The SNL50 content blitz is in full swing, often overwhelmingly so. Recently featured on the Peacock docuseries episode detailing the show’s audition process, Bobby Moynihan, who grew up as an ardent fan, finally realized his lifelong ambition by becoming a cast member in 2008. As a child, Moynihan seemed destined for SNL, with his mother even purchasing Dan Aykroyd-endorsed SNL merchandise for him. Now, several seasons after completing a nine-year stint at 8H, Moynihan remains proud of his tenure and feels that the show still lacks a void of his dimensions.
After Stefon stepped away from the “Weekend Update” desk in 2013, Moynihan’s Drunk Uncle emerged as the segment’s most memorable and uproarious commentator. This character embodied the style that Moynihan infused into his popular characters – such as Anthony Crispino, Snooki, and Riblet – during his time there: boisterous, unruly, and over-the-top extroverted. As he moves forward in his post-“SNL” career, Moynihan should be recognized for the way he subtly guided the show through its transition from its latest Golden Age and into its current phase during the early Trump years. In a recent interview shortly after the Los Angeles wildfires, Moynihan looked back on his “SNL” run as the big anniversary approached.
Could you share with me the backstory of your unique collection of SNL-related autographs? It all started from my deep love for Saturday Night Live. One Christmas, my mom surprised me with an SNL baseball jersey. At that time, Dan Aykroyd had a clothing line called Roots, where he sold SNL merchandise briefly. My mom was thoughtful and often said, “When you join SNL, everyone can sign this!” Over nine years, I managed to get everyone to sign this jersey before framing it. The collection includes numerous signatures from stars like Bruce Springsteen, former cast members, and even Paul McCartney, who is the only one I have a photo of signing it. During the wildfire clearance, this was what I chose to save – a giant black bag filled with hundreds of SNL autographs.
Growing up, what other sketch shows aside from SNL did you find particularly influential? Well, I was quite thrilled when I discovered ‘Mr. Show’. It was either SNL or ‘The State’ that led me there, with performers like Kerri Kenney, Tom Lennon, and Ken Marino. Later on, it was the UCB TV show that captured my heart. One day, while doing an Off-Broadway show post-college, I was walking down the street and saw a sign for UCB above a door. I bought a ticket, watched the show, and never looked back. I was just beginning to realize that sketch comedy exists in various forms, and it can differ significantly from SNL.
What route did you take to become part of the New York comedy scene and when did your paths cross with Derrick Comedy? After studying acting at UConn, I joined a Shakespeare company for tours, but deep down, I felt more drawn to comedy. However, I didn’t actively pursue it, thinking I’d be a stage actor by default. Then, I discovered UCB and that was my turning point. Amy Poehler, who later joined SNL, even offered me a bartender job for free classes there. A few months after that, she became a huge star on Saturday Night Live.
One of my earliest classes at UCB was with Zach Woods, who commuted from Pennsylvania and was only fifteen years old. I remember thinking to myself, “This kid is extraordinary!” Then, some college students approached me and asked if I wanted to visit their apartment to shoot a video the next day. They explained that they made these videos and shared them online – something unheard of back then. I agreed, and we filmed the “Bro Rape” video with Donald Glover, DC Pierson, and others.
A year later, while on my way to film their movie, my car broke down in Connecticut. Dan Eckman’s mother had to rescue me and drive me to Donald Glover’s house – quite a challenging experience! When I arrived at the set of “Mystery Team”, there was a craft-service table laden with food. I remember being puzzled, thinking, “What’s going on? I thought we were just shooting it like last time?” They informed me that they had sold a million T-shirts instead. [Laughs.]
It’s astonishing to me how that film stands out, as it features actors who later became famous. The circumstances back then were fortunate for me, and I believe that’s why – because we all shared a strong dedication, camaraderie, talent, and an eagerness to deliver our best. It seems like there was a group of us who genuinely enjoyed making each other laugh, and now they are all thriving in their careers. A significant moment in my life came when I could tune into network television almost every night and watch any one of my friends performing.
In another context, I’d say: Given our discussion about “Bro Rape,” I can’t help but wonder what your current perspective is since the internet was in a different phase back then. To me, it appears to be a group of friends experimenting with humor at a particular point in time. I hope that its appeal lies more in their camaraderie and shared laughter rather than any underlying message. To me, it’s like reminiscing about goofing off on a Sunday, and now discussing it here.
