TBPN's president on the future of the show.
"I first cold DM’d Jordi back in 2021, and we’ve worked together nearly every day since."
Good afternoon, everyone. I woke up today to a notification from The New York Times that President Trump threatened that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if a deal is not reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8 p.m. Eastern. Deliberately striking civilian infrastructure and civilians is a war crime under international law.
I spent last night at Oramen, an unassuming (but perfect) Flatiron izakaya that I have been eating at once a week. I wouldn’t leave the table until I finished planning the vacation that I’m tacking on to Cannes Lions. Which brings me to my next question: Will you be at Cannes Lions in June? Email me if you’d like to do something together there.
Today’s newsletter includes: An interview with TBPN’s president Dylan Abruscato, Ezra Klein is hiring an assistant, Prada condoms and Rhode’s pimple patches, and a Palm Heights movie appearance.
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This interview is part of a Feed Me feature called Guest Lecture. In this series, I introduce you all to an expert who I’m curious about, and give paid readers an opportunity to ask them anything they want. Past guests have included Vanity Fair’s Mark Guiducci, former head of the Federal Trade Commission Lina Khan, and restaurateur Keith McNally.
Today, Dylan Abruscato, President of TBPN, answers your questions about how he ended up here — at an OpenAI acquired tech show — at this point in his career. There was one question I felt went unanswered in the interview, so last night I reached out to him and asked about this assertion that TBPN isn’t going to change post-acquisition: How can that possibly be true? He responded: “A huge part of our agreement was a ‘Commitment to Editorial Independence’ clause, which was written in to make sure we keep operating the show as is. So contractually, we still have full creative control over all editorial decisions.”
“I think it’s cool that from such a young age you knew you wanted to work in MEDIA. The Page program can be quite demanding (I’m sure more when you were involved than today). I’m curious what influenced you to get on that path, whether it was growing up near NYC or something that you realized while at school at Wisconsin. Did you watch a lot of TV growing up? Do you still watch a lot of TV?” - Emily
I grew up religiously watching SNL and was completely obsessed with becoming a live TV producer. So when I was in college, I interned at NBC. Growing up near NYC definitely helped (I took the LIRR to my internship every day while living at home that summer). The only internship I could land was in NBC News ad sales, but at least I was in 30 Rock every day.
My boss that summer was a former Page, and that was the first time I had heard about the rotational program and its grueling interview process. She mentioned that beyond giving NBC tours, there were actual SNL Page assignments you could apply to and interview for (a real-life Kenneth), and that was it for me.
So I went back to Wisconsin that fall and put all my free time into my Page Program application and presentation. It is basically an American Idol audition or Shark Tank–style process where you pitch your creativity to a panel of NBC execs. I did an NBC-themed rendition of Oh, the Places You’ll Go (credit to my college girlfriend, now wife, for the idea), got the job, started right after graduation, got the SNL Page assignment, and the rest is history.
I’ve since dedicated my entire career to the future of live TV. And yes, I still watch a ton of TV.
“If you had creative control at SNL today what would you change?” - Tyler
I’d make it easier to get tickets! To this day, the thing I get asked the most is, “Can you help me get SNL tickets?” It’s nearly impossible. There’s a lottery, plus a few occasional standby tickets, but most people who camp out on 5th and 6th Avenue for days still don’t get in. Lorne always says that the best seat to watch SNL from is the couch in your home, but I personally disagree. Nothing beats being in that studio when the show is live.
“You were nominated for an Emmy in 2019, any plans to return on the big screen now that you’ve sold TBPN?” - Tatayana
The nomination in 2019 was actually for my work at HQ Trivia. So despite starting my career in TV, the only time I’ve been nominated has been for a daily live show startup. The good news is TBPN isn’t changing post-acquisition, and we qualify for that same Emerging Media category, so we’ll be on the ballot this year.
“If you could have any piece of art in the world hanging in your house. what would you choose, and why?” - EA
The painting that currently lives in my head rent-free is a still life by Anna Weyant of a bowl of persimmons with a birthday candle inside it. I’m not even sure what it’s titled, but I first came across a paper study for the painting during a Nino Mier group show a few years back and just fell in love with the humor and insane detail. That, or anything by Henri Rousseau.