Live From Goldstein it’s…Sarah & Emil!
Article by Catie Blackman, University Union Editorial Board
Staff Writer | Photo by Naz Erdogan
University Union was ecstatic to host another amusing night of comedy and conversation featuring “Saturday Night Live” stars Sarah Sherman and Emil Wakim on March 21. From their fast-paced stand-up comedy to engaging crowd interactions, these featured comics adapted their regular monologues and focal points to attract the laughs of Syracuse students.
University Union’s very own directors Polly Gilmore and Lorelai Soper sat down with Sarah and Emil to give the audience a glimpse into their comedic upbringings, inspirations, and coveted weekly SNL routine. While both comedians started at any open mics they could get on stage for, Sarah credits Jerry Seinfeld as her comedic influence, and Emil with John Mulaney. With the motivation of their role models and years of growth and new experiences, they learned how to work a crowd, and we got to see their favorite ways to do it. Emil kicked off the show with his stand-up routine, connecting his perception of our school and city environment to his Midwestern hometown. He effectively played into the college student demographic and made sure his platform of the night was relatable to the audience. Sarah, on the other hand, was fast-paced in a way that made the crowd’s laughs carry over to the next joke. She made sure to showcase her personality in a way that heavily engaged attendees, even by inviting a few students up to the stage for various bits. But most importantly, both Sarah and Emil could not get enough of Otto when he snuck onto the stage with them.
Photo by Asia Lising
After hearing about their typical schedule on an SNL show week, I couldn’t help but be grateful that they took a break from their hectic preparation at 30 Rock to come speak with us. When given a full rundown of their week in the life, it is clear that the show’s turnaround rate is intense and leaves little room for a smooth reset. Mondays start with coming up with ideas, meeting the hosts, and pitching to the hosts. Tuesdays begin the framework of the show, where sketches are written from around 1 p.m. to as late as 4 a.m. Wednesdays test the written materials through a table read, which helps decide which skits are cleared for the dress rehearsal and show. Thursdays and Fridays are reserved for rehearsals and pre-taped sketches, and Saturdays they put it all together for the live show!
When it came to deeper insights into SNL, Sarah and Emil were happy to share about the great cast and crew dynamics and the closeness of the group, which is what makes the work so fun and rewarding. Emil shared that, as a new addition to the cast, he didn’t receive any onboarding and was thrown right into the chaos of the show, but he accepted the new experience and is thriving as a result. So far on the 50th season, Sarah’s favorite moment was singing backup for The B-52’s at the “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert,” while Emil’s was an exclusive SNL banquet featuring past and present cast members as well as some A-list celebrities.
While Goldstein Auditorium is no 30 Rock, Sarah and Emil worked the crowd like they’re here every week. Thanks for a great show!
