Tina Fey is revisiting her years on Saturday Night Live, offering a candid look at how political humor is crafted behind the scenes. Speaking at the History Talks event in Philadelphia, she acknowledged that not every joke she worked on aged well, but emphasized that the show aimed for accuracy when tackling real-world figures.
According to reporting by The Independent on April 19, 2026, Tina Fey admitted that some jokes were “on the wrong side,” reflecting on her nine-year tenure on the show. However, she defended several of the program’s most memorable political sketches, particularly her portrayal of Sarah Palin during the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
Tina Fey stressed that the writers’ room placed importance on grounding satire in reality, saying,
“Does SNL try to control the narrative of politics?’ And they really do not. You really can’t because if it’s not true, it will not be funny.”
Tina Fey explains makes a political sketch a “fair hit”
Tina Fey explained that the concept of a “fair hit” was central to how SNL approached political satire. During the 2008 election cycle, she worked closely with Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers to write and perform sketches centered on Palin, ensuring the humor stemmed from recognizable traits rather than fabrication.
“We always worked really hard to make sure they were what we call a ‘fair hit.’ It only felt like it would work if it was based in something that was true”
As reported by Variety on April 19, 2026, Fey said the SNL sketches only worked if they were “based in something that was true.” She noted that the team was conscious of potential backlash if jokes felt arbitrary or inaccurate. This approach, she suggested, helped maintain credibility with audiences while still delivering sharp satire.
The Palin sketches became some of the most widely viewed political moments in the show’s history and even earned Tina Fey an Emmy Award in 2009. Sarah Palin herself later appeared on the show, highlighting the unusual dynamic between politicians and the program that parodies them.
Fey added that while SNL reacts to politics, it does not attempt to shape outcomes. Instead, its role is to reflect and exaggerate what is already visible in the public sphere.
What Tina Fey said about the relationship between SNL and real-world politics
During her remarks, Tina Fey also reflected on how SNL’s connection to current events intensified over time. She described the relationship as a “thinner and thinner veil,” particularly during the early 2000s when the show responded rapidly to political developments.
“The show’s relationship to current events became a thinner and thinner veil. They said something, we said something back. They’d come over and go, ‘We want to be on [the show] too.’ It’s thrilling, and almost a scary thing, that something you say will be heard by the person in charge”
According to The Independent, Fey recalled being at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza during major national moments, including the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and the 2001 anthrax incidents.
Around that time, Will Ferrell was portraying then-President George W. Bush, illustrating how closely the show mirrored real-time politics.
She described the experience as both “thrilling” and “almost scary,” noting that political figures themselves were aware of and sometimes engaged with the show. This interaction blurred the lines between satire and reality, as politicians occasionally appeared on the very platform that lampooned them.
“They say something, we say something back, they come over, they go, ‘Oh, we want to be on it too.’ It’s a thrilling and almost scary thing to have this idea that something you say will be heard by the person in charge”
Despite this proximity, Tina Fey reiterated that humor, not influence, remains the show’s primary objective. The effectiveness of a sketch, she argued, ultimately depends on whether audiences recognize its truth.
Edited by Devangee Halder
