Why the SNL Cast Loves New York

Over the years, Saturday Night Live has become part of New York’s DNA, and so have its cast members. While they were on the show, they, too, ate dollar slices at 4 a.m. on the way home from a party and had to walk up 98 steps to their cockroach-filled top-floor apartment. As the show approaches its 50th year, we staged a repertory player reunion for our annual “Reasons to Love New York” issue, with 60 current and former stars cycling through two photo studios in New York and Los Angeles to pose for portraits. In honor of their milestone anniversary, we took the opportunity to press them about their fondest New York memories. They reminisced about their first jobs as waiters, lifeguards, and Yankees stadium ticket scalpers. John Mulaney made a case for the best New York City mayor of all time, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus lamented the closure of Williams Barbeque on the Upper West Side. (“You eat so much more barbecue than me,” Tina Fey shouted at her as she walked by. “You just eat so much barbecue!”) To cap it all off, Tracy Morgan serenaded us with a rendition of “New York, New York.” It was surprisingly on-key.

The great thing about New York is that whoever you are, you are not that important. —Lorne Michaels

When I was first on Saturday Night Live, people would be like, “Molly!” They would call out your name, and they would do your characters for you. It’s still the same. —Molly Shannon

People doing pull-ups on scaffolding. —John Mulaney

We have one of the most remarkable public-transportation systems in the world. We’ve all got lots of complaints about how dirty and inefficient it is and how many murders we’ve seen on it, but it gets people where they need to go. The city wouldn’t exist without it. —Colin Jost

I’m a bit of a pedesto. I love to walk everywhere, because I don’t want to exercise formally. I walk with great vim from point A to point B, but I do it in my street clothes because I don’t want people to think I’m exercising. —Janeane Garofalo

I’m from the Midwest. Everyone is very polite there, so hearing everyone yell on the street was something. Nobody is shy. You get the whole couple’s fight, every time. —Cecily Strong

On any given subway ride, you can experience literally anybody: newly engaged, breaking up, crying, hungry, singing, playing music. I love that feeling. —Ana Gasteyer 

You’re walking down some random street, then you go downstairs and you’re like, What’s this little teeny shop of just a couple of books, some records, and some jackets? —Fred Armisen

Serendipity. I went every year with my dad when I was little, and I just took him there for his 75th birthday. —Casey Wilson

I was born and raised in New York City. King Kong died here, the Son of Sam was born here, and here we filmed The Warriors. This is New York City, baby. You know what it is? Can I sing it to you? [Starts singing “New York, New York.”] That’s how good and beautiful it is. They named it twice. —Tracy Morgan

When I’m walking through the park on a really nice day and hear some music. Someone will be playing a Billy Joel song but it’s just, like, an electric flute. —Dana Carvey

You need a certain kind of place, then you realize there are, like, 20 of them per square half-mile. I needed acupuncture, then I found out, Oh, all of New York City is littered with this kind of establishment. You can get as granular as you want and need, and it’ll be there. —Bowen Yang

It stinks really bad. It smells different down the same street. You’ll get one smell on a corner, a different smell in the middle of the street, and a smell you don’t know where to place by the end of it. —Sarah Sherman

Tibetan Momo dumplings at Cafe Himalaya. —Kate McKinnon

It was on West 90th Street. I rented an apartment from the actress Beverley Owen, who played Marilyn Munster on The Munsters. I shit you not. —Julia Louis-Dreyfus

It was with my cousin. Shout-out to my family and to Harlem, baby: 127th and Lennox between Sixth and Seventh. —Kenan Thompson

It was on 80th Street, and it was really small. I could be on the toilet and stir something on the stove. The feng shui was terrible. The foot of my bed was right by the door, so anytime anyone else came home to go up the stairs, it felt like they were coming to kill me. I could look out the windows when they were renovating the Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Natural History, and it triggered a sea of rats that would flow down my street. Christopher Walken lived several doors down. We didn’t know each other. —Tina Fey

It was in Stuy Town. I had one room and a couple that I knew had the other room, which really helped for rent. I was paying $1,100 in rent for what I thought was a pretty nice apartment. —Jost

