--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was at Second City L.A., going through…" description: "\"I was at Second City L.A., going through the conservatory, and I graduated in 2004 and I got 'SNL' in 2005.\" — Bill Hader" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/154/bill-hader-2662_city_i-was-at-second-city-l-a-going-through-t_683417.jpg" --- # I was at Second City L.A., going through the conservatory… ![“I was at Second City L.A., going through the conservatory, and I graduated in 2004 and I got 'SNL' in 2005.” quote by Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/154/bill-hader-2662_city_i-was-at-second-city-l-a-going-through-t_683417.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/154/bill-hader-2662_city_i-was-at-second-city-l-a-going-through-t_683417.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/154/bill-hader-2662_city_i-was-at-second-city-l-a-going-through-t_683417.jpg) > “I was at Second City L.A., going through the conservatory, and I graduated in 2004 and I got 'SNL' in 2005.” [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes his rapid rise from improv training to a major TV comedy show, highlighting a swift career breakthrough. **In simple terms:** He went from improv to SNL quickly. Key Takeaway Leverage training for fast career moves. Themes career improv television breakthrough Mood proud reflective Type career inspirational When to use this quote - audition preparation - improv classes - career planning - industry networking Key Concepts skill development networking visibility Questions to Reflect On - How did your improv experience shape your SNL performance? - What role did networking play in your breakthrough? A Different Perspective Success may depend on timing and connections, not just talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [Snl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snl/) ## Related quotes > [I was actually going to go to a conservatory after I graduated college, now I'm thankful that Pentatonix happened because I'm working with singers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-olusola/i-was-actually-going-to-go-to-a-conservatory-after-i-graduated/) [Kevin Olusola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-olusola/) > [I'm crazy lucky. I was trying to be a filmmaker. I was doing Second City classes as a way to be creative. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-m-crazy-lucky-i-was-trying-to-be-a-filmmaker-i-was-doing-second/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [I did a lot of commercial and theater work when I got out of school and was living in Dallas, and I moved to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-tolman/i-did-a-lot-of-commercial-and-theater-work-when-i-got-out-of-school/) [Allison Tolman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-tolman/) > [I went to Second City, where you learned to make the other actor look good so you looked good and National Lampoon, where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/i-went-to-second-city-where-you-learned-to-make-the-other-actor-look/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [Tina Fey is part of a generation of women who have changed the face of comedy at 'Second City,' 'SNL,' in sitcoms and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/tina-fey-is-part-of-a-generation-of-women-who-have-changed-the-face/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [I took Second City out of desperation, and that's what ended up working out. It shows that you should be doing a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-took-second-city-out-of-desperation-and-that-s-what-ended-up/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [I was always self-conscious about the fact that I didn't have as much comedy experience as other people at 'SNL,' and I kept thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-was-always-self-conscious-about-the-fact-that-i-didn-t-have-as-much/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [Getting 'SNL' was pretty amazing, so just to be able to have an eight-year career there and be really happy with everything I did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/getting-snl-was-pretty-amazing-so-just-to-be-able-to-have-an-eight/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [When I was on 'SNL,' I was getting weirdly anxious about being on camera, which I had never really done before. And so my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/when-i-was-on-snl-i-was-getting-weirdly-anxious-about-being-on-camera/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [I would say it wasn't until my fourth season on 'SNL' where people or my agent was saying, 'You're an actor.' I never thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-would-say-it-wasn-t-until-my-fourth-season-on-snl-where-people-or/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > ['SNL' is really hard to do when you're single and living alone. And then it's pretty tough when you're married, because you don't see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/snl-is-really-hard-to-do-when-you-re-single-and-living-alone-and-then/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > ['The State' was a huge thing for me. I watched that and 'SNL' together when I was 15, 16.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/the-state-was-a-huge-thing-for-me-i-watched-that-and-snl-together/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [People ask me, 'Did you always want to be on SNL?' No, actually, it never crossed my mind. It didn't even seem possible. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be-on-snl-no-actually-it-never/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [You learn quickly at 'SNL' you get in trouble if you compare yourself to other people, where they're at, or what other people had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/you-learn-quickly-at-snl-you-get-in-trouble-if-you-compare-yourself/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [Before you get to 'SNL,' you have your own sensibility. And when you get to 'SNL,' it's the show's sensibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/before-you-get-to-snl-you-have-your-own-sensibility-and-when-you-get/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) ## More by Bill Hader > [The first time I met James Franco, he was dressed like James Dean. He was James Dean, literally, filming a biopic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/the-first-time-i-met-james-franco-he-was-dressed-like-james-dean-he/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [Let's face it: I look pretty out of shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/let-s-face-it-i-look-pretty-out-of-shape/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [In the U.S., it's like, you start with a great script, and then on set - not everybody, but definitely in the Apatow group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/in-the-u-s-it-s-like-you-start-with-a-great-script-and-then-on-set/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [Fred Armisen does a pretty good me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/fred-armisen-does-a-pretty-good-me/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [I took Second City out of desperation, and that's what ended up working out. It shows that you should be doing a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-took-second-city-out-of-desperation-and-that-s-what-ended-up/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [When you're at your absolute, most exhausted... That's when you have to be at the top of your game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/when-you-re-at-your-absolute-most-exhausted-that-s-when-you-have-to/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [The idea of a Chicago band that wanted to sing songs about California is really funny. Having never been to California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/the-idea-of-a-chicago-band-that-wanted-to-sing-songs-about-california/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [No one knows anything. You're going to make mistakes and you're going to do things that people think are stupid. You can't sit there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/no-one-knows-anything-you-re-going-to-make-mistakes-and-you-re-going/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [George Saunders is a complete genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/george-saunders-is-a-complete-genius/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [I think that's the thing I learned at 'Saturday Night Live' - any time I would try and strategize, I would always, always fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-think-that-s-the-thing-i-learned-at-saturday-night-live-any-time-i/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [You learn quickly at 'SNL' you get in trouble if you compare yourself to other people, where they're at, or what other people had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/you-learn-quickly-at-snl-you-get-in-trouble-if-you-compare-yourself/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [Turns out typecasting is a real thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/turns-out-typecasting-is-a-real-thing/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [You can be the lead in a movie just for the sake of being a lead in a movie, or you can just be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/you-can-be-the-lead-in-a-movie-just-for-the-sake-of-being-a-lead-in-a/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [I learned a lot just watching people perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-learned-a-lot-just-watching-people-perform/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [Fred Willard still makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/fred-willard-still-makes-me-laugh/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) [Explore all 155 Bill Hader quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) ## More City quotes > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [Though 'Fat City' was written long before cellphones or the Internet, its human apparatus is state of the art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunn/though-fat-city-was-written-long-before-cellphones-or-the-internet/) [Katherine Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunn/) > [I get paid to play, to win, to give the city pride, so maybe everybody can forget for a little while how hard life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/i-get-paid-to-play-to-win-to-give-the-city-pride-so-maybe-everybody/) [Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [Even after my family moved West, I would come back to Long Island as a teenager, stay with aunts and go to the city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/even-after-my-family-moved-west-i-would-come-back-to-long-island-as-a/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [We all got driven out of Manhattan. It was a very conducive place for artists when I was growing up, and now it's definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/we-all-got-driven-out-of-manhattan-it-was-a-very-conducive-place-for/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [“Poor people do not go on holiday; they go home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/poor-people-do-not-go-on-holiday-they-go-home/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [We have an obligation at the local level to do everything we can with the resources we have. And we do those things. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-wheeler/we-have-an-obligation-at-the-local-level-to-do-everything-we-can-with/) [Ted Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-wheeler/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [I loved 'Chicago Code;' I watched that a lot. It was great because it really captured the city - I'm from Chicago, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessy-schram/i-loved-chicago-code-i-watched-that-a-lot-it-was-great-because-it/) [Jessy Schram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessy-schram/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) [Browse all 5,394 City quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was at Second City L.A., going through the conservatory, and I graduated in 2004 and I got 'SNL' in 2005.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Hader" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-was-at-second-city-l-a-going-through-the-conservatory-and-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "City" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-was-at-second-city-l-a-going-through-the-conservatory-and-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/154/bill-hader-2662_city_i-was-at-second-city-l-a-going-through-t_683417.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/154/bill-hader-2662_city_i-was-at-second-city-l-a-going-through-t_683417.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/154/bill-hader-2662_city_i-was-at-second-city-l-a-going-through-t_683417.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was at Second City L.A., going through the conservatory, and I graduated in 2004 and I got 'SNL' in 2005.” — Bill Hader", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bill Hader", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was at Second City L.A.,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-was-at-second-city-l-a-going-through-the-conservatory-and-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-was-at-second-city-l-a-going-through-the-conservatory-and-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```