About
"I met with Lorne Michaels at the Chateau Marmont. He told me 'Saturday Night Live' would be a cross between '60 Minutes' and 'Monty Python.' I didn't know what 'Monty Python' was and the idea of going to New York was really scary to me, but I thought, 'well, you know it will only last 13 weeks. That'll be fun.'"
In her two-and-a-half-hour interview, Laraine Newman recalls her early interest in performing, which led her to study mime with Marcel Marceau and to be a founding member of The Groundlings comedy troupe in Los Angeles. She recalls being discovered by Lorne Michaels for The Lily Tomlin Special, which led to her becoming one of the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players on Saturday Night Live. Newman discusses her sometimes tumultuous years on that show, and speaks of working with Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, and Steve Martin, among others. She details her prolific work doing voiceover for animated series such as Spongebob Squarepants, Fairly Oddparents and As Told by Ginger as well as live action guest shots on Friends, According to Jim, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Newman concludes by talking about her career as an author and offers advice to aspiring actors. Amy Harrington conducted the interview on March 20, 2013 in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Laraine Newman on going to Cal Arts and becoming interested in improv and forming The Groundlings
Laraine Newman on being cast on Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on the first episode of Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on her favorite Saturday Night Live sketches
Laraine Newman on the bee sketches on Saturday Night Live
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On her early life and influences; on television she watched growing up; on being a founding member of The Groundlings
On being discovered by Lorne Michaels; on performing on The Lily Tomlin Special; on her Groundlings characters
On being hired for Saturday Night Live; on the first weeks of Saturday Night Live; on working with Lorne Michaels and dealing with NBC Standards and Practices
On appearing on Art Linkletter's House Party as a child; on the first episode of Saturday Night Live and the fame that resulted from the show; on doing promotion for Saturday Night Live
Chapter 2
On a typical production week for Saturday Night Live; on the writers and creating characters for Saturday Night Live; on fan encounters during her time on the show
On her recurring Saturday Night Live characters; on her favorite Saturday Night Live sketches; on classic sketches from the show
On her favorite Saturday Night Live hosts and musical guests; on leaving Saturday Night Live in 1980; on various post-Saturday Night Live projects
On guest starring on Friends, Third Rock from the Sun and Ellen; on her voiceover work
Chapter 3
On creating characters for animated voiceover work; on providing voiceover for various animated series
On participating in the Friars Club Roast of Chevy Chase and guest-starring on According to Jim; on then-current projects and advice to aspiring actors; on career highlights, regrets and her future
Shows
3rd Rock From the Sun
Laraine Newman on guest-starring on Third Rock from the Sun
7th Heaven
Laraine Newman on her stint on 7th Heaven
Amazing Stories
Laraine Newman on guest-starring on Amazing Stories
Art Linkletter's House Party
Laraine Newman on appearing on Art Linkletter's House Party as a child
Bullwinkle Show, The
Laraine Newman on television she watched growing up
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Laraine Newman on guest-starring on Curb Your Enthusiasm
Ellen
Laraine Newman on guest-starring on Ellen
Friends
Laraine Newman on guest-starring on Friends
Laverne & Shirley
Laraine Newman on guest-starring on Laverne & Shirley
Our Miss Brooks
Laraine Newman on television she watched growing up
Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on her Groundlings characters that carried over to Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on being cast on Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on the early weeks of Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on working with Lorne Michaels on Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on the on-air personas of the Not Ready for Prime Time Players on Saturday Night Live and dealing with NBC Standards and Practices
Laraine Newman on performing live on Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on the first episode of Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on her fame from Saturday Night Live and who the show appealed to
Laraine Newman on promotions for Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on a typical production week for Saturday Night Live and working with the writers
Laraine Newman on working with Michael O'Donoghue and the other writers on Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on creating characters for Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on the challenges of Saturday Night Live and her relationships with the other cast members
Laraine Newman on fan encounters during her time on Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on her recurring Saturday Night Live characters and memorable sketches
Laraine Newman on the Saturday Night Live sketch "Mr. Death"
Laraine Newman on the Saturday Night Live sketch "Theodora of York"
Laraine Newman on the bee sketches on Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on the "Uncle Roy" sketch on Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on her favorite Saturday Night Live sketches
Laraine Newman on her favorite Saturday Night Live hosts and musical guests
Laraine Newman on leaving Saturday Night Live in 1980
Spongebob Squarepants
Laraine Newman on providing voiceover for Spongebob Squarepants
St. Elsewhere
Laraine Newman on guest-starring on St. Elsewhere
Topics
Advice
Laraine Newman on advice to aspiring actors
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Laraine Newman on the on-air personas of the Not Ready for Prime Time Players on Saturday Night Live and dealing with NBC Standards and Practices
Classic TV Series Episodes
Laraine Newman on the first episode of Saturday Night Live
Fame and Celebrity
Laraine Newman on her fame from Saturday Night Live and who the show appealed to
Laraine Newman on fan encounters during her time on Saturday Night Live
First Big Break
Laraine Newman on performing on The Lily Tomlin Special
Pivotal Career Moments
Laraine Newman on performing on The Lily Tomlin Special
Pop Culture
Laraine Newman on the first episode of Saturday Night Live
Television Industry
Laraine Newman on the on-air personas of the Not Ready for Prime Time Players on Saturday Night Live and dealing with NBC Standards and Practices
Laraine Newman on her fame from Saturday Night Live and who the show appealed to
Laraine Newman on fan encounters during her time on Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on advice to aspiring actors
Professions
Actress
Laraine Newman on creating characters for Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on creating characters for animated shows
Laraine Newman on advice to aspiring actors
Performers
Laraine Newman on creating characters for Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on creating characters for animated shows
Laraine Newman on advice to aspiring actors
Genres
Comedy Series
Laraine Newman on being a cast member of Saturday Night Live (Part 1)
Laraine Newman on being a cast member of Saturday Night Live (Part 2)
People
Chevy Chase
Laraine Newman on the early weeks of Saturday Night Live
Penny Marshall
Laraine Newman on guest-starring on Laverne & Shirley
Lorne Michaels
Laraine Newman on being cast on Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on the early weeks of Saturday Night Live
Laraine Newman on working with Lorne Michaels on Saturday Night Live
Michael O'Donoghue
Laraine Newman on working with Michael O'Donoghue and the other writers on Saturday Night Live
Gilda Radner
Laraine Newman on being cast on Saturday Night Live
Lily Tomlin
Laraine Newman on performing on The Lily Tomlin Special