Julia Louis-Dreyfus is holding no punches when it comes to describing her time on SNL during the ’80s.
While speaking to Stephen Colbert, the Veep star and Seinfeld alum made it clear that the sketch comedy show has a history of sexism.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s time on “SNL” wasn’t so funny.
The actress and comedian described working on SNL during the ’80s as “very sexist.”
Before Julia Louis-Dreyfus had her starring role on HBO’s “Veep” or played the iconic role of Elaine on “Seinfeld,” she was one of the stars on the sketch comedy show, “SNL.”
She was on the hit show during the ’80s from 1982 to 1985.
During this time, the show would help launch her career, as it’s done to so many stars in the past and present. But it also came with its pitfalls.
Namely, the sexism that she, along with several other female comedians, experienced during the show’s 44-year run.
Recently, Julia spoke to late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert about this “brutal” sexism she endured.
“There were plenty of people on the show who were incredibly funny,” Louis-Dreyfus said to the audience at Montclair Film, which was a fundraiser event held by Colbert’s wife, Evelyn.
“I was unbelievably naive and I didn’t really understand how the dynamics of the place worked. It was very sexist, very sexist.”
During her time on SNL , she worked alongside big names in the comedy world, such as Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Eddie Murphy, and Mary Gros.
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In addition to sexism, she was also surprised by the amount of drug use that went on behind-the-scenes.
“People were doing crazy drugs at the time (on ‘SNL’). I was oblivious. I just thought, ‘Oh wow, he’s got a lot of energy,’ ” she said.
“I don’t know how anybody could work stoned … It was a pretty brutal time, but it was a very informative time for me.”
One of those informative lessons was realizing that “I wasn’t going to do any more of this show-business crap unless it was fun.”
“It is important, it’s so basic, but I just thought ‘I don’t have to do this,’ ” Louis-Dreyfus said.
“I don’t have to walk and crawl through this kind of nasty glass if it’s not ultimately going to be fulfilling, and so that’s how I sort of moved forward from that moment.”
She continued:
“I sort of applied the fun-meter to every job I’ve had since and that has been very helpful.”
Other female “SNL” cast members like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have described different experiences working on the show.
“It’s strangely more equal than you would think,” said Poehler.
“Perhaps there was a time when there was less light to get your stuff through, and that I understand.”
“But the doors were wide open when I arrived there and we really took advantage of it.”
As for Fey, she understood why things could appear unbalanced for females.
She says that there was “no institutional sexism, but I think when the makeup of a room is 70 percent male opposed to 50-50, different things are going to play in the room.”
Keep in mind, though, that these women were on the show at a much different time than Julia.
SNL during the ’80s has been called some of its ” weaker years .”
Thankfully, some good came out of Julia’s time on “SNL.”
It’s how she met Seinfeld co-creator, Larry David!
“Larry was there my third year. He never got a sketch on the air. We sort of became friends because we identified with each other’s misery,” she said.
While it’s incredibly sad that she had to experience years of inequality on “SNL,” we’re at least happy that it led her to “Seinfeld”!
I mean, where would we be without Elaine and her awkward dancing??