What would “Saturday Night Live” be without its ringleader Lorne Michaels?
The creator of the long, long running NBC comedy sketch show is thinking about retirement.
Michaels, 77, told “CBS Mornings” on Monday that he is contemplating leaving following the show’s 50th anniversary in the 2024-2025 season.
“You know, I think I’m committed to doing this show until its 50th anniversary, which is in three years,” he said. “I’d like to see that through and I have a feeling that’d be a really good time to leave. But … I won’t want the show ever to be bad. I care too deeply about it. It’s been my life’s work. So I’m going to do everything I can to see it carry on.”
The Canadian-born TV producer has been a part of the “SNL” family since its early beginnings in 1975. He produced the show until 1980 and came back onboard from 1985 until present day.
When Michaels was asked if the variety series would be able to continue without his hand at helm, he said, “Of course. I have a sense of where we’re headed with that, you know.”
But he refused to name who would take his place, adding: “I’m not going to go on about it — it’s three years away.”
Elsewhere in the interview, the Emmy Award-winner and star-maker was asked if he believed that comedy nowadays is limited.
“I think it’s up to the writer or the performer to figure out how to do it,” he explained. “There are lots of things that, when you hear the idea, sounds awful. But if they can do, I don’t think anything’s out of bounds, is what I’m saying, if there’s enough talent to figure out how to get it across.”
In 2020, Michaels also mentioned retiring in the near future. He told NBC’s “Today” at the time, “I really deserve to wander off” after the show’s 50th anniversary.
The new season of “SNL” kicked off this past October to abysmal ratings. The premiere episode starred Owen Wilson and was down 35 percent from last season’s opener. Just 3.5 million viewers watched the episode.
The final episode of the season aired on Dec. 18 and was almost canceled due to an in-house outbreak of positive COVID-19 cases, The Post exclusively learned. Singer Charli XCX was supposed to perform but was barred from attending.
In a statement, a show rep said: “Due to the recent spike in the Omicron variant and out of an abundance of caution, there will be no live audience for tonight’s taping of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and the show will have limited cast and crew. The show continues to follow all government safety guidelines in addition to a rigorous testing protocol.”
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