Lorne Michaels teases Tina Fey could easily take over as ‘SNL’ showrunner
In a pretty fetch development, Lorne Michaels says Tina Fey could “easily” succeed him when the “Saturday Night Live” creator retires from the iconic sketch comedy show.
Michaels, 79, told Entertainment Tonight that while he’s not leaving just yet, the “Mean Girls” scribe could potentially return to the show where she already made history as its first female head writer.
“It could easily be Tina Fey,” the 21-time Emmy winner told the outlet on the red carpet of Monday’s 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, where Fey and Amy Poehler reunited to present an award via a “Weekend Update” segment.
“We’re doing the 50th anniversary show in February of ’25. So I will definitely be there for that and definitely be there until that,” said Michaels, who produced both incarnations of “Mean Girls,” as well as Fey-created sitcom “30 Rock.”
Despite the “brilliant” Fey being a definite contender in the race to succeed him as showrunner, Michaels said “SNL” currently boasts “a lot of people” who could do the job.
“Of course I’ve thought about it,” he said.
Earlier this month, Fey told the “Today” show that she has no interest in envisioning “SNL” without its storied creator.
“Y’all better pass. Stop. No ma’am,” she said. “He’s not going to retire. He has an elixir and he will live forever.”
In any case, “SNL” isn’t the only thing on Fey’s mind these days. The musical remake of “Mean Girls” hit theaters last week. Fey penned and stars as Ms. Norbury in both films, the most recent of which is based on the Broadway adaptation of the original 2004 big screen hit, starring Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams as new girl Cady Heron and queen bee Regina George.