It was tiny. The bathroom was in the kitchen. I arrived in February and the heating wasn’t working. I knocked on the landlord’s door and he didn’t say hello. He said, “I’m calling the police!” I was like, “I haven’t done anything yet. Fine, call the police!” In Canada, if they didn’t turn on the heat, you’d call the police. —Mike Myers

I lived on 29th Street between Second and Third. My landlord owned the building and had a downstairs apartment with a garden. He was there in the summer, and he would move out in the winter and rent the apartment or stay at his mother’s apartment. One day Chris Borgen, who was an old CBS newsman, was in front of my house with a camera truck. They busted a prostitution ring on the ground floor of my apartment building. So, yeah, my first apartment was a whorehouse. —Alec Baldwin

A stinky one in Greenpoint with holes in the floor that rats came through. —Sherman

It was a five-story walk-up at Columbus and 80th. We would throw our keys down in a sock for people to come up. —Laraine Newman

On Manhattan Avenue and Norman in Greenpoint. I had two roommates and we were on the second floor in a two-bedroom we made into a three-bedroom. —Mulaney

On 140th and Lenox, right by the Big L mural in Harlem. I stayed there for my first year of SNL, but once I found out somebody got chopped up in the basement of the apartment building beside me, I moved to midtown.” —Jay Pharoah

I wrote for The Late Show With David Letterman. I was terrified the whole way through. Thank God I only lasted nine months. I wasn’t up to the level I wish I could’ve been. If I was better at writing for Letterman, I might not have gotten a chance to be on Saturday Night Live. —Will Forte

When I first moved into Manhattan, I immediately got a job back on Staten Island. I was commuting back home on the express bus to work at the Staten Island Advance, my local newspaper. I would leave dinner with friends in Manhattan and get on this express bus at 11 p.m., go to work, and work until 8 a.m. That was a bad time for how I felt as a human. —Jost

Working at Yankee Stadium. I sold souvenirs, scalped tickets, and cocaine. You know those Boston fans love that booger sugar. —Morgan

I was a lifeguard for five years and didn’t save a single soul. —Sherman

I used to do the ‘Staring Contest’ on Late Night With Conan O’Brien. It paid my rent. —Amy Poehler 

A waiter and a bus boy for the Skyline Motor Inn on 105th Avenue. —Darrell Hammond

In the mailroom of an advertising agency. —Don Novello

The house manager for You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown the musical. —Billy Crystal

I bought a pair of shoes that were out of my budget. They were $75. They were from a store called Vittorio Ricci. They were cute as hell, man. And they were worth every penny. —Louis-Dreyfus

It’s so depressing, but I went to a Crate & Barrel and I got a really big couch, then I went to a Best Buy and got a really big television. To those who don’t live in New York City, I’d say Best Buy and Crate & Barrel are local, New York City places to buy things for your apartment. —Meyers

I bought the most uncomfortable West Elm couch of all time. I swear to God, it was made of bricks. We were so happy when it came, then we sat on it and we were so bummed out. —James Austin Johnson

I went to Saks Fifth Avenue across the street and bought a pair of Gucci shoes — but, like, the kind that everyone got that I wouldn’t feel supercool wearing now. —Yang

I bought a cashmere sweater. It was, like, $300, and it was worth it. —Sarah Silverman

All of the food ordering that I do. —Strong

An apartment. —Rachel Dratch

You guys know what they pay us? I think I got dinner. —Pete Davidson 

A turkey, bacon, and swiss kind of joint. —Thompson

Tacos, enchiladas, all the classic Mexican food. As long as it’s vegan. I’m the son of a butcher, so I have a lot of make up for. —Terry Sweeney

Getting a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on white toast with mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. There’s nothing better, and nobody makes them better. —Shannon

Scallion cream cheese on a garlic bagel. Lox. I don’t like getting all the vegetables on it. It’s too wet and too pointless. It took me a while to realize not to toast it. —Johnson

