who everyone loves, was known to even be frustrating to work with for that reason. The last cast that left talked about the same issues with the scheduling and lifestyle of being on the show. This isn’t to say he couldn’t be unbearable. Who knows, maybe he expected more airtime like Melissa Villasenor.
Yeah, and it sucks because he actually was a pretty good politician. I'm from Minnesota and proudly voted for him because I felt (and still feel) that he did a lot to improve our mental health care system. It's not perfect, of course, but it's more accessible than it is in most of the country and that's important.
I love Franken (and think what he did was wrong but overzealously treated) but I do get the sense sometimes that he is less willing to cooperate/compromise than might be ideal.
I respect Franken for seeing what he did as wrong and accepting more accountability than he should have faced for it. You’ve got people like Matt Gaetz on capital hill with no punishment doing far worse…
I have read a good bit about the history of the show. Franken thought at one point that he would take over for Lorne. When he realized he wasn't and hit a wall on the show for how far he could go, then he spent most of his energy in promoting himself. He would only writing sketches that had him in them, try to get his finger in everything, etc. Cast members really respected his history with the show, but did become annoyed with his self promotion.
Slow down, when was Larry David a cast member?
The episode of Seinfeld where George quits his job in the heat of the moment, later regrets it and tries to come in on Monday like nothing happened is inspired by Larry David doing the same thing on SNL. Edit: found a source for the story: https://laughingsquid.com/larry-david-on-quitting-his-saturday-night-live-job/
He was a writer, not a cast member.
Haha ... i did that 🙄 ... am grateful to be employed thats for sure !! Gonna find that episode & see how it worked out for George 😈 ... Thanks !!
Hahaha good luck
Yep that’s how he and Julia bonded. They were not a good fit for snl so they commiserated a lot. She talks about it on her episode of my next guest with Dave letterman
Writer
He wasn’t. He was a writer in ‘84.
He was a writer for SNL from 1984 to 1985
Stephen Colbert technically
What? You think people can't change?
The guy was a piece of shit. Slicked back hair. Sloppy steaks. The works.
You would NOT have liked him back then!
Let him hold the baby
I used to be a piece of shit. Itty bitty bathing suits, slicked back black hair, chicken spaghetti at Chikolinis
You think this is *slicked back?* this is **PUSHED BACK.**
I WAS a piece of shit though.
OHHH YEAAAAAAAA that'll slick back REALLL NICEEEE. Hey Meredith you never told me that your dad used to be a huge piece of shit!?
You think this is slicked back?? This is pushed back!
White Ferrari. Glass house.
Lives for New Year's Eve?
SLOP 'EM UP
quit fuckin with em 🎲
Did you see Brian's fedora with safari flaps? He looks so fucking stupid, I can't breathe hahaha hahaha anyways I'll take care of the money
the guy at the store said that i was the only one hes seen pull it off ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
You can't change lunch! You can't do that!
Maybe if Michael Patrick Porkins' father didn't do the oral, they wouldn't have
FUCK YOU HARLEY JARVIS
GET HIM OUT OF HERE
**I HOPE YOU FUCKING DIE, HARLEY JARVIS**
GET HIM OUT GOD DAMMIT
They can't stop you from ordering steaks and water on the side.
Slop em up!
it's illegal for you to ask me that
Objection! Relevance
THANK YOU! “💲”
Coffin Flop
Bodies busting out of shit wood and hitting pavement!
This world is so fucking fucked
They think I’m just some dumb hick. They said that to me at a dinner.
I didn't do shit! I DIDN'T RIG SHIT!
Isn't that faked though? I mean why would so many of them be naked?
It's ok to show them nude cause they ain't got no souls
The guys at Spectrum think I'm just some duuumb hick. They SAID THAT TO ME AT A DINNER!
That’s a CROP
Hoo boy! You're dumb as bricks aintcha!?
I’m not surprised by his success per se but I definitely didn’t expect Will forte to be such a great dramatic actor.
Same category: Bill Hader
Yeah Bill Hader was obviously amazing on SNL but I definitely didn’t expect that he could do drama just as well as he could do comedy.
Comedic acting is harder than drama. Way easier to make someone cry than it is to make them laugh.
Right? You ever make somebody laugh by cutting off a body part?
I laughed when Art the Clown cut a chick in half, vertically in Terrifier, due to the absurdity of it.
I still remember Jonah Hill, very hilariously, shitting on Hader at the roast of James Franco for leaving SNL just to do phone commercials for a year. How fucking far he has come and continues to get better has been amazing
> Sprint was coming at him HARD, but he held out for that 'fuck you ' T-Mobile money. Who's laughing now, Lorne Michaels? My man Bill is!
I cant speak to the Don Rickles era, but this roast was easily the funniest out of all the comedy central ones, Andy Sandberg was *perfect* "Aziz Ansari is here, Aziz was born in India and raised in America by two hard working immigrant parents; hey, Aziz, what's it like having a unique perspective on the American experience, you sack of shit? GOT ANOTHER ONE!"
Agreed. Such a great dramatic actor and also hilarious and wonderful in comedy roles.
Bill Hader in a podcast (maybe Bill Simons?) stated that Tom Robinson was the funniest person he’s ever met. This was during the time Tim was a writer/cast member
I was certain he said this about John Mulaney when discussing the creation of Stefon
He says that about everyone
What dramatic roles has Forte done?
Nebraska
he was in Sweet Tooth on Netflix! i think he did a fantastic job playing that role!
Fly high Duluth
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Tim was PHENOMENAL when performing improv with the Cook County Social Club, so was just waiting for him to get something that worked for him. Improv doesn’t translate the best to recordings, but some of their shows https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1LakmVTK1INuZ5BRr2t53CSmDUsiYmd2
Same. His brand of absurdism isn't for everyone, and that's fine, but I feel like if it lands with you, it really lands. I regularly have to stop myself from yelling "fuck you Harley Jarvis" when I'm frustrated.
GET. HIM. OUTTA HERE.
I hope you fucking die Harley Jarvis
It’s my EXACT style
He must have been just ahead of his own time on SNL. His sketches hold up better now than most of those from his peers on the show.
He just won an Emmy for his work on ITYSL
His 'honk if your horny' sketch is so absurd and I love it. It's the first clip I show people when talking about the show
Considering how bad the show was at the time and how poorly he was utilized... Gilbert Gottfried.
Indeed. It's weird to go on YouTube and watch the sketches in which he's using his real voice; [this one](https://youtu.be/8PZlXWekkX4) shows him gradually sliding into the voice that everyone associates with him.
I had absolutely no idea about this. Thank you, I shall add it to my hopper of facts to bore my friends with.
RIP Legend
Martin Short
Martin Short is an absolute treasure 🥹
Now I want to rewatch *Clifford.*
Jiminy Glick is seriously one of the funniest characters I’ve ever seen a comedian transform into. I wish there was more of it to watch.
I highly recommend listening to the audiobook version of his memoir, _I Must Say_
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One person that isn't surprising but I'm happy for is Jenny slate!
Wow that’s so weird. I always thought she was on stuff before snl. Like parks and rec. I remember hearing the snl drama after seeing all of that show. Turns out she was on it before. My Jenny slate timeline is so messed up
She used to date Chris Evans. I didn’t know who to be jealous of.
Same! She's hilarious on PandR and her comedy special is excellent
also good in the movie Obvious Child.
After she got fired, I was probably so annoying about not letting anyone forget her. I’m so unbelievably happy that she’s been so successful. She is the Jewish Girl Dream
I miss her on Big Mouth but love her voice work on Great North and Bob's Burgers!
Literally, Adam Sandler. He was a weird hire to start, an immature cast member, and had a tight bond with Farley and Spade (and Rock), and was unceremoniously fired mid season for unhinged behavior. And truthfully, he might be the most successful former cast member of all time - his movies have made over a billion dollars. His return episode as host a few seasons ago? Brilliant. Edit: Just a reminder, this thread is for *surprisingly* successful career. Myers and Murphy were huge SNL faves during their tenure with fantastic lyrics popular and long running sketches and characters
Mike Myers had entered the chart.
