Conan O’Brien has given credit to Adam Sandler for bringing positive, fun energy to Saturday Night Live during a time when the show was way more stressful than funny.
On a recent episode of his podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Conan sat down with fellow former SNL star Andy Samberg. They talked about Conan’s intense years as a writer on the show from 1988 to 1991. Samberg mentioned that Conan was part of the show’s last “gritty” generation. Conan agreed, describing that time as “life or death” for the writers.
“It was a grind,” Conan said. “We were all pushing so hard. There was this feeling that if you didn’t absolutely crush it every week, you’d be gone.”
That’s when Adam Sandler entered the scene. He first started as a writer in 1990, then as a cast member in 1991. According to Conan, everything changed when Sandler showed up.
“He’d walk into the writers’ room with wild character ideas, full of energy, and constantly suggesting we go get milkshakes,” Conan laughed. “He just loved being there, and he wasn’t afraid to show it.”
Sandler’s joyful, almost childlike enthusiasm made a big impression on Conan. “He was like, ‘I love this place! I’m going to do Opera Man! This is the best!’ And I remember thinking, ‘Wait, you’re allowed to enjoy this?’”
Conan admits now that he was too intense during his SNL years and probably missed out on some of the fun. “I think I burned out too fast,” he said. “Sandler helped show me that you can work hard and have fun.”
You can hear the full conversation with Andy Samberg on Conan’s podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.
