Pete Davidson recently shared the salary details of “Saturday Night Live” cast members, and the figures may surprise some. In a video roundup for New York magazine, Davidson, 31, and his fellow cast members, both past and present, were asked about their biggest splurges following their first “SNL” paycheck.
He opened the conversation by reiterating the question and then disclosed, “Do you guys know what they pay us? It’s, like, three grand an episode.” With this information, he humorously added, “I think I got dinner.”
Cheri Oteri hilariously defends her couch, which has seen multiple reupholsters
The iconic NBC sketch comedy show is now in its 50th season, typically running between 18 and 22 episodes per fiscal year. If Davidson’s statement holds true, a cast member appearing in every episode could earn between $54,000 and $66,000 annually.
Current cast member James Austin Johnson mentioned that he spent his first “SNL” paycheck on “the most uncomfortable West Elm couch of all time.” “I swear to God,” he insisted, “it’s, like, made of bricks.”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who starred on the show from 1982 to 1985, said she splurged on shoes that exceeded her budget, costing $75. Sarah Silverman opted for a $300 “cashmere sweater,” while Sarah Sherman invested in “a nice mattress.”
Cheri Oteri also indulged in a couch, admitting, “I have gotten it reupholstered three or four times.” She recalled a designer expressing concern over the couch’s arms being too high, to which she firmly responded, “Oh, no. No, you’re not. Not today, Satan. The couch is staying. You’re going.”
Seth Meyers approached his spending more conservatively, purchasing “a really big couch” with his first paycheck, then complementing it with “a really big TV” from Best Buy. Bowen Yang reminisced about strolling to the Saks Fifth Avenue nearby and buying a pair of Gucci shoes, noting they were the kind that he wouldn’t feel super cool wearing now.
Rachel Dratch reflected on her choice of “getting an apartment,” describing it as “so boring, but that’s the real thing.” Jason Sudeikis supported Davidson’s earlier comment by stating, “I mean, you don’t make enough money to make big purchases,” adding that his earnings during his first year on “SNL” went toward “New York rent.”
