SNL's Taran Killam Responds To Chevy Chase Slamming The Show
For six seasons, actor Taran Killam was an esteemed member of the Saturday Night Live crew, only to get fired in 2016. Since then, Killam has been mostly cordial when discussing his former gig, but he did get quite a bit more frank when asked to respond to the harsh criticisms recently leveled against SNL by original cast member Chevy Chase, who basically called the show "the worst fucking humor in the world." Somewhat surprisingly, Killam didn't fully disagree with Chase, even if he wasn't totally in agreement, either. In his words:
After becoming largely responsible for turning Saturday Night Live into a television sensation, thanks to his deadpan deliveries and sharp writing, Chevy Chase famously became the show's first cast member to make a headline-grabbing exit, which happened in the middle of the second season. Considering Taran Killam didn't get the luxury of a choice when it came to leaving SNL, one might even think he would lean harder into agreeing with Chase about how far the sketch comedy series has supposedly fallen over time. Killam stays on the fence, though, accepting Chase's opinions while also seemingly pointing out that the comedy icon's first season was "uneven" even during its high moments.
But then again, Saturday Night Live was the gig that turned Taran Killam into a household name in the world of comedy, and the entertainment world is one where it's usually best not to bite the hand that feeds. Especially when that hand has launched so many outstanding careers in the past four decades, with Chase definitely included in that bunch. And in talking with Fox News, Killam did say that it's difficult to appreciate the complexities of putting SNL together without actually being in the thick of it.
Don't expect to see Chevy Chase doing any guest-hosting on Saturday Night Live for Season 44, seeing as how he's still technically banned from doing so. But even though he's still made random appearances from time to time, these most recent comments probably won't earn him any gold-sealed invitations. Perhaps he and Killam could start up a show together.
Taran Killam actually had a year left on his contract with SNL whenever he and co-star Jay Pharoah were let go. Since then, the actor wrote and directed the action comedy Killing Gunther, in which he co-starred opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger. And he'll be starring in the new ABC sitcom Single Parents, which starts up this week. Saturday Night Live, meanwhile, will debut on NBC on Saturday, September 29, at 11:30 p.m. ET. Head to our fall premiere schedule to see what else will be hitting the small screen soon.
CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper. Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.