Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

Episode: REACTION – SNL’s Big Cast Shake-Up

Date: September 4, 2025
Theme:
This episode dives deep into the recent casting shake-up at Saturday Night Live (SNL), with former cast members Dana Carvey and David Spade reacting to the major cast changes, reminiscing about their own SNL experiences, and offering insights on the new and departing players. The conversation is peppered with the duo’s trademark banter, personal showbiz stories, and analysis of SNL’s ongoing evolution.

Main Discussion Themes

The SNL Cast Shake-up: Overview

• Biggest changes: Multiple cast members departing, new talent coming in, and the dissolution of the Please Don’t Destroy trio as a creative unit.
• Three key headlines ([22:59]):
  1. “The people that they let go that are not coming back.” – Dana Carvey
  2. “The people that they hired.”
  3. “Please Don’t Destroy... So that was disbanded in a very bad... please don’t destroy.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Life as an SNL Cast Member

• High pressure cycles: Both hosts vividly recall the weekly grind and emotional rollercoaster for cast members whose material doesn’t make it past Wednesday’s read-through ([24:20]):

  • “You want to be part of it... then you just go, shit, I’m not really part of it this week.” – David Spade [24:24]
  • Cast members often start their next week’s writing early if their work is cut.

• Contrast between eras:

  • Earlier SNL seasons had leaner casts, where all members were in on most sketches. In recent years, the size has swelled, making it harder for everyone to shine.
  • "The first cast was maybe eight total... and that’s why they were all stars. They’re all in everything.” – David Spade [32:22]

The Departures

Heidi Gardner, Devin Walker, Michael Longfellow, Rosebud Baker

• Surprise exits:

  • “Heidi Gardner… she’s got a likability… so I was surprised by that. She has finished a full eight seasons, which is right up there.” – Dana Carvey [31:40]
  • Heidi reportedly did not initiate her exit: “From what I know as of this recording, that it was not her idea to leave.” – Dana Carvey [31:19]
  • “8 is a lot. It’s… 8 is enough was a show.” – David Spade, riffing [32:09]

• Rosebud Baker:

  • Noted as feeling “waffly” about her place on the show.
  • “There’s a mental aspect of, like, can I take it another year?” – David Spade [24:20]

• The emotional toll:

  • “It can be emotionally violent, depending where you are in the show.” – Dana Carvey [26:22]

Please Don’t Destroy Disbands

• Trio split:

  • “That got my attention the most… seemed to me they’re really popular.” – Dana Carvey [26:42]
  • John Higgins is out, Ben Marshall becomes a feature player, Martin Herlihy a writer.
  • The awkwardness: “Oh my God. So the one guy has to say, I’m gonna take this. I’m gonna be a cast member. How? It’s fucking awkward for sure, right?” – David Spade [29:27]
  • “It’s like the Three Dudes and they take Moe Howard, but then, you know, Shem doesn’t get anything.” – Dana Carvey [29:35]

• Nepotism & talent:

  • All three are “Nepo people,” but the hosts credit their chemistry and talent regardless.
  • “I never saw that one was above the other. I thought it was very… they had a lot of chemistry.” – Dana Carvey [28:33]

Reflections on Cast Dynamics at SNL

• “It’s a sink or swim. It’s a hedge. You bet you. You go or you don’t go.” – Dana Carvey [33:14]
• “It reminds me of Hunger Games... just to cause trouble.” – David Spade [33:19]

Celebrating Exiting Cast

• Michael Longfellow: “Really cool. Long fellow Arizona dude.”
• Emil (Michael): “An adorable person and funny…” – Dana Carvey [34:08]
• The pride of surviving at SNL: “I give them my props for being… Super likable. I was there for 10 freaking weeks.” – Dana Carvey [34:23]

Spotlight on the New Cast Members

1. Veronica (full name not mentioned)

• Impressions:
  • “She does these goofy videos all the time… She will be play. She has characters.” – David Spade [35:01]
  • “Sherry O'Terry vibes… Kate McGinnie vibes.” – Dana Carvey [36:21]
  • “She sings, which also helps because if you can sing on that show, you’re in X more sketches.” – David Spade [36:27]

2. Cam Patterson

• Comedian’s style:
  • Stand-up clip included ([38:57]): classic, raw storytelling vibe—likened to “Eddie Murphy vibes.”
  • “He has a very likable vibe about him and a charismatic vibe.” – Dana Carvey [41:32]
  • Potential challenge: adapting his raw club act for the network censors.

3. Tony Brennan

• “Clean cut, good looking kid”—reminds the hosts of John Mulaney in style ([43:36]).

4. Improv performer (name uncertain)

• Demonstrates improvisational chops: “That’s the whole squad, I’m sure. And he’s probably from an improv background.” – David Spade [45:04]

5. Ben Marshall (from Please Don’t Destroy)

• Will be a feature player, previously known for filmed segments.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On the emotional landscape of SNL:

  • “Nothing likes killing on live television.” – Dana Carvey [26:39]
  • “Everyone at one point is an ex–SNL cast member or writer. You’re always going to be post-SNL way longer than you’re on SNL.” – Dana Carvey [30:55]

• On cast size and history:

  • “It was lean and mean. And now it’s chunky and fluffy.” – Dana Carvey [33:03]
  • “Chunky right now.” – David Spade [33:00]

• On how new cast members are chosen:

  • “For Lorne, does the cast… Will they be friends? Will there not be conflict? Will there be someone you want to have dinner with?” – Dana Carvey [46:25]

• On the trio break-up:

  • “It’s just weird… I’m trying to think of a trio. The Marx Brothers. We’re taking Groucho, but not Harpo. I’m not saying it’s that, but it is different.” – Dana Carvey [29:35]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• SNL shakeup – overview & speculation: [02:58–03:12], [22:51–23:55]
• Please Don’t Destroy break-up: [26:42–30:55]
• Reflections on being cut/ladder at SNL: [24:20–26:39], [30:55–33:14]
• Introducing new cast:
  • Veronica: [34:49–36:41]
  • Cam Patterson: [38:50–41:46]
  • Tony Brennan: [42:05–43:30]
  • Improv clip/unidentified performer: [44:00–45:12]
• Discussion of cast chemistry & selection: [46:03–46:54]
• SNL history – cast size and performance: [32:22–33:14]

Tone and Style

• Banter-rich and irreverent: Hosts constantly riff, joke, and impersonate (from “Church Lady” jokes to Cary Grant voices with customer service).
• Deep empathy and insider insight: Both show respect for the emotional toll the SNL process takes and for the immense talent among both departing and incoming cast.
• Peppered with nostalgia: Recollections of their own time at SNL and the shifting face of the show.

For Listeners: Takeaways

• This episode is a must-listen for SNL fans interested in the inside baseball of cast turnover, the unique pressures of producing live comedy at SNL, and what makes a performer survive—or thrive—at 30 Rock.
• The hosts offer a unique blend of humor and heart, mixing industry gossip with candid (sometimes painful) truths about comedy, success, and showbiz longevity.
• The SNL shake-up is framed not just as a list of names, but as a human, creative, and sometimes awkward process that both stirs up nostalgia and signals the ever-renewing nature of sketch comedy on TV.

Memorable Sign-off:
“We’re just like you. We’re fans of the show… God bless all those people because… it’s a lot of… try to have fun. It never works to say that, but that’s the goal—when you’re out there, have inside your brain, be having fun if possible.” – Dana Carvey [49:05]

“People leaving are a little disoriented right now, but it will all be… it all works out well.” – David Spade [49:33]