Comedian Caleb Hearon Glad He Didn't Land 'SNL' Gig, Calls Audition Process 'Archaic'

In September 2025, comedian Caleb Hearon revealed that he had auditioned for "Saturday Night Live" in the past, but is ultimately glad he didn't get the job. Hearon, whose HBO comedy special "Caleb Hearon: Model Comedian" premiered last month, shared his experience on the "Good One" podcast.

Hearon explained that he had the opportunity to audition for the "SNL" team, including creator Lorne Michaels, through a character showcase at iO Chicago. After preparing for the showcase for a year and delivering a strong performance, Hearon was invited to join Michaels and others for drinks at the Ritz. He was then asked to fly out to New York to audition at Studio 8H, but Hearon felt the in-studio audition process was "archaic" and not a good fit for him.

While Hearon admitted he would have "killed for that job" earlier in his career, he's now grateful it didn't work out. He cited several reasons, including the show's policy of telling people to lose weight and his dislike of being told what to do and following a strict routine. Hearon said, "Not a place for me to work. For many reasons, not the least of which I'm fat and they're telling people to lose weight to work on that show."

Hearon's rejection from "SNL" proved to be a motivating factor, as he started posting videos online and quickly grew his following from 3,000 to 120,000 by the end of 2019. He went on to secure a team, agents, and a manager, ultimately leading to the success he enjoys today, including his HBO special.