How far would you go just to rub shoulders with the stars of Saturday Night Live? For one future television star, losing her job was worth the price of admission to party with her SNL idols.
The Office star Jenna Fischer joined the Fly on the Wall podcast to tell hosts David Spade and Dana Carvey all about her once-in-a-lifetime SNL experience. It came years before the country came to know Fischer as Pam Beesley.
Fischer was working as a typist covering TV Critics Association events. One minor perk of the otherwise unglamours job was that Fischer could attend certain events once her work was done.
So when the opportunity arose to attend a Saturday Night Live party in Los Angeles, Fischer was willing to risk it all. "I started pretending like I didn't feel good because I was going to make an excuse that I was soick so that I could get off work on time and then sneak into this party," Fischer shared on the podcast.
The plan worked and Fischer soon found herself face-to-face with some of Saturday Night Live's biggest stars. Among those who made an impression on the future Office star were Norm MacDonald and Molly Shannon.
Fischer admitted she approached Shannon and shared her admiration for the SNL icon. According to Fischer, Shannon replied with some life-changing advice.
"She looked at me, took me by the shoulders, looked me deep in the eyes and said 'Don't give up. Whatever you do, don't give up. It took me 10 years to get on Saturday Night Live, and my best dvice to you is just know it'll happen.""
The incredible meeting came at a cost, however. Fischer's boss and coworkers were also at the party, meaning her cover was blown. The company fired her from her typist job, but Fischer claimed meeting Shannon made it all worth it.
Jenna Fischer eventually made it on to Saturday Night Live
It makes sense why Jenna Fischer was willing to risk her job to meet some Saturday Night Live idols. She admitted her SNL fandom to David Spade and Dana Carvey during their Fly on the Wall chat.
"I'm a huge Saturday Night Live nerd," she said. 'The greatest part about being on The Office and being on NBC was that I got to breathe the same air as Saturday Night Live people."
Eventually, Fischer got the chance to enter Studio 8H through an invitation. She made a cameo appearance during a 2018 episode hosted by her Office co-star, Steve Carell. And SNL's Office parodies have also added to Fischer's SNL connections.