Saturday Night Live’s legendary producer Lorne Michaels has seen it all in his five decades at the sketch comedy show. But even he has his limits when it comes to performers pushing themselves too hard.
On a recent episode of the Fly on the Wall podcast, actor Jack Black revealed an anecdote Michaels shared with him following his high-energy return to the show in April. Black told hosts David Spade and Dana Carvey that Michaels seemed concerned about Black's health.
“Lorne said the funniest thing. I don’t think he was trying to be funny,” Black recalled. After seeing Black rehearse his musical monologue, which included a tiger roll, live vocals, and a wild trek around the studio, Michaels pulled Black aside to share a cautionary tale from SNL’s early days.
“He told me about Desi Arnaz hosting the show back in the ‘70s,” Black said. Arnaz, the I Love Lucy icon, appeared on the February 21, 1976 episode during the show’s inaugural season. Though he was only 59, Michaels apparently grew concerned when Arnaz insisted on performing his signature number, “Babalú,” while drumming alongside the band.
“Lorne was a little worried about it,” Black explained. “He was starting to sweat and struggle physically. Then [Lorne] looked closer on the screen and he’s like, ‘Desi’s lips started to turn blue.’”
Michaels ultimately made a quick call to cut to commercial, fearing Arnaz might collapse on live television. Black was surprised that Michaels shared the story with him. “I was like, ‘Wait a second, are you telling me this story because you’re worried I’m going to die?’” he asked Michaels.
The 80-year-old producer didn’t deny it. “He was just warning me not to go too hard,” Black said. “Because if I went full hard as a motherf*****, that I could die.”
Black, 55, admitted the physicality of the monologue was demanding, and wasn’t even his idea. But despite the challenge, he powered through his fourth time hosting the show, 20 years after his last appearance.
As for Arnaz, he lived another decade after that SNL episode, passing away in 1986 at age 69.