It’s been quite some time since I last saw Don, possibly during the SNL auditions. Then, about a year ago, I found myself at Descanso Gardens with my kids, standing by a pond when a children’s train passed by. To my surprise, Donald Glover was on it. I gave him a vague wave and asked, “Is that…?” Some 15 minutes later, he approached me from behind and said, “It is you. What’s up, man?” It’s incredible to reflect on the fact that we collaborated on ‘Bro Rape’ and now, as I prepare for my 50th SNL performance, he’s a musical legend and an absolute genius. Truly mind-blowing!
https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=HJn-C-PA3iA
It was quite surprising to learn that you had already secured movie roles before officially joining the cast, even with me! When I got SNL, I had to decline a couple of opportunities. One of them was auditioning for The Tooth Fairy alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Eventually, Billy Crystal played that part instead.
How did you manage to land such an iconic SNL audition? Well, my work at UCB certainly caught their attention, but also I was part of a tour called the Kings of Improv, which might have grabbed Mike Shoemaker and Lindsay Shookus’s notice. Then, I received a call inviting me to audition. Initially, I asked for some time beforehand as I didn’t want to rush it or miss the opportunity.
1st Attempt: After trying out for the role initially, I almost made it but then the writers’ strike occurred, and I didn’t get it. However, I was brought back in a few months later for another audition. At that time, I did a variety of things that I found amusing since I was struggling to find my footing. My first tryout consisted of presenting three characters and three impressions, while the second one was… As a child, I would often approach strangers in my car and say, “Hey, could you roll down your window?” Then I would ask, “Do you know how to get to Arbolado Drive?” If they said no, I would continue giving directions for as long as possible until they either interrupted me, drove away, or did something else. It was an odd routine that I thought was hilarious. Tina Fey once laughed heartily at it, and I remember thinking, “Thank you, Tina. That means a lot to me.”
2nd Attempt: Initially, I tried out for the role but didn’t make it due to the writers’ strike. Later, I was invited back for another audition. During that time, I attempted several comedic acts since I was scrambling for ideas. My initial tryout showcased three characters and three impressions, while my second one was… When I was young, I would frequently stop cars and ask, “Do you know how to get to Arbolado Drive?” If they said no, I would keep on providing directions until they either interrupted me, drove away, or did something else. It was an unusual act that I found funny. Tina Fey once laughed hard at it, and I instantly thought, “Thank you, Tina. That means a lot to me.”
3rd Attempt: First, I auditioned for the role but didn’t get it because of the writers’ strike. Later, I was given another chance to try out. During that period, I showed off some comedic acts since I was trying to think of something funny. My first audition included three characters and three impressions, while my second one was… As a kid, I would frequently approach strangers in my car and ask, “Do you know how to get to Arbolado Drive?” If they said no, I would continue giving directions until they either interrupted me, drove away, or did something else. It was an unusual routine that I found funny. Tina Fey once laughed hard at it, and I immediately thought, “Thank you, Tina. That means a lot to me.”
4th Attempt: In the beginning, I auditioned for the part but didn’t get it due to the writers’ strike. Later, I got another opportunity to try out. During that phase, I showcased some comedic acts since I was in search of humor. My initial audition displayed three characters and three impressions, while my second one was… When I was young, I would often pull up next to strangers in my car and ask, “Do you know how to get to Arbolado Drive?” If they said no, I would continue giving directions until they either interrupted me, drove away, or did something else. It was an unusual act that I found amusing. Tina Fey once laughed heartily at it, and I instantly thought, “Thank you, Tina. That means a lot to me.”
5th Attempt: At first, I tried out for the part but didn’t get it due to the writers’ strike. Later, I was given another chance to audition. During that time, I attempted some comedic acts since I was trying to be funny. My first tryout featured three characters and three impressions, while my second one was… As a child, I would frequently approach strangers in my car and ask, “Do you know how to get to Arbolado Drive?” If they said no, I would continue giving directions until they either interrupted me, drove away, or did something else. It was an unusual routine that I thought was funny. Tina Fey once laughed hard at it, and I instantly thought, “Thank you, Tina. That means a lot to me.
Later on, I found Lorne in the restroom, right by the urinal, and he said to me, “You did well. You really nailed it.” And I recall wondering, “Did he actually say ‘nailed it’?” To myself, I thought that was quite a youthful phrase, and I even mused, “I suppose I won’t receive another compliment ever again.” [Laughs.]