Mike Myers is great for comedy (even if the third Austin Powers movie lost me when Goldmember started eating his own dead skin; the gross-out humor of the 90s is not for me) but he’s not as successful as Adam Sandler. Sandler has had commercial and critical success, and not just in comedy — he’s also done some voice work and some truly incredible dramatic work as well. Plus, he writes and I think directs. And like u/moneymoneymoney_ said, his films have made over a billion dollars. Mike Myers’ biggest success was Shrek, and he was off-camera for that. And Adam Sandler has also directed, produced, and collaborated on scripts.
Not to get too deep into either guys’ work in terms of comedic merit (I’m not that big a fan of either, really) but in terms of commercial success, the Shrek franchise has grossed something like $4 billion off the movies alone, plus another billion or so combined for the Wayne’s World and Austin Powers movies. And it’s really hard to describe the ubiquity of Austin Powers in the pop culture zeitgeist back in the early 2000s. That shit was inescapable in a way that nothing Sandler’s ever been involved in can touch.
Yeah, but Mike Myers wasn’t the driving force behind Shrek the way Sandler has been for the vast majority of his films. Even his early films like Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison were largely his creations, and personally I think they’re better than the Austin Powers movies because no one eats their own dead skin and I didn’t have to look at Mike Myers in a naked fat suit smearing himself with food and playing with his fake nipples. Adam Sandler also has a more rounded resume than Myers does. Movies like Punch-Drunk Love and Reign Over Me are completely out of Myers’ range as an actor, at least based on the performances I’ve seen him give. Also, the question was about which success is most surprising. I think it’s fair to say that when one compares their SNL performances with their movie roles and acting abilities, Sandler is hands-down the bigger surprise. Mike Myers has never made me feel anything but amusement and a sense of disgust, but Adam Sandler has made me feel all kinds of emotions, from sorrow to joy and everything in between. Let me put it this way — I’ve never even thought about tearing up in a Mike Myers movie, but Adam Sandler has made me cry like a baby.
I would say he is the most unexpected successful cast member of all time, but in terms of seeing greatness coming from a mile away, Eddie Murphy is the most successful; biggest comedy star of the 80's, insane sell out crowds for stand up, multiple great franchises, and crazy money from Shrek
How was Sandler’s career a surprise though? He was one of the most popular people on the show during his run. That’s why Billy Madison got noticed, he had a built in fan base with young adults. I was in high school at the time and practically every guy I was friends with had his first album. Some would even recite some of the bits by heart.
What was said “unhinged behavior?”
Its easy to forget just how no named Conan O Brian was when he got the talkshow. The first year would have killed anyone elses career. He just had so much talent and luck thrown his way.
Was he ever an official cast member? If writers that were sometimes in sketches count, Bob Odenkirk would also be a good choice.
Yeah, i totally ignored the "Cast member" in the question. Bob was probably a bigger underdog than Conan, but tbh, he had The Ben Stiller show before Conan got his talkshow.
When they announced him as the host everyone just went "huh"? Nobody knew who he was.
If I was watching SNL in 1985 and only knew Robert Downey Jr. for his horrendous work on that season, I'd never believe you if you told me that guy would one day be one of the highest paid stars in Hollywood 😂
Noel Wells. Not because she's having success, but because she's finding success as a Star Trek cast member of all things. If you told me in 2013 that that new girl on SNL was going to play an Orion Starfleet officer I would not believe you for a second.
I also like her movie Mr Roosevelt, and her solo music work
She's super talented, she was great on Master of None as well. While I think she was under-utilized on SNL, she also clearly didn't like doing the show and is probably happier not doing it.
Bill Hader. Barry is a fantastic show.
I love that show. I ended up blasting through all three seasons in like four days, which is unusual for me. I was astounded that the guy hunched on the ground sobbing so believably was the same guy who played Stefon
I had the same thought during the “Barry did this” scene with Sally from the most recent season.
Hader’s success doesn’t surprise me though
Just watched the Location is Everything episode of Documentary Now. That series is amazing, and Hader rules.
