Have you ever wondered how to be in the audience of a late night show? How about the late night show, Saturday Night Live? As a longtime fan who has been to the show 12 times, I feel qualified to lend my advice on the standby process. When I first started participating in this process in 2023, it was near impossible to find information about it. So, I hope this guide proves helpful for anyone who wants to subject themselves to the sheer lunacy of SNL standby.
Thursday:
The standby process begins on the Thursday morning of a show week. At 10 a.m. EST, the online reservation site opens to request your assigned standby number. This is much easier said than done, and I recommend doing a few practice weeks leading up to the show you really want to go to. Unfortunately, there’s no real trick to this part, and it primarily comes down to speed and luck. Of course, there are things you can do to help your chances; be on reliable WiFi, have your name, email, and phone number equipped in autofill, and make sure you’re watching the clock so you can load the site at 10 a.m. sharp.
Once you’re on the website, there will be two options you can click on: one for live show and one for dress rehearsal. Dress rehearsal happens a little earlier on Saturday night and it’s not televised. It’s also a little bit longer and includes extra sketches and Weekend Update features. Live show is exactly what it sounds like— it’s the show that’s being broadcasted live. Which one you choose is completely up to preference, as there are great things about both.
Keep in mind that you can only have two people in your reservation party, so choose your companion wisely. Your chances of getting numbers will increase if you both try to register on Thursday morning. If you make it through without the website timing out or all the reservation spots being filled, you can relax…at least for a few hours. Sometime on Thursday afternoon, you’ll receive an email from SNL with your numbers. This is when you’ll be faced with your first hard truth of the process: if your numbers are over 200, your chances of getting in are slim to none.
Friday:
If you’ve made it to Friday, you’ve either gotten good numbers (congratulations) or you’re crazy enough to show up with numbers in the 200s (don’t worry, I’ve been there, too). You’ll need to arrive at the standby line between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., find the NBC page (employee), and they’ll help you find your spot in line. All of this info will be in the email containing your numbers. Friday is probably the most brutal part of the whole process because you’ll be sitting on the sidewalk in Midtown Manhattan for five hours— until midnight— come hell or high water. I recommend bringing either a folding chair or a yoga mat to sit on. In order for the night to be enjoyable, you must layer up. When you think you have enough layers, add one more for good measure. The weather can be unpredictable, so it’s best to be prepared.
It’s imperative that you go into Friday night with a positive mindset, or else you will not have a good time. If you’re going with a friend, it’s fun to bring card games or an arsenal of hot gossip to help the time go faster. I often bring my laptop, because who can’t use five hours of uninterrupted homework time? One of the best parts of Friday night is making friends with the people around you. You all have something in common, whether it’s a love for SNL, the host, or the musical guest, so don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with strangers! At midnight, the pages will come back around and give you your final standby card. This card will show your new number, which will almost always be lower than your starting number.
Saturday:
Okay, so you’ve made it to Saturday night…you’re definitely getting in, right? WRONG. Depending on your final number, Saturday night can be the most nerve-wracking part of the week. Generally speaking, in my experience, if your number is 1-70, you’re golden, 71-99, you’re in a danger zone, and if you’re over 100…I’m sorry. Your arrival time will depend on if you have dress or live, but regardless, you’ll head to the NBC Store in 30 Rockefeller Plaza and show your standby card to the page. From there, they’ll line you up in number order. There are a lot of lines involved in this process. They’ll take people through security in groups of 10, but once you’re through security, you’re still not guaranteed to get into the show, so be cautiously optimistic. After security, you’ll wait in line again (surprise surprise), and at the end of the secondary line, you’ll be given a wristband and escorted into an elevator. As soon as you’re in that elevator, you can breathe a sigh of relief…because you’re going to see SNL! Laugh, cheer, and relish in the majesty of Studio 8H. You’re one of the lucky few who get to see Saturday Night Live, truly live.