In the new four-part Peacock documentary *SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night*,
Tracy Morgan opens up about his remarkable journey from the streets to becoming a star on one of the most iconic sketch comedy shows in television history.
His candid storytelling highlights the raw and often surprising path that led him to *Saturday Night Live* (SNL), a show that became a launching pad for his successful career.
The documentary begins with Morgan’s bold declaration, “Man, you’re going to know about everything,” setting the tone for an unfiltered look into his life.
Morgan, who was part of the SNL cast from 1996 to 2003, reflects on his humble beginnings and how comedy found him rather than the other way around.
He recalls his early days in his neighborhood, where his best friend Al pushed him to pursue comedy. “My best friend Al, we was selling crack. He used to say, ‘Yo, Tray, you mad funny.
You should be at the Apollo.’ I said, ‘Shut the f*** up, Al, and keep bagging up,’” Morgan recalls, laughing at how his journey to comedy was more accidental than intentional. “Four months later, I was on Def Jam. Comedy found me, I ain’t found comedy.”
Morgan’s breakthrough came quickly, and he soon found himself auditioning for *Saturday Night Live*. He shares a touching moment in the documentary as he watches archival footage of his SNL audition, visibly moved by his past work. “I remember when I wrote this,” Morgan says of a sketch where a young character in a propeller beanie reads a Christmas poem. “I don’t know what Lorne Michaels and them saw. They saw something.”
The audition marked the beginning of Morgan’s rise to prominence, but it wasn’t without its challenges. As a newcomer to the world of mainstream television, Morgan admits he felt out of place. “I wanted to show them my world, how funny it was,” he says, reflecting on his early days on the show. However, he also experienced cultural isolation, coming from a predominantly Black, inner-city background and being thrust into the predominantly white world of SNL. “The first three years, I felt like I was being culturally isolated sometimes,” Morgan shares. “I’m coming from a world of Black. I’m an inner-city kid. To be on … like the whitest show in America. I felt by myself.”
Morgan wasn’t the only one to feel this sense of isolation. Comedian Chris Rock, who was also part of the SNL cast at the time, knew exactly what Morgan was going through. In the oral history *Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live*, Rock describes having a conversation with the new Black cast members. “I had a talk with… the new Black guys,” Rock recalls. “I told these guys they’ve got to assert themselves.” It was advice that resonated with Morgan, who later reflects on a pivotal conversation with SNL creator Lorne Michaels. Michaels told Morgan, “Tracy, I hired you because you’re funny. Not because you’re Black. Do your thing.”
That advice helped Morgan break through the cultural barriers he initially felt. “That’s when I started doing my thing,” he says. Morgan began to embrace his unique comedic voice and bring his personal experiences to his work on the show. As his time on SNL progressed, Morgan became one of the show’s featured stars, known for his sharp wit and larger-than-life persona.
This success on SNL led to more opportunities in Hollywood, including *The Tracy Morgan Show*, a sitcom produced by Lorne Michaels, and a standout role in the Emmy-winning series *30 Rock*. Reflecting on his journey, Morgan credits his success to his commitment to being true to himself and his comedic instincts. “Anybody could do comedy,” he explains. “I could teach all y’all in here how to tell jokes and do comedy. But are you funny?”
Tracy Morgan’s story, as told in *SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night*, is a testament to the power of perseverance and authenticity. Despite the odds and challenges, Morgan’s unique perspective and relentless drive propelled him to become one of the most memorable cast members in *Saturday Night Live* history. Through his story, viewers are reminded that comedy, like life, is often about finding your voice and staying true to who you are—no matter where you come from.
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