Saturday Night Live comedian Seth Myers entertained students Friday night at the semester’s first “Late Night LSU.”
The Mardi Gras-themed evening started at 10 p.m. with games, food and prizes.
During the show, Myers talked about his time in Amsterdam with the comedy group Boom Chicago, his college experiences and camping. He even treated the audience to his famous John Kerry impersonation.
But before the show, Myers agreed to spend some time answering a few questions.
Zachary Broussard: First of all, what do you think of Louisiana so far, and LSU?
Seth Myers: I’ve been in New Orleans for Jazz Fest, and I’d like to say that New Orleans is where mistakes are born. I’ve made some of my worst decisions there.
ZB: What’s the hardest part of your job? Is it harder for you to do stand-up or to be on Saturday Night Live?
SM: I think it’s harder to be on Saturday Night Live, just because the show’s been on for so long, you’re constantly competing with the history.
ZB: Of all the casts of SNL, who would you want to meet or work with the most?
SM: Well, Dan Akroyd hosted, and that was the thrill of a lifetime, getting to work with him. And I’ve gotten to meet Mike Myers and Adam Sandler, and [that was] fantastic, too, because you’re sort of part of the family now, so they treat you really well.
ZB: Since you’ve been on SNL, or since you’ve been doing stand-up, what’s been the biggest comedic gold mine for you?
SM: Well, I got really lucky because I had a long face, so I got to play John Kerry through the elections. That was just really fun, getting to do something like that. Everybody was paying a little extra attention to it because it was such an important time.
ZB: What is your favorite part of working on SNL?
SM: The speed of it. You start on Monday for a show on Saturday, and then when it’s over, it’s over, and you have to move on.
ZB: And your least favorite part?
SM: My least favorite part is that you sometimes don’t find out until like 11 o’clock on Saturday how good or bad a show you’re going to have.
ZB: You started out performing in Amsterdam with Boom Chicago. Of all the countries you’ve performed in, which is your favorite place outside of the United States to perform?
SM: I mean, Amsterdam is my home away from home. I lived there for two years, and I go back all the time. And that theater group, Boom Chicago, sort of gave me my start, and I have a lot of good friends still there.
ZB: What’s your favorite part about Amsterdam?
SM: Other than the obvious? It’s a very open place, let’s just leave it at that.
ZB: What are you reading right now?
SM: That’s a great question, let me see if I can get it right. I’m reading “The Corrections.” That’s a book I’m reading right now. You know what happens is your attention span gets shot, working on SNL, so you all of a sudden stop reading books and you start reading magazines all the time. You can only focus on things for about ten minutes.
ZB: What CD do you absolutely love, but would not admit listening to or owning?
SM: OK, hold on, I’m going to get this one right. I have Vanilla Ice’s album. The first Vanilla Ice.
ZB: What super powers do you have?
SM: It’s impossible for a girl to break up with me. She can stop dating me, but I can always convince them not to break up with me. I just manage to avoid that. It’s a semantics thing.
ZB: What makes you laugh?
SM: My family makes me laugh a lot. I feel like a student of comedy. I feel like so many of us on the show have been watching comedy for so long. Anything that surprises you, anything new that you don’t see coming is such a delight at this point.
ZB: What makes you cry?
SM: Old episodes of “Magnum P.I.” They always get me.
ZB: Is this what you saw yourself doing 10 years ago?
SM: No. I mean, I saw some variation of it, but I never dared to think I’d be lucky enough to be on SNL.
ZB: If you could go back and say something to yourself 10 years ago, what would it be?
SM: Despite the fact that you’re going to live in Amsterdam and be on SNL, you should still enjoy college because it’s still the best part of your life.
ZB: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
SM: I don’t know, I hope it’s into outer space. I’m gonna go for outer space, to start my own space colony.