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John Oliver shared honest thoughts on whether Saturday Night Live is capable of resonating with viewers in a different country.
On Monday, the Last Week Tonight host was interviewed by Seth Meyers on his eponymous Late Night show, where Oliver admitted that a U.K. version of the beloved comedy sketch show would be “a terrible idea.”
“We have had sketch comedy before, and I just feel like something like this is such a unique group,” the British comedian told Meyers, who was previously a cast member on SNL.
“It’s a cult. I’m trying to not say the word — it’s a cult,” Oliver continued. “And so, I don’t know how you can impose that cult onto the U.K.”
When Meyers then asked what made SNL seem like a “cult,” Oliver responded candidly about the cast members’ tradition of staying up all night to rehearse.
“I’m saying that’s the kind of thing a cult leader would make you do,” Oliver said. “We stay up all night on Tuesdays, by the way!”
He then acknowledged that other comedy shows are made without having their workers spend 24 hours without sleeping. “I think it’s been proven that SNL is the outlier,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be dictated to the day that you must not sleep on that day or the great leader will be irritated.”
Sky first announced last month that it would bring a British version of the long-running show to audiences in the U.K. and Ireland, marking the first time the program will be produced outside the United States.
The British version will retain the original’s signature style — it will be aired live late at night and feature a rotating roster of celebrity hosts, musical guests, and a regular cast of top British comedic talent.
Hosts will open each show with a new variation of the show’s signature catchphrase: “Live from London – it’s Saturday night!”
The American series has been on air since 1975 and has welcomed a long list of high-profile hosts over the decades, including Drew Barrymore, Taylor Swift, and Tom Hanks.
Across its nearly 50-year run, Saturday Night Live has also established a so-called “Five-Timers Club” – a nod to those who have hosted at least five times.
The comedy sketch show has also won more Emmy awards than any other show in history and is credited with launching the careers of Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, and Tina Fey, among others.
The U.K. debut of the show will be executive produced by SNL creator Lorne Michaels, who will continue to oversee the U.S. version simultaneously. Production will be handled by Broadway Video and Universal Television Alternative Studios’ U.K. team.
English (US) ·