‘You Have to Pay Your Dues’

Kenan Thompson tells Variety that new forged members at “SNL” must “pay [their] dues slightly bit” in relation to beginning salaries on the NBC sketch present.

“It’s fairly infamous that it’s extra so about having the job than getting paid for the job,” Thomspon, who declined to offer particular wage numbers, advised Variety on the American Museum of Natural History gala on Thursday evening. “You gotta pay your dues slightly bit, yeah.”

Thompson’s remark comes after his former costar Pete Davidson made headlines this week when he revealed that new forged members receives a commission round $3,000 per episode. “Do you guys know what they pay us?” Davidson, who spent eight seasons as an “SNL” forged member from 2014 to 2022, stated in a video roundup for New York Magazine. “It’s like three grand an episode. I feel I bought dinner.”

Jason Sudeikis shared an analogous sentiment about his “SNL” wage within the video roundup, saying, “I imply, you don’t make sufficient cash to make huge purchases.”

Thompson was joined by fellow “SNL” forged members Bowen Yang, Colin Jost, Chloe Fineman, Sarah Sherman, Heidi Gardner, and Marcello Hernandez on the New York City museum’s star-studded gala on Thursday evening. Other bold-faced names in attendance embody Paul Mescal, who will make his “SNL” internet hosting debut this weekend, alongside Lorne Michaels, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Martin, Shaun Levy, Fred Armisen, Alec Baldwin and extra.

After a short purple carpet, attendees made their approach into the museum’s well-known “Whale Room,” the place a seated dinner and public sale came about beneath the enduring, 21,000 pound blue whale mannequin.

Jost hosted the night, whereas Sen. Chuck Schumer made opening remarks about his love for New York City and his ardour for making museums within the metropolis accessible to all. The public sale kicked off instantly, with attendees making their bids with glow sticks. Items for public sale included an evening a one-on-one astronomy lesson with Neil deGrasse Tyson, and 4 tickets to an “SNL” present and after occasion, which ended up going for $100,000.

The gala finally raised greater than $2.5 million, with proceeds going to assist the Museum’s academic packages and scientific analysis. 

After dinner, Arcade Fire took the stage to carry out just a few of their prime hits. Johansson, Jost, Armisen, Michaels and your complete “SNL” crew danced alongside to the band’s prime hits, comparable to “Wake Up” and “Rococo” at their seats, throwing flowers onto the stage (and one another).

Check out extra images from the evening beneath: