Live from New York….
Legendary original “Saturday Night Live” cast member Dan Aykroyd has revealed what he thinks of the “Saturday Night” movie and the rumors that Lorne Michaels will retire.
While talking to The Post about his History Channel show “The UnBelievable With Dan Aykroyd” (returning Friday, Nov. 15 at 9 p.m.), the “Ghostbusters” star said about Michaels possibly retiring, “That ain’t happening. No. Lorne is not retiring. He’s got the greatest gig in New York City. He has influence and power. And he works in a job that keeps him laughing every day. So why would he want to leave that?”
Michaels, 79, has shepherded “Saturday Night Live” for fifty years, ever since the inaugural 1975 season that included Aykroyd, 72.
Although Michaels hasn’t officially announced retirement plans, he told Gayle King on “CBS Mornings” in 2021 that he thinks he’s “committed to doing the show until its 50th anniversary, which is in three years… I’d like to see that through, and I have a feeling that would be a really good time to leave.”
The current season is the landmark 50th. There’s been speculation that Tina Fey could replace him.
“Weekend Update” hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che were recently asked if they would step into the role, and they declined.
“He’s perfectly capable,” Aykroyd told The Post.
He added that without Michaels, the show “wouldn’t have his sensibility. And that’s an important part of what drives his success is his intelligence and his skill at selecting musical guests and scenes to do and in casting and applying the best that his writers can do.”
Aykroyd said that in theory, there are other people who might be able to helm the show “but it’s not Lorne, and he’s not leaving. He loves it. He’s the only one who can do it, really… it’s his life.”
Aykroyd’s time on “SNL” was also recently dramatized in the 2024 movie “Saturday Night,” which is about the events leading up to the show’s inaugural broadcast.
In the film, Dylan O’Brien (“Teen Wolf”) plays Aykroyd.
About the movie, Aykroyd said, “I thought it was like a suspense thriller, and beautifully executed by the cast. I think it’s a masterpiece, honestly. I think it could be up for best picture [at the Oscars].”
He added, “As I was there that night, the depictions of some of the characters were right on. And, the tension of whether we were going to make it to air or not is expertly depicted. I liked it a lot.”
