Lorne Michaels has been the wizard behind the curtain at Saturday Night Live for (almost) the show's entire 50 year history. So when he gives a cast member a note, they should listen closely.
Michaels is responsible for introducing the world to some of the biggest names in comedy. Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, and Bill Hader are just a few of the now household names who got their start under Michaels' watch.
Several of those stars recently sat down with People to reflect on the show's 50 year history and what makes Saturday Night Live special. Of course, Michaels is a major part of that, and he's doled out some wise words of advice along the way.
For Kate McKinnon, it was a physical tic that caught Michaels' attention. She revealed the SNL boss told her to stop opening her eyes so wide during sketches. "He was right," McKinnon admitted. "And I was eventually able to curb that ... a little bit."
Leslie Jones launched into an impression of Michaels when she shared the note she gave her. Apparently, Michaels wanted Jones to focus on "levels," and not always start the sketch at a 10. Considering Jones' loud, over-the-top persona, this was likely a challenging adjustment for the otherwise confident performer.
Kenan Thompson has more experience working with Michaels than anyone in Saturday Night Live cast history. He shared that MIichaels uses "Jedi mind tricks" to get his point across. Thompson gave the example of Michaels pulling him aside before a sketch to say "you know, this is should be funny, right?"
Other cast members said that Michaels ability to deliver nonverbal notes made a difference. Molly Shannon recalled the calming look Michaels gave her before a sketch where the set design wasn't ideal.
Current cast member Bowen Yang shared something similar. Michaels "slow down" motion was exactly what Yang needed to keep from rushing through a sketch or line delivery.
Every cast member sounded as if they genuinely appreciated the notes from Michaels. However, there are cases in SNL history where ignoring feedback from the SNL boss didn't end up so well.
Michaels will welcome back 50 years worth of his employees past and present when Saturday Night Live airs its anniversary special in February. One could imagine a lot of note-sharing and story-swapping going on backstage that night.