Which other characters or performances did you showcase during your audition?
The character Mark Payne from my initial show was definitely one of them, although some others are not ones I’m particularly proud of. We recently screened a 50th-anniversary documentary, and it showed our original auditions. It was quite a shock to see myself as a child, trying so desperately to achieve something I loved. I did an impression of Jack Black at a funeral, and also portrayed Johnny Cash on sleeping pills – though I usually don’t do impressions. Instead, it was the skit itself that mattered more. For this performance, I placed a stool, took out a pretend guitar, and declared, “This is Johnny Cash on sleeping pills.” After that, I simply climbed onto the stool and pretended to snore for about 30 seconds.
In a subsequent audition, I spontaneously said, “Hey, how’s it going? This is my new item – it’s an ‘ass hat,’ half of your backside!” I improvised a phony commercial. Reflecting on it now, I can see that it was clever, but at the time, I didn’t understand that I was simply revealing my genuine self. It was unintentional, and I didn’t realize I was doing it, but looking back, I believe that moment was a significant part of my time at Saturday Night Live.
What’s the origin story behind “Ass Dan”? Have any changes been made to it?
It hasn’t been workshopped. Mike O’Brien is simply a very humorous person who wrote that, and we captured an image of it, and now we’re discussing it in a documentary. It brings me immense joy. One of the best real-life shout-outs I ever received was in Times Square. There were lots of people there, and as I walked through, I noticed a hand pointing straight at me from the crowd, saying, “Rest in peace, Ass Dan!” and continued walking. It was fantastic.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=dkuneZKbIXs
What was the origin of Drunk Uncle? At five in the morning, I was brainstorming for a different sketch. Colin asked if I had anything since he needed to write an ‘Update’ segment. When I joined SNL, they required a list of existing characters, presumably to claim ownership if they became profitable. I jotted down “Drunk Uncle Mike” without knowing its meaning. It was just a placeholder for potential future use. I said, “I often make my friend Chris Gethard laugh with a drunk act, so I could play the role of a drunk uncle, that guy at your house everyone has.” Colin replied, “Great, thanks.” I remember thinking I would at least have that character later during the read-through. But it flopped. However, here I am holding a Drunk Uncle Funko Pop figure, and fifteen-year-old Bobby can’t believe it exists. It still doesn’t make sense to me.
Have there been discussions about a Drunk Uncle film? Well, informally, yes, among our circle. But it was always just casual chatter, nothing formal ever came of it. A two-hour movie of random racist jokes wouldn’t be entertaining. [Laughs.] However, I had a concept in mind. He was an exterminator who discovers an alien in a crawl space and saves the world. It was once mentioned that he was an actual exterminator in real life. The film was going to depict his miserable life with his wife, and it was about his struggle to sober up. In the end, despite his belief that he would never get sober, he manages to save the world.
Was “Riblet” a humorous inside reference that originated with Che? This idea came about when my college roommate and close friend, Dan Sharon (who I often used as a character on SNL), called me one night after Che started and said something like, “This guy is terrible. I could do this job.” I was taken aback and asked, “What?” It turns out that Dan’s profession is exterminator, which is where I got the name from. I found it so amusing and rude, and Che thought it was a great idea to incorporate it into the show. So, the joke essentially revolved around me, as Che’s college friend, telling him that he wasn’t doing well in his job.
Are there any characters or aspects from your time on the show that you feel didn’t get as much recognition as they should have, or characters that you regret weren’t included which you found particularly enjoyable to develop?
Not overlooked — the ones that are recognized are the ones that deserved to be. I often think about Anthony Crispino and writing Snooki with Christine Nangle. That time at SNL was truly special, so I connect the character with the people I created it with, and the fun we had developing it. My favorite character that I wrote was Janet Peckinpaugh, which I developed with Bryan Tucker, Rob Klein, and John Solomon. It was just right up my alley; it’s a hat on a hat. It’s very silly, stupid, and brings me joy.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=xL57Oymc0qs
Among the sketches that didn’t get selected for our production, I was particularly disappointed about one titled “Party for Burl.” The character, Burl, was portrayed as a man who weighed 900 pounds and wore a custom-built suit with a chair and a mound on it, from which his head emerged. The plot revolved around Burl achieving his goal weight of 900 pounds, a moment celebrated by everyone present, including Jane Lynch, who played his wife and acted as the host. It was an emotional scene, with Lynch expressing her admiration for Burl’s accomplishments. However, during our meeting to discuss the final lineup, they replaced “Party for Burl” with another sketch featuring Suze Orman. This had never occurred before in my previous experiences working there.
