Though Saturday Night Live helped catapult actor and comedian Pete Davidson into stardom, he admitted that his career beginnings were rather humble.
In a video shared to New York Magazine’s Instagram account on Wednesday, December 4, Davidson revealed the salary some cast members make per episode — a figure that may surprise some viewers. The Bupkis actor, who was a member of the SNL cast from 2014 to 2022, also shared what he purchased with his first check from the Emmy-winning comedy sketch show.
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“My biggest indulgence after my first SNL paycheck? Do you guys know what they pay us? It’s, like, three grand an episode,” Davidson said. “I think I got dinner.”
Actor Jason Sudeikis — who was hired as an SNL writer in 2003 and served as a cast member from 2006 to 2013 — also said that the key players “don’t make enough money to make big purchases.” He revealed that much of his earnings went toward housing.
“I think New York rent was probably the biggest purchase I made after writing my first year on SNL,” said the Ted Lasso actor.
Elsewhere in the video, other cast members — past and present — revealed their grand purchases.
Seth Meyers, who was a cast member from 2001 to 2014, shared that he bought a “really big couch” and a “really big TV.”
Bowen Yang, who was hired as a writer in 2018 and has been a member of the cast since 2019, purchased a pair of expensive Gucci shoes.
SNL will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a special three-hour live primetime broadcast on Sunday, February 16, 2025.
Paul Mescal, Chris Rock and Martin Short are set to close out the year as hosts, joined by musical guests Shaboozey, Gracie Abrams, and Hozier, respectively.
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