How Does Lorne Michaels Know Which ‘SNL’ Cast Members Will Be Big Stars? ‘Weekend Update’ Stars Spill

Saturday Night Live creator, producer, and guru Lorne Michaels has been in the late-night business for 50 years and is responsible for launching some of the biggest names to cross over from the small screen to the silver screen, thanks to his eye for talent and the platform he provides.

Beyond that, the late-night visionary is also said to have an uncanny sense of who would become a big, big star, as one of his discoveries shared the method he uses to measure success.

On the Fly on the Wall podcast hosted by former Saturday Night Live alums David Spade and Dana Carvey, current “Weekend Update” hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che chatted about their time on SNL, as well as their shared experience of working with Michaels. It was during the podcast that Jost shared a tidbit about their boss and his ability to find superstar talent.

“I don’t know if he always said this or not,” said Jost. “But [Lorne’s] view is you can’t be a star on the show if you can’t be a star on ‘Update.’ Like, coming out and doing a feature.”

“It’s really rare for someone to become a star if they don’t score in a feature on ‘Update,'” explained Jost.

“That’s really interesting. I didn’t hear that. He just told me, ‘Where you live is important,” responded Spade in his best Lorne Michaels impression. “And he also said about stars that are in too many movies, ‘Well, what I’ve learned is they can’t miss you if you don’t go away.'”

He also shared the Michaels snippet: “‘The minute you get hot, you can feel yourself getting less hot.'”

But as a former host of “Weekend Update” himself, Spade agreed with the statement: “I think that’s a great thing to say about ‘Update.’ They have to buy you on your own, not in a sketch. We like you or we don’t. That’s an interesting thing to say. I agree.”

Over the years, countless comedians have taken a turn behind the “Weekend Update“ desk, whether as anchors or recurring characters. Many went on to find fame well beyond SNL. Chevy Chase, the first anchor, famously stayed for only one season. Other notable names include Dan Aykroyd, Norm Macdonald, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers, and Pete Davidson. Recurring characters also launched careers, from Adam Sandler‘s Opera Man and Cajun Man to Gilda Radner‘s Roseanne Roseannadanna and Emily Litella, to Bill Hader‘s Stefon, among many others.

Given the impressive list, time has shown that Michaels’ theory holds firm.

Saturday Night Live, Season 51 Premiere, Saturday, October 4, 11:30/10:30c, NBC