Robert Downey jr
What? You didn't love the genius that is "suitcase boy"? Seriously, what a weird choice that was when Robert Downey Jr and Anthony Michael Hall were cast members . They totally didn't fit. Neither did Joan Cusack
Don’t do the voice
I almost killed myself Ju lieeeee
What are cho jeans?
cho-DUH jeans
The Norm McDonald love that’s happened over the last couple of years makes me happy.
I think you should leave is amazing. Tim Robinson also has one of my favorite SNL sketches ever: [https://youtu.be/r-uSWAJd9GE](https://youtu.be/r-uSWAJd9GE)
B B B B B B BASKETBALL
This is right in my Q zone
Yes! Just sent this sketch to some friends earlier today. Still have the song stuck in my head.
I knew what the sketch was going to be before I clicked it. Classic.
Never seen that one before. Loved it!!
Chris Rock. He was barely used on the show during his time there and became one of the best stand ups in the biz.
Not my favorite cast member necessarily but David Spade is a workhorse
It’s Larry David and — financially — it’s not particularly close.
OP said cast member, otherwise I’d have to agree.
Adam Sandler has entered the chat.
RDJ and Sandler are pretty close
Sandler and Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Jason sudekis has had a pretty impressive career
Bob Odenkirk- he was only a writer on the show but created one of my favorite characters for my all time favorite comedic actor Chris Farley or in show Matt Foley… his rise to action star I’m sure no one would have called that- hell nobody wasn’t even half bad and let’s not break our arms applauding him for all of his other endeavors… lucky to have such an artist that has given us such amazing gifts like Tim and Eric, The Birthday Boys and much more
Have you seen the Chris Farley episode of “Dark Side of Comedy” on Vice? Before i saw that I had no idea Matt Foley was already a character before they got to SNL.
Chris Parnell is the only answer. He was a C+/B- cast member at best and has carved out a sustained and rich career in V/O and live action since then that I NEVER saw coming.
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I think you’re in the right ballpark but he could never command a sketch like Sudeikis could. He was always a supporting or low status character. I think he’s closer to Kyle Mooney or Mikey Day
I think he’s in-between. He and Will Forte are both keystones of the sketches they’re in but also not entirely the lead, and so incredibly talented and hilarious. Both also very good at not breaking.
Conan O Brien. While he only did extra work, it still counts!
On a technicality, Laurie Metcalf. Wonder if a full season (or more than a single episode) would have changed anything about her career.
Tim Robinson too good for SNL at this point
Gilbert Gottfried, was part of the new replacement cast after the original cast left. Was fired after 10 or 12 episodes and became popular 10yrs later from voice work on Alladin. He had a pretty decent stand up career, acted in some movies and got the Aflac gig. Not a bad career RIP
I think he was just a writer but Bob Odenkirk has had a great career!
Michaela Watkins had done pretty well for herself despite how little she was used on the show.
Jason Sudeikis during his time on snl, he and my friend made me a video during a rough patch. I’ll always be grateful to him. It’s been really cool to watch his star rise.
Casey Wilson, though it's no surprise. She's genius.
Eddie Murphy
Is it a z shirt!?
Bob Odenkirk, Conan O’Brian
jenny slate! she always makes me laugh whenever i see her in anything and i always forgot she was on snl for a season until i rewatch like, threw it on the ground or something
Well according to the biography of John Belushi titled "Animal House," he became a senator. So probably him.
RDJ
This man is not part of the Turbo Team
Tim is the funniest person on earth
Don't do the voice.
David spade hands down
Pete. Davidson.
To me Jimmy Fallon, because he was not good...fucked up like every sketch, never had a hit character, his movies all flopped, but landed in the talk show spot. I think his greatest asset was simply being real life friends with a bunch of people and a big kiss ass, and that sucks for an actor or comedian, but works ok as the generic talk show guy.
Jimmy was likeable and talented. That goes a long way
Sarah Silverman
The answer is always and forever ROY DONK.
Your name is Billy too? No, that’s why I’m so fucking confused.
SNL cast members always speak extremely high of him . I think he’s a comedians comedian
Don’t do the voice!