31 Famous People Rejected by Saturday Night Live - Mental ...

'” 19. JACK MCBRAYER. In that same interview, Scheer recalled that his second  ... ThehistoryofSaturdayNightLiveislitteredwiththousandsofsketches,hundredsofguesthosts,andevenmoreNotReadyforPrimeTimePlayerwannabes—somemorememorablethanothers.Infact,thelistofnow-famousfolkswhoauditionedandweredeniedaccesstoapermanentspotin30Rock’sStudio8Hislongenoughtofillmultiplecastsontheirown.1.JIMCARREYHollywood’soriginal$20MillionManwasrejectedmorethanoncebySNL.Thefirsttimewasin1980,when—citingburnout—LorneMichaelsaskedtotakeayearoff.Hethoughtthattheshowwouldgoonhiatuswithhim,butthenetworkbumpedassociateproducerJeanDoumanianintoMichaels’positiontokeeptheshowgoing.Herfirstorderofbusiness?Shakeupthecastabit.Carreyauditioned,butDoumanianhiredCharlieRocketinstead.Sohetriedagain,butagaingota“no.”Michaelsisn’ttakingtheblameforthisoversight.InthebookLivefromNewYork,hesaysthat“JimCarreyneverauditionedformepersonally.”Carreydideventuallymakehiswayontothestudio’sset;heguesthostedin1996andagainin2011and2014.2.STEVECARELLJasonKempin/GettyImagesIn1995,thesameyearthatSteveCarellmarriedfellowcomedianNancyWalls(whomhemetattheSecondCityTrainingCenter),thecoupleauditionedforSNL.WallsmadeitbutCarelldidn’t,whichmusthavemadeforoneawkwardcelebratorydinner.Butitallturnedoutwellintheend;Carellwentontobecomeahouseholdnameandhashostedtheshowontwooccasions.HealsoclearlyhasnoillwilltowardtheguywhobeathimoutoftheSNLgig,WillFerrell.3.DONALDGLOVERAstridStawiarz/GettyImagesCommunitystarDonaldGloverwasgainfullyemployedasawriter(andoccasionalactor)on30RockwhenheauditionednotforSNLitselfbuttoplayBarackObamainanypresidentialsketchesduringthekey2007-2008season.FredArmisenendedupwiththerole.4.PAULREUBENSPaulReubens,a.k.a.Pee-WeeHerman,hasatheoryastowhyGilbertGottfriedgottheSNLspotthetwoofthemauditionedforin1980—hebelievesthatGottfriedwasfavoredforbeingfriendswithoneoftheproducers.“Iwassobitterandangry,”hetoldtheSanFranciscoChronicle.“Ithought,‘Youbetterthinkaboutdoingsomethingtotakethistothenextlevel.”WhichishowPee-Wee’sPlayhousecametobe.“SoIborrowedsomemoneyandproducedthisshow.IwentfromthisSaturdayNightLiverejecttohaving60peopleworkingforme.”5.STEPHENCOLBERTKrisConnor/GettyImagesThoughitwascancelledshortlyafteritstarted,TheDanaCarveyShowboastedsomeserioustalentbothbehindandinfrontofthecamera,includingwriter CharlieKaufmanandstarsSteveCarellandStephenColbert.In2011,GQran“AnOralHistoryoftheRiseandFall”oftheshow,inwhichColbertrecalledhisfailed1992SNLaudition.“RobertSmigelhadseenmeperformatSecondCitywhenhewasoneofthepeoplescoutingforSaturdayNightLive.WhenwasCarvey?1996?Sothatwasin1992andIdidn'tgethiredforSNLthattime.”6.AUBREYPLAZAFrazerHarrison/GettyImagesforTrevorProjectAyearbeforeshenailedthepartofAprilLudgateonParksandRecreation,AubreyPlazawaspassedoverforaspotonSNL’sroster.“IwantedtobeonthatshowforaslongasIcouldremember,”shetoldTheGuardianin2012.ShestartedtakingimprovclassesinhighschoolandcontinuedaftershemovedtoNewYork.Sheevenlandedaninternshipwiththeshowin2005.Shewaspassedoverwhenshefinallyauditionedthreeyearslater,butwasquicklyofferedapartinJuddApatow’sFunnyPeople,whichbroughthertoL.A.,whereshehasremainedeversince.7.ZACHGALIFIANAKISFrazerHarrison/GettyImagesZachGalifianakismaynothavelandedarecurringroleafterhisSNLauditionin1999,buthewasfunnyenoughtogethimselfhiredasapart-timewriterforafewepisodesofthesameseason.Hehasguesthostedthreetimes,in2010,2011,and2013.8.KEVINHARTKevinWinter/GettyImagesKevinHartdidn’twasteanytimedishingonhisfailedSNLauditionwhenhehostedtheshowin2013.Inhismonologue,hetalkedabouthisfailuretolandaspot,butassuredtheaudiencethathewasoverit.Thatithadhappenedalongtimeago—“sixorsevenmonths,22days,like6hoursago.”9.DAVIDCROSSJasonKempin/GettyImagesInaconversationwithArrestedDevelopmentco-starMichaelCeraatNewYork’s92ndStreetY,DavidCrossrecalledhowCrossComedy,thecomedycollectivehecreatedinBostoninthe1990s,werebroughttoNewYorkCitytoshowcaseforSNL—andbombed.10.JOHNGOODMANAlbertoE.Rodriguez/GettyImagesTherearen’ttoomanypeoplewhocansaytheygotbeatoutofapartbyJoePiscopo,butthat’sexactlywhathappenedtoJohnGoodmanduringSNLauditionsin1980.Intheend,however,GoodmanmighthaveendedupwithmoreSNLscreentime,havinghostedtheshow13timesandmademorethanahalf-dozencameos.11.LISAKUDROWJasonKempin/GettyImagesTherewasonlyonespotavailableforthe1990-1991seasonofSNL,anditcamedowntoLisaKudrowandJuliaSweeney.LorneMichaelsflewouttoL.A.towatchashowcasestarringthetwoGroundlings,withSweeneyemergingvictoriousandremainingontheshowuntil1994(thesameyearKudrowwascastinFriends).“IknewthatSNLwasthere,”KudrowlaterrecalledtoLosAngelesMagazine.“JuliaandIweretalkingonthephoneaboutitevenbeforetheycame.Theshowthatnightgottome,Iwasunnervedandclearlynotready.IwasdisappointedthatIdidnotgetit.There'sanothersign,Ithought,thatI'mnotcutoutforit.Thatfeelinglastedforalittlebit.”SeeAlso:10FamousPeopleWhoRejectedSaturdayNightLive12.KATHYGRIFFINKathyGriffinwasinthatsameshowcasewithKudrowandSweeneyandagreesthatMichaelsmadetherightdecisionbychoosingSweeney.“Backstageitwasridiculous,”sherecalledoftheeveningtoLosAngelesMagazine.“Onegirlwasintheotherroomaudiblysobbing.[FellowGroundling]MaryScheerwasthrowingmakeupinherbagandsaying,‘Let'sbehonest—Ideservethisasmuchasyouguys.’Iwaslike,‘Jesus,justfocus.’LisaandIwerereallycrushed.Juliajustkickedourasses.Shewasperfect.”13.ADAMMCKAYAnchormanwriter-directorAdamMcKay’sSNLrejection—forthe1995season—wasprobablyforthebest.Hewasofferedawritinggiginstead,andeventuallyworkedhiswayuptoheadwriterforthelatterhalfofhissixyearswiththeshow.Hissuccesshascontinuedsinceleavingtheshow,whenhepartneredupwithfellowalumWillFerrell.14.DAVEATTELLComedianDaveAttellwasyetanotherperformerwhowasofferedawritinggiginplaceofanon-cameraspotafterauditioningforthe1993-1994season.HeleftafteroneseasontowriteforTheJonStewartShow.15.MARCMARONKevinWinter/GettyImagesWTFPodcasthostMarcMaronlovestosharethestoryofhis1996meetingwithLorneMichaelswhenhewascalledinasapossible“WeekendUpdate”replacementforNormMacDonald.Maronblameshisrejectiononabowlofcandyandwroteastoryabouttheincident,titled“LorneMichaelsandGorillas,”forAirAmerica.Maron’scontentionisthathisfaterestedonwhetherornothetookapieceofcandyfromthebowlonMichaels’desk,whichheobsessedabout,thenfinallygavein.