Reese Witherspoon recently revisited her experience hosting Saturday Night Live shortly after the September 11 terrorist attacks, calling the event overwhelming and fraught with responsibility. On the November 3 episode of Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, the actress described her feelings about performing during such a sensitive time in American history.
Initially slated to host the season’s second episode, Witherspoon found herself called upon to step in for the season opener, which was canceled due to the attacks. During her conversation, she recounted a phone call from SNL creator Lorne Michaels, who urged her to participate. “I really need you to show up. I really, really need this. Rudy Giuliani is gonna be here. All the firefighters are gonna be here. Paul Simon is gonna be here,” she recalled Michaels saying. He emphasized the need to uplift the national spirit, urging her to “tell America that we gotta laugh again.”
At just 24 years old, Witherspoon felt immense pressure as a new mother and a rising star, having just released the successful film Legally Blonde that summer. “I also had a baby. I had a 1-year-old. I was a new mom,” she noted. While Michaels reassured her that it was acceptable to decline, she felt compelled to fulfill her commitment during a time of need. “But we did it. And it was good. And it was Amy Poehler’s first show, Seth [Meyers],” she said.
The episode aired on September 29, 2001, and deviated from the usual format by replacing its cold open with a performance from Paul Simon, who sang “The Boxer” in front of several firefighters from the New York City Fire Department. The atmosphere was somber yet hopeful, with Michaels alongside former New York City Mayor Giuliani, who encouraged the show to move forward despite the recent tragedy. Alicia Keys served as the musical guest that week.
Reflecting on her performance, Witherspoon admitted to feeling detached during the episode. She did not return to host again until May 2015, nearly 15 years later. “It’s not the show’s fault. It was just too much responsibility for a 24-year-old girl,” she concluded.
In 2023, Meyers, who also debuted on SNL that night, shared his thoughts on the episode, stating, “When you do your first SNL a couple of weeks after 9/11 in New York City, you realize no one else cares about what you’re going through.” He expressed that the experience put comedy into perspective, making it both manageable and meaningful given the context of that time.
Similarly, Amy Poehler reflected on the experience during a podcast appearance in March, stating that the national mood was one of uncertainty regarding comedy’s role in a post-9/11 world. “The whole country was like, ‘We’re never going to laugh again. Comedy’s over, that’s a wrap,’” she recalled. This sentiment echoed a broader concern about the future of humor in a time of collective grief.
Overall, Witherspoon’s reflections offer a glimpse into the challenges faced by entertainers during pivotal moments in history and the role of comedy in healing and bringing people together.