A cinnamon-raisin bagel with egg, bacon, and cheddar cheese. —Sasheer Zamata

A chicken Caesar wrap with the works on it. I literally just mean mustard, sea salt, the wrap, and Caesar dressing. And a kombucha. —Pharoah

Diet Coke and some Power Bars for endurance. —Nasim Pedrad

The show ends around 1 a.m. but you’re so hyped up. We’d walk around and try to find a pub that opened up at 10 in the morning and start again. There was this one firehouse I used to walk by at 48th and Eighth. They’d be like, “Ay, Jimmy! You weren’t funny last night. You were terrible. Maybe one day you’ll be funny.” And I’d go, “I know, I’m working on it.” Then finally one day we walked by and they were like, “Hey, you were actually funny last night. What’s going on, dude?” Shout-out to all those great New Yorkers. They kind of understood, You’re one of us now. —Jimmy Fallon

I once rolled out of an after-after party around 8 a.m. I was still in a suit. There was some sort of bike race happening in Manhattan, and I had to cross a street while all of these bikes were going by. It felt like every third biker was like, That’s Seth Meyers! I was like, I have to get my shit together. —Meyers

They were all kind of a late-night blur. My favorite thing was Will Ferrell used to always say, “Uh oh, it’s the icky blue light.” We’d all look out the window, and it was light outside, then we’d all crawl home to bed. —Gasteyer 

One of my favorites was around 5 in the morning, and Tracy Morgan was in my ear just killing me, saying the wildest shit ever. I was crying-laughing. I was like, How can somebody be this funny after a whole night of comedy, and he’s still going with things I’ve never heard before? —Thompson

RuPaul in February 2020 right before the pandemic. We were at STK Midtown. It’s a very buttoned-up establishment — we love STK — but RuPaul had a DJ there who played house music, then the season-12 Drag Race girls came. We all got on the tables and started dancing, and beautiful Ego Nwodim was in a white dress grinding up against Josh Sharp. I treasure that very, very much. —Yang

Prince’s after-party. He had his own separate one. There was a little buffet and a DJ. He’s very charismatic, and I don’t mean this as a joke, but he really looks like Prince. Right away you’re like, Whoa, that’s Prince. —Armisen

I was hosting a friend who isn’t impressed by the entertainment industry, and I wanted to so badly prove to him that, like, this is all normal. At that after-party, my hair got stuck in Woody Harrelson’s sweater button for 20 minutes, and we couldn’t pull it apart. Then David Blaine came over and ate a wineglass. —McKinnon

The one with Dave Chappelle. We were there till 5 in the morning. Lenny Kravitz was there and Cam’Ron. Dave sang “Creep,” by Radiohead. —Leslie Jones

The 40th anniversary party. It was epic. I didn’t even need the joint I smoked to feel high. We did karaoke with the Foo Fighters. I got to do “Come Together,” by the Beatles, but I had to look at my phone to know all the lyrics, which Dave Grohl gave me the appropriate amount of shit for. —Jason Sudeikis

Prince floated into the room. I don’t even think he was on the show. I think he just came to the party, then got a guitar from somewhere and melted our faces off. Just shredded to high hell, then handed the guitar to the audience and left. —Zamata

Once Kristen Wiig hosted and I don’t know if Harry Styles was the musical guest or just there, but there was a bit of a dance-off between the two of them on a table. —Aidy Bryant

Danny DeVito hosted the show, and we got along great. We’re both big old movie fans. He said, “You’ve got to meet this kid. He’s like you. He talks about movies constantly. His name’s Quentin Tarantino.” I had seen Reservoir Dogs, his first film, and I had liked it. I didn’t think that much about it. Then the next week, Harvey Keitel hosted and he brought Quentin. Quentin and I spent two hours talking about Yasujirō Ozu movies. And a wonderful, lifelong friendship erupted. —Julia Sweeney

Mick Jagger hosted and did music along with Foo Fighters and Arcade Fire. The after-party was on the skating rink of 30 Rock. Mick Jagger got up and did “Bitch” and it was like four in the morning in the middle of Manhattan and people were walking by. You know, just the odd straggler that was walking by Rockefeller Center at 4 a.m., and this concert was happening. —Mulaney

