SNL Alums Reveal How They Cushion Host Monologue Bombs

During a live recording of *The Pete Davidson Show* at Netflix’s Is A Joke Festival, former Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson and ex-writer John Mulaney described the routine they used after a host’s opening monologue fell flat. Both recounted that they would tell the host the performance was fine, even when it clearly “tanked,” and then offer a convenient excuse to soften the blow.

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Since its debut, SNL has opened each episode with a host-written monologue that sets the tone for the night. The monologue’s success is closely watched by the host, the network, and the audience, making a poor reception a high-profile embarrassment.

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John Mulaney wrote for SNL from 2008 to 2013, later becoming a frequent host and a member of the show’s “Five-Timers Club.” Pete Davidson joined the cast in 2014 (Season 40) and remained a regular performer for eight seasons, departing in 2022. Both have since become prominent comedians and podcasters.

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Mulaney claimed that, in his experience, “hosts…tank eight times out of ten.” He also noted that the studio’s acoustics are “famously one of the best mic-d sound studios in the world,” once home to the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Davidson’s tenure spanned eight years, giving him ample exposure to the monologue dynamic.

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The alums’ practice of offering reassuring but false feedback can affect a host’s self-assessment and public perception of SNL. By framing a flop as a minor misstep—citing “tourist” audiences, “bad acoustics,” or the need to “play for the camera”—the writers aim to preserve the host’s dignity and the show’s polished image.

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Both Davidson and Mulaney said they would tell a struggling host, “You crushed it,” and then add a mitigating line:

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• Davidson suggested the audience were “tourists” who “wait outside and try to win a lottery,” implying language barriers.

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• Mulaney offered the “bad acoustics” excuse, despite acknowledging the studio’s reputation for superior sound quality.

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These remarks were presented as a backstage coping mechanism rather than an official SNL policy.

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The alums themselves labeled the excuses as “complete lies,” noting that the live audience are “big fans of the show” who often camp out for tickets. The contradiction between the claimed poor acoustics and the studio’s known technical excellence highlights the deceptive nature of the reassurance.

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Mulaney’s “eight out of ten” failure rate is anecdotal and not corroborated by independent data. No external source quantifies how often hosts actually bomb, leaving the true frequency of monologue failures unverified.

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• “When I was 25, I’d tell Oscar-winning hosts — I’d write their monologue and be like, ‘You’re gonna say all that, it’s gonna go great,’ and they’d tank 8 times out of 10,” — John Mulaney, former SNL writer

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• “You crushed it.” — Pete Davidson, former SNL cast member

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• “And they’d be like, ‘Hey, was that good?’ And you’re like, ‘No! Do you have ears?'” — John Mulaney, former SNL writer

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• “And I always would go: ‘They’re tourists. They wait outside and they try to win a lottery. Half of them probably don’t even speak English.’ They do. They’re big fans of the show; they camp outside.” — Pete Davidson, former SNL cast member

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• “I went: ‘It’s bad acoustics.’ It’s famously one of the best mic’d sound studios in the world. It used to be home to the NBC [Symphony] Orchestra.” — John Mulaney, former SNL writer

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• “‘Play for the camera. The audience, they’re just there to help you, but they’re not gonna laugh a lot.'” — John Mulaney, former SNL writer

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SNL concluded its 51st season with Will Ferrell hosting and Paul McCartney as musical guest. As new hosts step onto the stage, the informal “polite lie” routine described by Davidson and Mulaney may continue to shape backstage interactions, though its impact on future monologue performances remains to be seen.

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