3 Times SNL Blew Its Chance to Hire Hollywood's Biggest Comedian
He tried out three times before building a career anyone would be jealous of.
Without a doubt, Saturday Night Live remains one of the most popular television shows among American audiences.
It's a perfectly balanced mix of everything you want from late night television: it has a good dose of reactive humor that highlights the news and issues of the day, it has the biggest celebrity guests, and it has catchy music.
SNL became a staple and a universal example of what quality entertainment should look like. In addition, SNL became a beacon for any promising comedian, as it helped many establish their names in Hollywood.
William Ferrell, Eddie Murphy, Bill Hader, Pete Davidson and many other big names in the industry started on the show and owe their popularity to it.
However, the show also had its losses. One of the most notable would be turning down one of Hollywood's biggest comedians, Jim Carrey, three times in a row.
Unfortunately, SNL was not as successful in the early 80's as it is now.
After the departure of ex-producer Lorne Michaels and the entire season 5 cast, audiences were not as eager to welcome new faces as you might think.
Jim Carrey, who had just turned 18 at the time of his first audition, simply didn't live up to expectations and was rejected.
The second try was not successful either. It happened 5 years later, and the more experienced Jim Carrey really had a better chance to join the cast, especially with the return of Lorne Michaels as producer.
Michaels still remembers having the tape of Carrey's audition, but he did not make the cut again.
There was no big time jump before Carrey tried his luck again. This is recalled by Dana Carvey, who also auditioned in 1986.
According to her, no one had any doubt that Jim Carrey would get the part, but once again they were wrong.
After three auditions, it was clear that Jim Carrey's crazy impressions and chaotic energy did not match the kind of humor SNL was looking for at the time.
But that just goes to show that everything happens for a reason. By the time of his third audition, Jim Carrey already had a few successful projects under his belt and was starting to build a career as a movie actor rather than a TV show star.
This may have been a wiser decision for the actor, as it led to the worldwide success and recognition he has today.
Source: Uproxx