Fifty years ago, Lorne Michaels didn’t believe in firing people, according to original Saturday Night Live cast member Laraine Newman.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in a September 2025 interview, the SNL OG reflected on the showrunner’s attitude in the early days of the NBC sketch comedy series.
“That was the time when Lorne didn’t fire people,” Newman, 73, said. “For better or for worse, he was very clear that he did not believe in firing people. That stood for a while, and then that changed.”
Newman was one of the original stars on Saturday Night Live when it made its debut on Oct. 11, 1975. The original “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” also included John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, and more.
Newman left SNL in 1980 after five seasons, along with Radner, Curtin, Morris, and Bill Murray, amid stalled contract negotiations. At the time, Michaels also quit the show, but he returned to the helm in 1985, per Ultimate Classic Rock.
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In the many decades since, summertime exits have become a theme for SNL. Ahead of Season 51, multiple cast members were not asked back, including Emil Wakim, Michael Longfellow, and veteran star Heidi Gardner.
An insider told The New York Postthat Gardner’s contract was not renewed after eight seasons. “It’s time for a new cast,” the source told the outlet.
In an interview with Pucklast month, Michaels confirmed that after keeping the core cast together for the show’s milestone 50th season, it felt time to reinvent SNL for Season 51. “I wanted people coming back and being part of [the 50th season],” he explained. “And that meant there couldn’t be those kind of disruptions [to the cast], or anything that was going to take the focus off [the 50th season]. “
As for Season 51’s departing cast members, Newman told THR she was especially sad to see Longfellow go, noting she was sure he would find success in whatever he does next. “What I’ve noticed about [former SNL] people is, they always thrive. Michaela Watkins had one season. There are so many people [like] that,” she said.
