--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Saturday Night Live was a show that I…" description: "\"Saturday Night Live was a show that I never thought I would be on, because I didn't do sketch comedy and I didn't do impressions. I was a stand-up.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/kevin-nealon-8834_comedy_saturday-night-live-was-a-show-that-i-ne_1406829.png" --- # Saturday Night Live was a show that I never thought I… ![“Saturday Night Live was a show that I never thought I would be on, because I didn't do sketch comedy and I didn't do impressions. I was a stand-up.” quote by Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/kevin-nealon-8834_comedy_saturday-night-live-was-a-show-that-i-ne_1406829.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/kevin-nealon-8834_comedy_saturday-night-live-was-a-show-that-i-ne_1406829.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35e/kevin-nealon-8834_comedy_saturday-night-live-was-a-show-that-i-ne_1406829.png) > “Saturday Night Live was a show that I never thought I would be on, because I didn't do sketch comedy and I didn't do impressions. I was a stand-up.” [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A comedian reflects on unexpected career paths, noting that success can come from stepping outside one’s comfort zone. **In simple terms:** Unexpected opportunities arise from trying new things. Key Takeaway Embrace unfamiliar roles. Themes career adaptability humor Mood encouraging optimistic Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - stand‑up gigs - TV appearances - networking events Key Concepts comedy personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What new role could expand your horizons? - How do you stay true to yourself when adapting? A Different Perspective Risk of losing authentic voice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Comedy Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy-didn-1033147/) [Didn Sketch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-sketch-4946655/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Impression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impression/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Night Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night-live/) [Saturday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturday/) [Saturday night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturday-night/) [Saturday night live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturday-night-live/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Sketch comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sketch-comedy/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [I mean, sitcoms shouldn't be doing 'Saturday Night Live.' You can't just do bit after bit after bit. You have to string it together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-dewitt/i-mean-sitcoms-shouldn-t-be-doing-saturday-night-live-you-can-t-just/) [Joyce DeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-dewitt/) > [Whatever I did on 'Saturday Night Live' is going to stay and remain on 'Saturday Night Live.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/whatever-i-did-on-saturday-night-live-is-going-to-stay-and-remain-on/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [From National Lampoon, you go directly to Saturday Night Live, because it's a lot of the same people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/from-national-lampoon-you-go-directly-to-saturday-night-live-because/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [When I was on 'Saturday Night Live,' all I did was work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/when-i-was-on-saturday-night-live-all-i-did-was-work/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [The one thing I could do was voices and impersonations and weird characters, and there was really no call for that, except on Saturday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hartman/the-one-thing-i-could-do-was-voices-and-impersonations-and-weird/) [Phil Hartman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hartman/) > [ “The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready; it goes on because it’s 11:30. This is something Lorne \[Michaels\] has said often about Saturday… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/the-show-doesn-t-go-on-because-it-s-ready-it-goes-on-because-it-s-11/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Saturday Night Live is hitting me on a regular basis again. This is my fourth decade that I've been lampooned on Saturday Night Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldo-rivera/saturday-night-live-is-hitting-me-on-a-regular-basis-again-this-is-my/) [Geraldo Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldo-rivera/) > [I'm more of a comedian. I wouldn't mind being on SNL (Saturday Night Live). I think that would be cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheyenne-kimball/i-m-more-of-a-comedian-i-wouldn-t-mind-being-on-snl-saturday-night/) [Cheyenne Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheyenne-kimball/) > ['Saturday Night Live' was the joy of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/saturday-night-live-was-the-joy-of-my-life/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [I'd like to do 'Saturday Night Live.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-scott/i-d-like-to-do-saturday-night-live/) [Willard Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-scott/) > [When I was 8 years old, I watched 'Saturday Night Live,' and I always wanted to be on there and be an entertainer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolph-ziggler/when-i-was-8-years-old-i-watched-saturday-night-live-and-i-always/) [Dolph Ziggler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolph-ziggler/) > [I would love to host 'Saturday Night Live.' That's one of my goals in life - just putting that out there. I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessia-cara/i-would-love-to-host-saturday-night-live-that-s-one-of-my-goals-in/) [Alessia Cara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessia-cara/) > ['Saturday Night Live' is live television. Nothing can compare to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/saturday-night-live-is-live-television-nothing-can-compare-to-that/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [If it weren't for The Groundlings, I would never be on Saturday Night Live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kattan/if-it-weren-t-for-the-groundlings-i-would-never-be-on-saturday-night/) [Chris Kattan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kattan/) > [I think 'Saturday Night Live', starting in the 1970s, really gave women an outlet to be funny. A lot of those women went on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/i-think-saturday-night-live-starting-in-the-1970s-really-gave-women/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) ## More by Kevin Nealon > [I learned how to draw from being bored in school. I would doodle on the margins of my paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-learned-how-to-draw-from-being-bored-in-school-i-would-doodle-on/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I'd been doing some light-beer commercials for Budweiser and Coors, and I was doing stand-up comedy. I wanted to get into the acting world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-d-been-doing-some-light-beer-commercials-for-budweiser-and-coors/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I think people really appreciate clever commercials, as do I. I think they're very entertaining. You just have to wade through all the garbage.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-think-people-really-appreciate-clever-commercials-as-do-i-i-think/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [If you want a transcript of tonight's program, get a pen and write down everything I said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/if-you-want-a-transcript-of-tonight-s-program-get-a-pen-and-write/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I really like to read when I'm eating - 'The New York Times' or the 'Wall Street Journal,' paper version.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-really-like-to-read-when-i-m-eating-the-new-york-times-or-the-wall/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I've noticed a surge when I go out somewhere, or if I'm doing stand-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-ve-noticed-a-surge-when-i-go-out-somewhere-or-if-i-m-doing-stand-up/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I play a lot of sports. I'm not real good at any of them. I'm above adequate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-play-a-lot-of-sports-i-m-not-real-good-at-any-of-them-i-m-above/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [When I first began doing TV pilots, my expectations were high. I didn't understand that world. So when 'Weeds' took off, I was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/when-i-first-began-doing-tv-pilots-my-expectations-were-high-i-didn-t/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [As a comedian, you're kind of like a blues musician; you have to live a little bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/as-a-comedian-you-re-kind-of-like-a-blues-musician-you-have-to-live-a/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [Roxanne came along in '86, when I was doing a lot of stand-up. I auditioned for the movie, and of course I was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/roxanne-came-along-in-86-when-i-was-doing-a-lot-of-stand-up-i/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I became a vegetarian after I became aware of factory farming and slaughterhouses and the torture and inhumane handling of all these animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-became-a-vegetarian-after-i-became-aware-of-factory-farming-and/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I have a severe addiction to 'Angry Birds.' I always tell myself, 'One more game...' But then there's always another and another and another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-have-a-severe-addiction-to-angry-birds-i-always-tell-myself-one/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I really enjoyed working on the 2009 film, 'Aliens in the Attic,' because it was shot in New Zealand and I got to visit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-really-enjoyed-working-on-the-2009-film-aliens-in-the-attic-because/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I tried to read the Bible, I did, but it always felt like a much less awesome Lord of the Rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-tried-to-read-the-bible-i-did-but-it-always-felt-like-a-much-less/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) > [I don't smoke pot or cigarettes, so inhaling smoke as a non-smoker - it doesn't matter what it is, it's going to make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nealon/i-don-t-smoke-pot-or-cigarettes-so-inhaling-smoke-as-a-non-smoker-it/) [Kevin Nealon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) [Explore all 77 Kevin Nealon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nealon/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Saturday Night Live was a show that I never thought I would be on, because I didn't do sketch comedy and I didn't do impressions. 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