Category - Movies
Ben Stiller ‘Didn't Enjoy’ Time on ‘SNL’: ‘I Knew I Couldn't Do Well There’
Ben Stiller has been making people laugh for decades, but his short stint as a Saturday Night Live writer and featured performer was anything but a fun time.
In an interview with The New York Times, Stiller discussed his wildly successful career as an actor and director and even gave some insight into why he left SNL after only four episodes in 1989.
"I knew that I couldn't do well there because I wasn't great at live performing. I got too nervous. I didn't enjoy it and I wanted to be making short films," he told the publication. "So in the moment, there are reasons, and I have this opportunity to do this MTV show [The Ben Stiller Show].
Stiller said he had always dreamed of being on the live sketch comedy show, but things just didn't work out, he admitted, "Looking back on it, I don't remember exactly how I had the gumption, but for whatever reason, I followed that instinct."
He also let The Times in on how notorious SNL boss Lorne Michaels took the news of his leaving the program, quoting him as saying, "Ben's going to do what Ben's going to do."
His departure led to the creation of his massive successes in comedies like Meet the Parents, the Night at the Museum franchise, and There's Something About Mary.
The nervousness that plagued him during his SNL time has passed, he said, explaining how his outlook on career has changed.
"I'm at this point in my life, do I really want to take this chance right now? How much do I care about what the quote unquote bad result is? You care a little less about that. The day after something doesn't do well or if it gets bad reviews, it's not like anything in your life has changed," he said.
Next up for Stiller is the Jan. 17 season two premiere of the hit Apple TV+ show Severance, for which he is a director and executive producer.