‘Saturday Night Live’: Dan Levy Just Created the Sweetest New Behind-the-Scenes Tradition
Courtesy of the political climate, Saturday Night Live has had a lot of material to work with over the past few years. But trying to find the lighter side of the news isn’t always easy. Perhaps that’s why Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy made such an impact with his recent hosting gig. In addition to wholly committing to SNL, Levy started what could be a brand-new tradition.
‘SNL’ host Dan Levy has had a tremendous year
Until a few years ago, Levy was relatively unknown in the United States. The Canadian actor and son of veteran performer Eugene Levy changed all that with Schitt’s Creek. As one of the show’s co-creators, Levy was an instrumental creative force behind the beloved series. And though it took a while to build momentum, Schitt’s Creek became one of the most popular comedies in years.
In its final season, Schitt’s Creek — which aired on Pop TV in the U.S. — earned 15 Emmy Award nominations. And all four of its main stars walked away with a trophy that night, making it one of the most celebrated TV series in history. Levy has already leveraged the show’s success with a memorable supporting role opposite Kristen Stewart in 2020’s Happiest Season on Hulu.
The ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star made a sweet gesture for the next host
So it made sense for SNL to offer him a hosting slot in the midst of all this success. But little did the show know how Levy would potentially change things. He ended his week serving as host by leaving a note for Regina King, who was scheduled to host SNL the following week.
As King revealed on Instagram (via Entertainment Weekly), Levy left some well wishes for his successor. However, King kept the new tradition going. The Oscar-winning actor in turn left a note for Bridgerton breakout Regé-Jean Page, expressing her own fandom and confidence in him.
And Page too followed suit. The actor left a note for incoming SNL host Nick Jonas. In addition to serving as host, Jonas pulled double duty as the musical guest. And as the singer himself shared on Twitter, Page’s sage advice was simply to have a blast during his time on the show.
Will Maya Rudolph follow suit with the ‘SNL’ hosts of 2021 so far?
Following Jonas’ episode, SNL has gone on a break for a few weeks. So it remains to be seen if what Levy started will survive in the meantime. SNL alumnus Maya Rudolph is set to host the show on March 27, 2021. Fans will likely have to wait until then to find out if Jonas left her a note. After so many years appearing on SNL, Rudolph is all too familiar with Studio 8H.
Still, Levy’s initial note could be the beginning of an ongoing behind-the-scenes tradition for SNL. Even if hosts are regulars like Rudolph, there’s a show of respect and reverence embedded in this note-leaving ritual. Since SNL seems to be such a tight-knit community, it’s refreshing to see new hosts welcoming their successors to the iconic sketch comedy series.
