Tina Fey is taking a more reflective look at her time on “Saturday Night Live,” admitting that not every joke she helped put on air aged the way she’d hoped. Speaking at the 2026 edition of “History Talks,” the comedian acknowledged she was “on the wrong side” of certain moments during her tenure.
Despite that admission, Fey pushed back on the idea that “SNL” ever tried to steer a specific political narrative, insisting the show’s impact has always come from reflecting culture rather than controlling it.
Tina Fey Admits Some ‘SNL’ Jokes Crossed The Line
Fey is taking a candid look back at her early comedy career, admitting that not every joke she made on “Saturday Night Live” aged the way she intended. Before stepping in to host the first episode of “SNL UK” last month, she had already spent years as both a writer and performer on the show’s flagship U.S. version.
Speaking at a recent HistoryTalks event, Fey revisited defining moments from that era, including returning to the show in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.
While the comedian said she has no regrets about the time she dedicated to the long-running NBC series, she acknowledged that some of her material missed the mark.
“I was pretty d-mb and not much better now, but there’s jokes that I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, I was on the wrong side of that,’” Fey said.
Fey Says ‘SNL’ Never Tried To Control Politics
Fey has also pushed back on the idea that “Saturday Night Live” ever set out to shape political narratives, insisting the show’s approach was far more measured behind the scenes.
Speaking at the event, Fey said she often found it fascinating to realize just how seriously audiences could take what was meant to be comedy. That awareness, she explained, became especially clear during a particularly intense six-week stretch when she worked alongside Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler on a run of sketches centered on Sarah Palin.
“We always worked really hard to make sure that we felt like they were what we would call ‘a fair hit,’” Fey said, describing the team’s effort to strike a balance between satire and accuracy.
Tina Fey Joked She’s ‘Youngest’ ‘SNL UK’ Host
Fey brought her signature wit to the UK stage last month, delivering a monologue on the British version of “Saturday Night Live” that leaned into the same self-aware humor that defined her rise in the U.S.
In her opening, Fey expressed genuine gratitude for the opportunity before joking that she was the “youngest person” ever to host the series.
She then playfully reintroduced herself to the audience, saying, “You may know me as the teacher from ‘Mean Girls,’ or you might remember a long time ago when I played Sarah Palin on ‘SNL U.S.,’ Or maybe you feel like you recognize me as the lady from the show ‘Veep.’ And that’s fine too! Let’s go with that!”
The Actress Dropped F-Bomb During ‘SNL UK’ Debut
From that moment on, the show delivered a more classic Fey, including a sarcastic remark about how “no one really knows why” an American was chosen to host the debut episode.
When “Bridgerton” star Nicola Coughlan asked her why she thinks she was chosen, the “Veep” alum responded, “How do I put this politely?… None of you f-ckers would do it!”
The uncensored moment didn’t go unnoticed. Actor Michael Cera pointed out that she had just dropped the f-word, but Fey brushed it off without hesitation.
“Yeah, we are allowed to swear in this version of the show,” she fired back, pointing to the main difference between the U.S. and UK versions of “SNL.”
Tina Fey’s Upcoming Projects
Fey isn’t slowing down anytime soon, with several projects already lined up for the months ahead.
Later this year, the comedian will return to the small screen for Season 2 of “The Four Seasons,” reprising her role as Kate alongside a returning ensemble that includes Will Forte, Colman Domingo, Marco Calvani, Kerri Kenney-Silver, and Erika Henningsen.
Beyond that, Fey is also stepping back into development mode. In March, PEOPLE reported that she would be adapting Elle Cosimano’s bestselling mystery novel “Finlay Donovan Is Killing It,” marking another collaboration with Lang Fisher, her creative partner on “The Four Seasons.”
