Current Smart Ass: Pete Davidson
The Reality Biter
Also known as: I Know You, The Real Character, Eerie Resemblance
Unlike the Eccentric’s creations, Reality Biters feel like people you actually know. Take Cecily Strong’s Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With At A Party—she seems like a Girl You Could Actually Meet At A Party And Unfortunately Probably Have. Grounded in reality, Real Characters like Lisa Loopner or Morgan from Girlfriends Talk Show might break your friggin’ heart while they’re making you laugh. You’re definitely going to recognize someone you know.
NBC
Archetypal Reality Biters: Gilda Radner, Mike Myers, Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer, Jason Sudeikis, Jan Hooks, Rachel Dratch
Current Reality Biters: Cecily Strong, Aidy Bryant
What About Those Featured Players Who Rarely Get On the Air?
The real lesson of SNL Archetypes is for struggling new cast members. When you have trouble getting air time, it’s harder for audiences to identify your comedy type. And history shows those comics with fuzzy personas don’t last multiple seasons.
So hats off to Bowen Yang, easily identified as an Eccentric (who else could play the Iceberg that Sunk the Titanic?) and the first featured cast member to land an Emmy nomination.
NBC
But it’s tougher for current featured players like Lauren Holt, Punkie Johnson, and Andrew Dismukes. They seem funny and likable enough when they get screen time—but what’s their easily identifiable comic persona? The featured players who make it to the regular cast get that identity established sooner than later.
SNL Archetypes also explain why crazy talented cast members who went on to superstardom after leaving the show—looking at you, Chris Rock—never found their footing on the show. Their comic personalities just don’t fit well into the show’s established roles.
Comedy Transformers, Assemble!
In contrast, many SNL all-timers are just the opposite, succeeding as super-hybrids of the comic personas that make them iconic. While many cast members check multiple boxes, the best of all time deliver across multiple character types.
You’ve got the Eccentric Impressionists, like Bill Hader, Dana Carvey, and Mike Myers. The Glue Impressionists, like Phil Hartman and Dan Aykroyd. Amy Poehler is a Reality-Biting Anchor.
And sometimes that comedy equation adds up to the Optimus Primes of Saturday Night Live, the cast members capable of transforming into multiple comedy personas. Let’s assemble Eddie Murphy, equal parts Impressionist, Reality Biter and Smart Ass.
Will Ferrell is another comedy Autobot who can transfigure across multiple archetypes, and the ability to embody virtually any SNL Archetype makes Murphy and Ferrell the most powerful machines of late-night comedy.