“AssoonasItookthecandyIsweartoGodLorneshotalookattheheadwriterthatclearlyconnotedtomethatIhadfailedthetest,”hewrote.“IwalkedoutoftherethinkingIruinedmycareerbecauseofaJollyRancher.Idon'tevenlikeJollyRanchers.”16.JENNIFERCOOLIDGESkipBolen/GettyImagesChristopherGuestensemblememberJenniferCoolidgehadsomeseriouscompetitionwhensheauditionedforSNLalongsideWillFerrell,CheriOteri,andChrisKattanin1995.“TheychoseWillandCheriandnotChrisandI,”sherecalledtoLosAngelesMagazine.“AndsixmonthslatertheycalledupChris.Iwastheonewhogotrejected.Iwassparedabullet.Ithinkofallthedemons,andplayingpolitics.ThegoodthingwasImighthavebecomeanorexic.ButIprobablywouldhaveself-destructedonSNL.”17.JEFFROSSNeilsonBarnard/GettyImagesforComedyCentralTinaFeyandJimmyFallonweren’ttheonlyfolksvyingforColinQuinn’sspotattheWeekendUpdatedeskin2000.ComedianJeffRosswasincontention,too.ButFeyhadclout:threeyears'experienceasawriterfortheshowandoneseasonasheadwriter.18.PAULSCHEERMichaelBuckner/GettyImagesforWonderwallTheLeaguestarauditionedforSNLinboth2001and2002.HerecalledtheauditionsinaninterviewwithSplitsiderin2012,notingthatthedumbestthinghedidwasaseriesofimpressions,includingJeffGoldblumreturningashirtandapandabearsittinginfirstclass.“MyfinalmeetingwasthefirsttimeIeverreallymetLorneMichaels...Attheendofthemeeting,hesaid,‘Doyouhaveanyquestionsforme?’AndIsaid,‘No.’Andthenhesaid,‘Really?ThirtyyearsinTVandyoudon’thaveaquestionforme?’Itwasatotallyterribleresponse.Ishouldhavehadaquestion.IthinkthatanswercostmethejobatSNL,butIbasicallyjustsaid,‘IfIhadmydruthers,Iwouldkeepyouhereallnight.’Andhesaid,‘Ofcourse,ofcourse.Allright,well,thankyouverymuch.’”19.JACKMCBRAYERInthatsameinterview,Scheerrecalledthathissecondaudition—whichwasmoreofagroupimprov—included30RockstarJackMcBrayer.“Ididn’tknowanybodyelsebesidesJackMcBrayer,”Scheerrecalled.“Thatwasinterestingbecauseitwasabunchofpeopleallcompetingforthesamejob,tryingtoprovethatthey’refunny,butalsoitwasreallycoolbecauseeveryonerespectedthespace.Youwouldthinkitwouldhavebeenalittlemorecompetitive.ButthatalsowastheyearthatFredArmisensaid‘no,’hewasn’tgonnadothatifhedidn’thaveanimprovbackground.HejustdidFericito,andhewastheonewhoultimatelygothired.”20.KELMITCHELLAfterfouryearsofco-starringinKenan&KelforNickelodeon,starsKenanThompsonandKelMitchellwenttheirseparateways,butnotbeforebothauditionedforSNL.Theendingtothisstoryisobvious:Kenangotthejob(he’sinhiseleventhyearontheshow),Keldidnot.21.AND22.JORMATACCONEANDAKIVASCHAFFERMarkDavis/GettyImagesforYouTubeJormaTacconeandAkivaSchaffer,AndySamberg’sLonelyIslandcohorts,understandwhatit’sliketocompeteagainstacomedicpartnerincrime.TheentiretrioauditionedforSNL’s2005season,butonlySambergwasluckyenoughtobecast.ButSambergdidn’tleavehispartnersbehind;bothhaveservedaswritersfortheshow.23.,24.,25.,AND26.DAVEFOLEY,SCOTTTHOMPSON,BRUCEMCCULLOCH,ANDKEVINMCDONALDEthanMiller/GettyImagesTheKidsintheHallguys—DaveFoley,KevinMcDonald,MarkMcKinney,BruceMcCulloch,andScottThompson—wereinasimilarsituationwhentheyauditionedfortheshowin1985.McCullochandMcKinneywerebroughtonaswritersforaseason.In1995,McKinneydidactuallyjointhecast.27.GEENADAVISFiveyearsbeforesheearnedanOscarforTheAccidentalTourist,GeenaDavislostoutonaspotinSNL’s1984-1985seasontoPamelaStephenson.28.RICHARDBELZERThoughtoday’saudienceknowshimasLaw&Order’sseries-jumpingSergeantMunch,RichardBelzergothisstartasastand-up.BelzerwasSNL'swarm-upcomicinitsfirstseason,whichledtoacoupleofappearancesontheshow,includingastintattheWeekendUpdatedeskafterChevyChasesufferedagroininjury.BelzerhaslongcontendedthatLorneMichaelspromisedhimaplaceinthecastbutlaterreneged.“Lornebetrayedmeandliedtome—whichhedenies—butIgiveyoumywordhesaid,‘I'llworkyouintotheshow,’”BelzertoldPeoplein1993.29.ROBERTTOWNSENDEddieMurphyendedupbeingcastfortheslotthatcomedianRobertTownsendauditionedforin1980,theyearJeanDoumaniantookoverforLorneMichaels.NodoubttheexperienceworkeditswayintoHollywoodShuffle,Townsend’sgroundbreaking—andsemi-autobiographical—1987filmaboutthestruggleofblackactorsinHollywood.30.ROBHUEBELChildren’sHospitalstarRobHuebelauditionedforSNLacoupleoftimesinthemid-2000s.“Thewaytheydothatistheyputtogetheralistofpeoplethattheywanttoaudition,andtheyhavethemalldoashowatsomecomedyclub,”heexplainedtoSplitsider.“Yougoanddoafewcharactersofyourownandafewimpressions,ifyouwannadoimpressions,oryoucandostand-upifyouwantedtodothat.ButyoudoitatthiscomedyclubsomewhereinNewYork,andtheyallcomeandtheysitinthebackandtheyshowuplateandtheywatchitandtheydon’tlaughandyoufeelhorrible.Butifyoudookay,yougetcalledbackandyougointo30Rockandyoudoitontheirstageattherealshow....Iauditionedtwice,oneyearIgottogoinanddothatat30Rockbuttheyreallyiceyouout.Theytrytomakeitasscaryaspossiblebecauseit’saliveshow,andinreallife,I’msureitisterrifyingandthingsdogowrong,sotheywantyoutobeprepared…It’sthemostintimidatingthing.IknowRobRiggleauditionedthesameyear,andhegotitandIwashappyforhim,butitdidn’tworkoutforme.”31.KERRIKENNEY“Itwasterrifying,”TheStateandReno911!starKerriKenneytoldMarcMarononWTFofherfailed1996SNLaudition.“IbelievetheymustdoitthatwayonpurposebecausesincethenI'veneverhadanauditionsoterrifying…Sitandwait,coldroom.IfeellikeIwasinabasementthatwaslikesevenbuildingsawayandsomeonecomesandgetsyouinapagejacketandtheyleadyouthroughhallwaysandyou'retryingtokeepupwithyourbagofpropsandhitthemark.Youhavefourminutes.Doyourbestthis,this,andthis…Igotnolaughs,andatthetime,Ithought,‘Wow,ifIwanttobeinthisbusiness,thisiswhatit’sgoingtobeeverytime.’Thankgodit'sneverlikethat.”SeeAlso:9SaturdayNightLiveMoviesThatWereNeverMade10FamousPeopleWhoRejectedSaturdayNightLive