Bob Odenkirk, known for his role as Saul Goodman in the hit series “Better Call Saul,” recently opened up about his experience on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL). During an appearance on Tig Notaro’s podcast, “Don’t Ask Tig,” Odenkirk revealed that his time on SNL was not an easy one, especially when he first started out in comedy.
Odenkirk explained that he was unsure of himself and found it existentially dangerous during his tenure as a writer on SNL from 1987 to 1991. He even admitted to having feelings of wanting to “erase” himself during that period. Looking back, Odenkirk believes that he was too young when he joined the sketch comedy show, stating, “That was not a good thing. That could’ve gone wrong. That could’ve gone so wrong. You gotta believe me.”
The actor confessed that he had “no clue” what he was doing and was genuinely scared for many years. Despite his struggles, Odenkirk had the opportunity to write for comedy icons such as Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Mike Myers, Chris Farley, and Tim Meadows while on SNL.
While Odenkirk acknowledges the difficulties he faced, he also cherishes some positive memories from his time on SNL. In a previous appearance on the YouTube show “Hot Ones,” he expressed how much fun he had working on Chris Farley’s iconic character Matt Foley. Odenkirk mentioned that playing the character’s father in the sketch at Second City was the most enjoyable experience he had in show business.
Since his SNL days, Odenkirk has had a successful career. He went on to have a recurring role in the Emmy-winning series “Breaking Bad,” which ultimately led to his starring role in the spinoff series “Better Call Saul.” Odenkirk has been nominated for an Emmy every year since “Better Call Saul” premiered. Currently, he can be seen in the AMC series “Lucky Hank.”
Odenkirk’s candid comments shed light on the challenges he faced early in his career and the personal growth he went through. Despite the difficulties, he has managed to establish himself as a talented actor, writer, and comedian in the industry.
