Jon Hamm’s debut on one of many finest sketch comedy collection, SNL, again in 2008 had loads of memorable moments. Recognized for main the forged of Mad Males, he after all introduced Don Draper into the combination, giving outdated seduction recommendation and ran an “A-Holes: Pitch Assembly” in one other sketch. As a part of your 2025 TV schedule, Hamm returned as host for his fourth time in April. As for memorable behind-the-scenes moments from his first stint greater than 15 years in the past, Amy Poehler recollects going from “crying to laughing so arduous” because of Jon Hamm’s feedback on SNL after she obtained tragic information.
When Jon Hamm first hosted SNL (which is streaming in your Peacock subscription), he remembered being “scared” earlier than going reside, reminding himself to not journey. Whereas the Bridesmaids actor had his share of worries, so did his future Parks and Rec co-star Amy Poehler the day earlier than Hamm’s episode. She recalled on her podcast, Good Hang with Amy Poehler, about her plan to carry out on the reside sketch comedy on Saturday after which give beginning to her son, Archie, the following day. Nevertheless, the comedy actress obtained tragic information throughout rehearsals:
We rehearsed all day on Friday — I used to be in 9 sketches or one thing that week, and 6 days earlier than I had completed the Palin rap. I used to be nonetheless feeling fairly good. Jon was the host for the primary time. Friday, we’re capturing like a Mad Males pre-tape. I get a name that my OB-GYN has handed away.
I can’t think about how horrible that will need to have felt. One minute you’re having a very good time along with your Saturday Evening Dwell forged, after which the following, you uncover the OB-GYN anticipated to ship your child in simply a few days had handed away. The shock will need to have been actually overwhelming for Amy Poehler, however moments of tragedy can result in moments of compassion, just like the SNL forged proved to her that day:
An exquisite physician who was in his 80s, who was this unimaginable physician, he handed away, and I burst out crying on the cellphone. And if you see a really, very pregnant one who has began crying, it’s totally scary, and the entire crew will get actually quiet, and I’m going behind a partition to speak, and I discover out the information. I come out, and everyone seems to be like ‘Are you OK?’ and I stated ‘Oh my god, my OB-GYN simply died. He handed away of a coronary heart assault final night time.’
I’m certain it will need to have been actually tough for the SNL forged and crew to see Amy Poehler crying her eyes out over the unlucky information she obtained. Nevertheless, it was actually candy of everybody to return to her help to see what was happening. If Amy Poehler needed to obtain unhappy information, there was one good thing about that occuring on the set of a comedy collection. Host Jon Hamm had an unconventional methodology of comforting the Child Mama actress:
Hamm leans in, says to me, ‘This can be a actually large deal, and I want you to get your shit collectively. That is the primary time I am internet hosting and I want you to fucking… it is a large week for me, you gotta pull it collectively.’
I like that! It’s like Jon Hamm was channeling Don Draper power to focus her worries on one thing else: the Emmy Award winner’s SNL debut. Hamm could have been identified on the time for his dramatic position in Mad Males, however he proved proper there that comedy is an effective residence for him. Laughter actually was the most effective medication for Amy Poehler. She continued to speak about what an enormous assist Jon Hamm was to her:
And I’m going from crying to laughing so arduous that like squirt tears got here out. And I begin clapping and laughing. And it was so enjoyable and humorous. Once more, an important instance of like life is what you say it’s, proper? Life is what you make and what you say it’s. And he made me snort so arduous, and I went into labor that night time. And I feel a variety of it was that.
Who would have thought that making somebody snort to the purpose of tears would result in an early beginning? I suppose Archie has to thank Jon Hamm for making his mom snort her means into labor before anticipated.
Jon Hamm is one among SNL’s finest hosts, not just for giving his comedy A sport reside from New York, however for making Amy Poehler go from unhappy tears to glad tears. Discovering out your OB-GYN handed away days earlier than your due date may have stayed a tragic second, however the Black Mirror actor as an alternative labored his magic to discover a technique to make his co-star snort once more. That’s a staff participant proper there!
Ensure that to catch new episodes of SNL50 Saturday nights at 11:30 pm ET/8:30 pm PT on NBC, streaming on Peacock the following day.
