Saturday Night Live
It ’s hard to envisage a world without Lorne Michaels serve asSaturday Night Live ’s showrunner , but it ’s inevitable ( and could come rather rather than later ) , intend the TV series would involve to find his replacement . Michaels created the NBC late - night live sketch comedy variety show in 1975,and 50 years later , he ’s still the boss . The producer / writer extraordinaire has accomplish many accomplishments over the course of his time onSaturday Night Live , including106 Emmy nominations ( with 21 profits ) for the drollery legendand launching many actors ' careers . However , all beneficial things must end eventually .
Lorne Michaels ' 106 Primetime Emmy Award nominations contain the record for the most nominating address for an someone in the show ’s history .
5Tina Fey
Cast Member & Writer From 1997 To 2006
Tina Fey is in all likelihood the most obvious option to replace Lorne MichaelsasSaturday Night Live ’s showrunner , see as he has already advocated for her to take over his part . While on the 2024 Emmys red carpeting , an interviewer withEntertainment Tonightasked Michaels if Fey would be considered to replace him if he were to ever pace out fromSNL . He reply :
" It could easy be Tina Fey . Tina is smart as a whip and gravid at everything . She ’s a very important somebody in my sprightliness . "
However , Michaels made it a point to confirm there would be many mass in the running to becomeSNL ’s new showrunner . Still , Fey would be an excellent choice . She join the mixture serial ' penning stave in 1997 , and in 1999,she became the show ’s first distaff head author . Fey officially unite the cast as a featured player in 2000 . By the next twelvemonth , she was promote to the main mould . Fey ultimately leftSNLin 2006 to work on30 Rock , but to this Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , she is considered one of the dear and most important plaster bandage members / writers in the show ’s chronicle .
4Seth Meyers
Cast Member & Writer From 2001 To 2014
apart from Tina Fey , Seth Meyers ' name is the one that is institute up the most when pondering who will take over Lorne Michaels ' job once he retires . Meyers join theSaturday Night Livecast in 2001 , and later became the committal to writing supervisory program in 2005 . One year later , Meyers became the co - head author alongside Fey and Harper Steele . Then , he became the sole head author for the 2006 - 2007 season .
Many Saturday Night Live legend graced the 50th Anniversary Special with the comportment , but original ace Dan Aykroyd was noticeably missing .
Meyers’lastSNLepisodecame in 2014 as he left the serial tosucceed Jimmy Fallon as theLate Nighthost on NBC.More than a tenner has passed and Meyers remains theLate Nighthost and executive producer . So , it ’s dependable to say that Meyers is more than qualified to beSNL ’s new showrunner .
3John Mulaney
Writer From 2008 To 2013
John Mulaney would be a great pick to pace into Lorne Michaels ' shoes — he has prominent experience onSaturday Night Live , received several Emmy nominations for his piece of work on the kind serial , and is but screaming . Mulaney auditioned forSNLin 2008 and secured a place on the penning stave . Over his years with the show , Mulaney wrote many acclaimed sketches and make various memorable characters(likeBill Hader ’s Stefon ) .
John Mulaney ’s Notable Movies & TV Shows
Role
Writer / Producer / Host / Various character
Mulaney
Himself / Creator / Executive Producer / Writer
Documentary Now !
Writer / Producer / Actor
Big Mouth
Andrew Glouberman ( voice)/Consulting Producer
Spider - Man : Into the Spider - Verse
Peter Porker / Spider - Ham ( part )
John Mulaney : Kid Gorgeous at Radio City
Himself
After leavingSaturday Night Livein 2013 , Mulaney performed a pot of standup . He has also written and produce for other telly appearance , includingDocumentary Now!Most latterly , Mulaney return to Studio 8H to write for and seem inSaturday Night Live ’s " SNL50 : The Anniversary Special"in February 2025.Consequently , it wo n’t be a surprisal if Mulaney is chosen to supersede Michaels .
2Steve Higgins
Producer & Writer From 1995 To Present
Out of everyone , Steve Higgins is the most qualified person to succeed Lorne Michaels asSaturday Night Live ’s showrunner . Higgins has served as a producer and author on NBC ’s sketch comedy variety serial since 1995 , dedicate him more than three decades of experience within the wall of Studio 8H. In summation toSNL , Higgins has also work out with Jimmy Fallon since 2009 . He was the announcer forLate Night with Jimmy Fallonand continued the stead when Fallon deal overThe Tonight Show . It ’s soft to see how Higgins is one of the ( if notthe ) salutary candidates for the job .
1Conan O’Brien
Writer From 1988 To 1991
Last , but certainly not least , Conan O’Brien should , without a doubt , be believe to take overLorne Michaels ' job atSaturday Night Liveonce he retires . Michaels hired O’Brien as anSNLwriter in 1988.He remained on the writing faculty until he chose to leave in 1991 .
Over the years , O’Brien has continued producing and hosting several TV serial and perform standup , make him a great candidate to replace Michaels asSaturday Night Live ’s showrunner .
Two years afterward , Michaels chose O’Brien to follow David Letterman as the host ofLate Night . He stayed there for 16 years , and to this twenty-four hours , stay on the show ’s longest - serving host . Over the age , O’Brien has continued producing and host several TV series and performed standup , making him a swell candidate to replace Michaels asSaturday Night Live ’s showrunner .
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Cast
Sources : The Hollywood Reporter , Entertainment Tonight