It’s no wonder Brooks Wheelan took getting fired from SNL so lightheartedly this week. He joins a pretty illustrious crew of creative firebrands who lasted just a season on Lorne Michael’s high stakes comedy planet. Larry David’s comic enthusiasm wasn’t curbed after just a single-season stint writing at 30 Rock. And Damon Wayans had a less-than-stellar campaign performing “Live from New York!” too–Lorne Michaels fired him right after a show in which he improvised his lines and played a straight character as flamboyantly gay. (The same act got “two thumbs up” when Wayans did it on In Living Color.) Iron Man himself, Robert Downey, Jr. was part of that same troubled 11th season on SNL, but despite the show’s reputation for drug excess, Downey didn’t fit in. He missed the cut for season 12. Ben Stiller flashed in the SNL pan too, then became, well, a movie star.
So Brooks Wheelan means it when he tweets “Had a blast” and moves to the next thing in life. He figures he’s got a good chance of sticking around show biz for a while–till he paints his masterpiece. Wheelan is only 27. Young enough to drive Larry David crazy.
Had a blast and loved every second of it. I’m totally honored to be able to make this next joke… FIRED FROM NEW YORK IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT!
— Brooks Wheelan (@brookswheelan) July 14, 2014
