Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade RE-RELEASE - Garrett Morris
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Feb 25, 2026 Garrett Morris, actor and comedian best known as an original Saturday Night Live cast member, shares lively tales from his SNL beginnings and comedy career. He recounts run-ins with the law, stories about working with Richard Pryor, and the challenges of adapting to sketch writing. The conversation is full of funny memories, music influences, and candid reflections on life after SNL.
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Teaching Inmates While Living A Risky Life
- Garrett Morris taught drama and participated in a program teaching inmates while also recounting being arrested for running drugs in a Volkswagen early in his life.
- He framed it as complex years (late 1960s) balancing teaching kids at PS71 and getting frequently stopped by police, illustrating his gritty past.
Richard Pryor Overlooked Then Later Brought Garrett Into A Film
- Garrett felt hurt when Richard Pryor brought his own writers to SNL and didn't use him, despite Garrett idolizing Pryor's monologue craft.
- Years later Pryor cast Garrett in the film Critical Condition, which Garrett took as a conciliatory gesture.
From Playwright To First Show Cast Member
- Garrett joined SNL after Lorne Michaels read his play and auditioned him with Gilda Radner, eventually casting him for the first show despite initial writing struggles.
- He adapted a bit from his play into the White Guilt Relief Fund sketch that became a memorable bit.