We’ve been living in the age of technology for years now, and with AI creeping its way into every facade of life, it stands out that some late-night hosts are still using cue cards in the year 2025. But there’s a good reason why Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and even Conan O’Brien have refused to retire cue cards in favor of teleprompters, and Saturday Night Live plays a big role in that decision.
Meyers addressed the popular question a few weeks ago during a question and answer session with one of his Late Night audiences. Via Instagram, the Weekend Update alum started off his answer by introducing the audience to Wally Feresten, the infamous cue card holder/writer, before saying:
Wally does cue cards at SNL. He did the very first cue card I ever read off of. Everyone who comes off of SNL sticks with cue cards.
The variety sketch show, which just celebrated its 50th anniversary, has been using cue cards since the show began. While SNL isn't without its own mistakes, rare is it ever the fault of the cue cards, which is probably why so many alumni and current cast members continue to swear by them.
It’s not just loyalty to Wally — who also works on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon — that keeps Meyers and other late-night hosts from ditching the cue cards in favor of technological advances like the teleprompter, but rather the safety net the cards provide. Meyers elaborated:
And the times in my career where I’ve used teleprompters at things like awards shows, I just never have confidence that it’s gonna go smoothly. They’ll either going to scroll too fast or too slow. Or, you know, in the worst case, the power will go off.
These are all very valid concerns that have caused problems for teleprompter-only productions like the 2017 Golden Globes, where the teleprompter broke on Fallon, and silence followed for several seconds until production could fix the problem. With such bad experiences stemming from teleprompters, it’s no surprise that these SNL vets rely on tried and true cue cards to get their shows done.
Of course, accidents can happen with cue cards, too, but it’s likely a much easier and quicker fix than having to wait for a teleprompter to be repaired while the cameras roll. After all, all cue card users have to worry about is human error, and a professional like Wally isn’t going to let that happen. And if something were to happen to him, well, Meyers can explain his backup plan:
And that’s the thing, you know, if a teleprompter goes down, you’re fucked, whereas if Wally goes down, god forbid, someone else just picks up the cards.
All jokes aside, cue cards really do provide some comfort to those who work with them — especially when Wally is the one behind the giant cards. Next time you watch one of the late-night shows or even an upcoming episode of Saturday Night Live, keep your eyes peeled for Wally and his team of cue card holders.
You can catch new episodes of Late Night with Seth Meyers weeknights at 12:35 a.m. or next day with an active Peacock subscription.
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