Story

Where’d This Come From?

The Saturday Night Project started when we couldn’t find all the auditions in Saturday Night Live’s history in one place. So we did what any comedy fanatic would have done: we made it ourselves.

SNL is more than just a TV show – it’s been the holy grail of comedy stages worldwide for nearly 50 years. It helped countless stars launch their careers, like Eddie Murphy and Will Ferrell, and it continues to show off the best comedians in the contemporary world.

Getting on SNL starts with an audition, and only the best of the best even get invited for a shot. Many don’t get past the audition onto the show. Even famous stars with a reputation for being hilarious have gotten rejected, like Jim Carrey or Tom Middleditch, often for bizarre reasons.

Cast or not, being invited to audition in Studio 8H is one of the highest recognitions in comedy. Our site highlights all the known recipients of this honor as they share their perspectives on comedy and their experiences with the show.
The Saturday Night Project is our compilation of everything we’ve found on auditions for comedy’s greatest stage. We’re adding new information to it everyday, so if we’ve missed anyone, please submit the Missing Auditions Form.

Poke around to explore comedy history and discover the stories behind its top audition for yourself.

Previous image
Next image