As a devoted cinema enthusiast, let me recount an encounter I had with Jane Lynch following a movie event. She approached me and said, “I’m really sorry. Suze is a friend of mine, so we’ll be reprising that role.” I responded, “You don’t grasp the gravity – it will never, under any circumstance, ever have another chance.” At the time, I was heartbroken, but now I am incredibly grateful that project never saw the daylight.
Did you find it rather predictable when “David Pumpkins” turned into an immediate hit?
How did you end up appearing as a guest on Girls? It turned out that an emergency, possibly a family one, occurred with Josh Gad, and I received a call around 9 p.m. asking if I could be there at five in the morning. I was there, and it seemed like I saw Josh Gad during every audition for the past 30 years.
In terms of voice acting roles like DuckTales and Star Wars, did you actively pursue them or did they approach you? To get the role of Launchpad in DuckTales, I specifically auditioned for it and expressed my desire to play him. However, when I was working on Saturday Night Live, Beck Bennett auditioned for the same role. I realized he would be perfect as Launchpad, but ultimately I got the role of Louie and couldn’t be happier about it. Additionally, I had the good fortune of being cast with a childhood friend, Ben Schwartz, and meeting Danny Pudi in this project. My first big movie was alongside Kate Micucci, whom I knew from our childhood. It turned out that we ended up working together on DuckTales later on. So, it seems like a happy coincidence.
Instead of saying “Star Wars” was the opposite, you could rephrase it as “Star Wars was a different experience for me.” You were quite fond of “Clone Wars,” and that’s the only time you ever reached out to your agents with a request like, “Hey, could you try to get me something on there?” And I got an email from Dave Filoni a day or two later saying, “Let’s see what we can find for you.” Then I received a call about “Resistance,” but it was under another name. I went in and read with Jim Rash, and everything went great. I recall thinking, “I believe this is going to happen!” I’m quite open about it.
Are you comfortable referring to yourself as a professional voice actor now? While I’ve had the opportunity to work in various roles, it’s only when I collaborate with seasoned voiceover artists that I recognize myself as a TV personality who occasionally lends his voice to animated characters. There are incredibly skilled voiceover professionals out there, and my unique abilities include delivering loud performances or adopting a mild Italian accent.
You’ve been part of some movies connected to SNL. The way you embody Belushi in “Staten Island Summer” is hilarious! I find “Staten Island Summer” amusing because it felt like, “Colin, make a movie in Staten Island this summer with your friends,” and we did, and it was an amazing experience. Plus, I used to be a lifeguard for quite some time, so spending an entire summer filming a movie in just a bathing suit without any shoes on was fantastic. That dive from the diving board was actually real.
In addition to Sisters and Grown Ups 2, there are other films featuring SNL reunions that have emerged during my tenure. When I joined SNL, Amy and Darrell were still part of the team, allowing me a brief collaboration with them. Many of the behind-the-scenes crew remained from the early days as well. I witnessed the departure of notable figures like Kristen Wiig and Seth Meyers, marking the end of an era and ushering in changes. During my time there, I saw the emergence of Leslie Jones and Pete Davidson, a period characterized more by stand-up comedy, social media, and casting choices rather than traditional sketch comedy. [Laughs.] Now, it seems they’ve returned to their roots, with an emphasis on amazing sketch performers once again. I was fortunate enough to be present during the transition and the subsequent evolution of SNL.
Absolutely, looking back, I would’ve loved to continue my journey on that show. If I could have, I would have embraced the character of Kenan for as long as they’d have me, and if life had unfolded differently with earlier kids or other circumstances, I might have even asked Lorne, “Hey, let’s make this permanent!” [Laughs.]
Reflecting on the matter now, I’m grateful for having moved on. A few years back, I returned to work on David Pumpkins and Drunk Uncle, which felt like reactivating a long-dormant switch. The experience brought me to understand the grueling nine years I spent working there, and I was taken aback by the intensity of it all. It wasn’t like being a fireman, but we certainly worked just as hard.
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2025-01-29 18:55