There’s a running joke in comedy that every new season of Saturday Night Live is the worst one yet. Every summer, Lorne Michaels recruits some new fresh-faced comedians and asks for help from famous guest stars like Alec Baldwin and it’s all for nothing. “This is the worst season in years,” they say. “SNL hasn’t been good since the 90’s,” mock others.
There’s an easy solution to spice up the show: hire an Australian. Everyone knows that Aussies are just naturally funny. Have you heard their accents? Comedy gold. And it just so happens that one prominent comedian from the country believes he is the Aussie that SNL needs. He believes it so much that he’s even submitted an audition tape, making him the first Aussie to do so.
Elliot Loney is a comedian, impersonator, writer and director hailing from Melbourne. By numbers, he’s the most watched and downloaded impressionist in the whole of Australia. Several of his creations have gone viral, including his series Man vs. Metro, in which he impersonates Bear Grylls, to his hilarious impression of tennis players like the stressed-out Rafael Nadal.
You might also recognise him from his regular appearances on The Today Show or from his Channel Ten comedy series KINNE; whether he’s performing stand-up for the troops in Afghanistan or trying to make Julia Gillard crack a smile at Marvel Stadium, Elliot has been honing his comedy chops for many years.
Now it all comes down to this. Elliot recently submitted his audition tape to SNL, making him the first Aussie to be granted the prized opportunity. While the show usually trawls local comedy clubs in Chicago and New York to find new cast members, it’s probably time that they look further afield. “I’m stoked about it, no matter what happens next I consider this a win for me,” Elliot said. “I’ve been liaising with an agent in the U.S. who has submitted the audition on my behalf and NBCUniversal media have reportedly confirmed receipt of the tape.”
The next step will be to fly to New York and do a LIVE audition for SNL’s producers, the final hurdle to one of comedy’s highest honours. Watch Elliot’s second audition tape below (this one wasn’t submitted however) and keep your fingers crossed that he’ll make history and do Australia proud.
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Check out Elliot Loney auditioning for SNL:
