Seth Meyers Debunks Myth That 'Weekend Update' Prepared Him for Interviews

Seth Meyers, host of Late Night with Seth Meyers, recently addressed a common misconception about his transition from Saturday Night Live (SNL) to late-night television. Many assumed his time as the anchor of Weekend Update would make him a skilled interviewer, but Meyers clarified that the role is entirely scripted.

During a conversation with fellow SNL alum Maya Rudolph on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, Meyers explained that people often overestimate the interviewing skills of former SNL cast members. Rudolph, who was promoting her Broadway run in Oh, Mary!, agreed, noting that the show’s fast-paced nature doesn’t necessarily translate to real-world interviewing.

Rudolph also shared her own struggles with memorization, a skill often attributed to SNL performers due to their extensive sketch work. She candidly admitted:

"And that’s the thing. And I kept saying, ‘I love that you think I can do this, but we read cue cards.’ Like, we’re lazy. I can’t — I haven’t memorized anything in years. I can’t remember what I’m doing when I walk into the kitchen. Like, I can’t remember what I came in for."

Meyers echoed her sentiments, recalling how people assumed his Weekend Update experience would make him an exceptional interviewer when he started hosting Late Night after leaving SNL.

He recounted:

"I remember when I started doing this show, people would be like, ‘Oh, you’ll be so good at interviewing people because you interview people on Weekend Update.’ And I’m always like, ‘That’s scripted!’"

Rudolph also addressed another common assumption about SNL—that the show relies heavily on improvisation. She questioned:

"I was like, ‘Who improvised when we were there?’"

The full discussion between Meyers and Rudolph is available in the video above.