Lorne Michaels: 30 Years of 'SNL'

Fresh Air | By Terry Gross

Published March 1, 2005 at 11:00 PM CST

Lorne Michaels is the creator and long-time executive producer of Saturday Night Live, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Last fall, Michaels was awarded the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The tribute was taped and will be broadcast on Wednesday, March 2, on PBS. It includes comic performances by Dan Aykroyd, Candice Bergin, Darrell Hammond, Tina Fey, Steve Martin, Conan O'Brien and others.

Tags

Fresh Air

Terry Gross

Combine an intelligent interviewer with a roster of guests that, according to the Chicago Tribune, would be prized by any talk-show host, and you're bound to get an interesting conversation. Fresh Air interviews, though, are in a category by themselves, distinguished by the unique approach of host and executive producer Terry Gross. "A remarkable blend of empathy and warmth, genuine curiosity and sharp intelligence," says the San Francisco Chronicle.

See stories by Terry Gross