I sleep. We’re not allowed to talk to each other. It’s a rule that we secretly came up with because most people are frustrated if their sketch didn’t get on or something didn’t go right. So we really shouldn’t talk to each other on Sunday because we’re emotional and tired. —Jones

I used to do an improv show at UCB called “Asssscat” on Sunday nights. It weirdly was a good palate cleanser for what wasn’t always a good show. —Poehler

I would wake up, have a good cry, reflect on things that didn’t work, then go have lunch at the Odeon. —Martin Short

When I walked out of 30 Rock after I auditioned for SNL, I sat down and cried. I put so much thought and time into it that I was so relieved it was over. —Meyers

Walking down any street. Crying in New York is easy. —Dratch

Under the Brooklyn Bridge by the water looking out. —Sherman

I love to close the door in a Starbucks bathroom and go to town. I’ve sat on the sidewalk and cried. —McKinnon

I would walk home in the wee hours of the morning, and there was this art-house movie theater on my way. I saw some of the best movies there that would take me away from my worries. On SNL, you’re auditioning every week to get in a show you already got. So I would go into that movie theater at, like, 3 a.m. If tears came out, they came out, you know? —Cheri Oteri

There are four places that are closed that I’m heartsick about. One is the Cornelia Street Cafe. Another is Williams Barbeque on the Upper West Side. And then Henri Bendel and Barneys. —Louis-Dreyfus

The Greenwich Village version of JG Melon, because it’s tough to go to the Upper East Side all the time. —Thompson

In my own neighborhood on the Upper West Side it would be the original location of H&H Bagels. When my older daughter was a baby, if we were going out of the house and not getting bagels, we had to go a full block out of the way. Because if she saw H&H, she would go, “Bagel, bagel!” —Fey

Gem Spa, which was my corner deli. Kim’s Video. I remember one time I took a walk with Chrissie Hynde, and I was trying to be cool. I was like, “Can you believe CBGB is like a John Varvatos store now?” And she goes, “I don’t give a fuck, it’s New York, it turns over. That’s what makes it New York.” She’s right, but I can still be romantic about these things. —Silverman

St. Mark’s Bookshop. I believe they did try it again two times, and it didn’t take. You could sit there and read all day. —Garofalo

The Pink Teacup down in Greenwich Village. It was southern food and all butter and bacon and cornbread and over-easy eggs. Porkchops. Everything was deep-fried. —Tim Meadows

CBGB. There are a lot of bands I didn’t get to see and I wish I did. —Chris Kattan

Jilly’s. Jilly Rizzo was Sinatra’s best friend, bodyguard, and confidant. It was on W. 52nd Street. I went there once and saw Sinatra there as a kid. I found a waitress and went, “Is that Frank Sinatra?” She says, “Yes?” I go, “Can I say hi?” And she goes, “No, you can’t. Please don’t bother him while he’s eating.” —Joe Piscopo

Hands down, Ed Koch. I don’t think there’s any other answer. I know that he did controversial things, as well, but as a New York City mayor and as a New Yorker, there is no more Koch than Ed Koch. I mean, he would fight with people. He would fight with citizens on the street about issues. He was the perfect New York politician, sleeves rolled up, sweating, yelling at people. The perfect New York mayor. —Mulaney

Mike Bloomberg. Because he was brilliant. Because he was just passionate about the city. And we can look each other in the eye. —Crystal

Eric Adams is very fun because he lives in New Jersey. —Bill Hader

This is an unpopular opinion, but de Blasio rocked it. I’m a bit of a Bill Head. —Bryant

Giuliani played my mother in a sketch. It was Thanksgiving, and I had him play my mother coming up from the basement with old-fashioned bottles of soda in a wooden cart. He had the hair on his arms, and it was perfect. We got to go to his house, and we all had dinner with him. And we asked him where mob bodies were buried. You could ask him anything. —Oteri

It’s not Giuliani. —Sweeney