Andy Samberg is a beloved figure in Saturday Night Live history. He brought a unique model to the show with his Digital Shorts, and was a core member of the 2000s cast that many consider to be the last wave of SNL talent. He's back in a cameo capacity in season 50, but it has not proven to be any easier for him.
Samberg talked about his SNL return on the October 28 episode of the Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast. He has played Kamala Harris' husband Doug Emhoff in multiple episodes, but he admitted to his fellow podcast hosts that he has struggled to keep up with the show's intense pace.
Samberg left Saturday Night Live in 2012
Samberg has enjoyed returning to his comedy alma mater, but it has also revived some of the aspects that initially caused him to leave the show in 2012:
"It's been really fun going back, but again, also inheriting—re-inheriting—the stress of it and being like, 'Oh, right, this is intense.'"
The Lonely Island co-founder has been open about his struggles to maintain a tough SNL schedule during his time on the show. He discussed his experience at length during an appearance on the talk show Hart to Heart. "For me, it was like I can’t actually endure it anymore," he explained to host Kevin Hart. "Physically and emotionally. I was falling apart in my life."
Samberg enjoys having less responsibility
On the bright side, Samberg told Seth Meyers and the other Lonely Island members that being relegated to a cameo role has made his job on SNL significantly easier. "It’s a little bit more mellow because we know why we’re there specifically," he conceded.
He was initially thrown, but delighted, when he realized that he could merely focus on his Emhoff material and not all the other sketches in the show. Plus, Samberg has gotten the seal of approval from Emhoff himself. The Second Gentleman feels Samberg has done a "good job" impersonating him.