‘SNL’s Kevin Nealon reveals how he learned why he lost Weekend Update…
It took Kevin Nealon over 30 years to search out out why he lost his job at the “Weekend Update” desk on “Saturday Night Live.”
“I’m just finishing reading that book called ‘Lorne.’ It’s about Lorne Michaels. And I’m learning what happened behind the scenes that I didn’t know about,” the comic, 72, told “Obsessed: The Podcast” host Matt Wilstein over the weekend.
In 1994, at which point Nealon had been on “Weekend Update” for 3 years, Entertainment Weekly revealed an article titled “Is ‘Saturday Night’ Dead?” that listed 20 methods the present ought to enhance — and firing Nealon was at the top of the checklist.
Kevin Nealon speaking about “SNL” on a podcast. The Daily Beastâs Obsessed and The Daily Beast/Youtube
Kevin Nealon, Norm MacDonald during “Weekend Update” on “SNL” in 1994. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal by way of Getty Images
In her 2025 biography about “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels, Susan Morrison wrote, “The network felt the same way and were ready to meddle. Nealon was a superb sketch player, but there was a sense that, on Update, he was a mushmouth, his delivery not crisp enough.”
On the podcast, Nealon said that NBC West Coast President Don Ohlmeyer, whom he famous “was in and out of rehab” at the time, was chargeable for his firing.
“I knew I got taken off of there because he wasn’t happy with me, but I didn’t know until I read the book that one of the reasons was he said I was ‘mushmouth,’” Nealon explained. “He couldn’t understand some of the things I was saying.”
“And for someone who, you know, is a partier like him, I think he knows what ‘mushmouth’ is about,” Nealon added.
Kevin Nealon during a “Weekend Update” skit in October 1986. NBCUniversal by way of Getty Images
Dana Carvey, Kevin Nealon during an “SNL” skit in 1987. NBCUniversal by way of Getty Images
Kevin Nealon performs at The Ice House Comedy Club in May 2025. Getty Images for ABA
Ohlmeyer hung out in rehab in 1996. He died of cancer at age 72 in 2017.
Nealon, who was changed by the late Norm MacDonald on “Weekend Update,” explained that he didn’t thoughts shedding the gig because his plate was already too full.
“That was fine too, because it was a lot of work for me,” Nealon shared. “I was doing ‘Weekend Update,’ and I was writing sketches and characters, and being in sketches. So it was hard to juggle the two. I had to write a lot of the jokes for ‘Weekend Update,’ which started on late Friday night and Saturday, because you couldn’t do the material or the areas that the late-night talk show hosts did during the week.”
Dennis Miller and Kevin Nealon during “Weekend Update” on “SNL” in October 1987. NBCUniversal by way of Getty Images
Joe Montana and Kevin Nealon during the NFL Today” skit in 1987. NBCUniversal by way of Getty Images
The solid of “Saturday Night Live” Season 18 in 1992. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal by way of Getty Images
Nealon continued, “Saturday morning, I was up, and I had all the newspapers on the table. So I was doing that and trying to wrangle that altogether and then oversee a sketch I wrote, and it was a lot of work, but I enjoyed doing it for the three years.”
The “Weeds” actor also spoke about how Bill Murray ranked Nealon as the ninth-best “Weekend Update” anchor ever during the “SNL” fiftieth anniversary particular last yr.
“You know what? I was not a big fan of myself on the ‘Weekend Update,’” he admitted. “People always tell me how much they loved me on ‘Weekend Update.’ Of course that was 30 years ago, and at the time it felt right to me. I guess I wouldn’t do anything differently.”
Kevin Nealon and his spouse Susan Yeagley at “SNL50” in Feb. 2025. Noam Galai/NBC by way of Getty Images
Nealon joined “SNL” in 1986 and started engaged on “Weekend Update” in 1991.
He was fired from the news parody phase in 1994 and stayed on the present for one more yr.
We offer you the latest trending matters on C-lebrity. Get the best latest Entertainment news and content on our web site daily.