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Actors

HBO Actor Tim Bagley Accuses SNL of Blacklisting Openly Gay People

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Tim Bagley, a veteran actor and comedian, claimed that Saturday Night Live (SNL) would not hire openly gay people during its height of popularity, citing his own experiences as a gay man. According to Bagley, who joined The Groundlings in 1989 and went on to appear in numerous TV shows, including Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Will & Grace, he was never given the opportunity to audition for SNL because of his sexual orientation. Bagley's allegations echo those of comedian James Adomian, who claimed in 2018 that he was also denied a spot on the show due to being openly gay.

Bagley stated that SNL boss Lorne Michaels and influential manager Bernie Brillstein had a policy of not hiring openly gay people, which made it difficult for him to get his foot in the door. He acknowledged that there has been progress towards LGBTQ+ representation on the show, citing the hiring of Bowen Yang and other openly gay cast members. However, Bagley maintained that Michaels was still adjusting to the idea of having a gay cast member when Kate McKinnon first openly acknowledged her sexuality in 2016.

Key Takeaways:

  • Tim Bagley, a 67-year-old actor and comedian, claimed that Saturday Night Live would not hire openly gay people during its height of popularity.
  • Bagley joined The Groundlings in 1989, which launched the careers of several SNL stars, but was never given the opportunity to audition for the show due to his sexual orientation.
  • Comedian James Adomian also accused SNL of not hiring him due to being openly gay in 2018.
  • Lorne Michaels and Bernie Brillstein allegedly had a policy of not hiring openly gay people, according to Bagley.
  • Despite progress towards LGBTQ+ representation on the show, Bagley maintain that Michaels was still adjusting to the idea of having a gay cast member when Kate McKinnon came out in 2016.
  • Bagley acknowledged that Bowen Yang is currently an openly gay cast member on the show, but noted that it has taken a long time for SNL to achieve this level of representation.

Statistics:

  • 67: Tim Bagley's age
  • 1989: The year Bagley joined The Groundlings
  • 11th season: The season during which Terry Sweeney, the first openly gay cast member of SNL, appeared on the show
  • 1 season: The duration of Terry Sweeney's time on SNL
  • 2016: The year Kate McKinnon first openly acknowledged her sexuality
  • 50: The season during which Punkie Johnson and Molly Kearney were let go from the show

Sources:

  • (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP76pGP25C0) - Tim Bagley's appearance on SiriusXM's The Julia Cunningham Show
  • (https://www.thedailybeast.com/somebody-somewhere-saying-goodbye-to-tvs-best-most-undersung-show/) - Somebody Somewhere article
  • (https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/and-just-like-that-season-3-is-tvs-most-entertaining-hot-mess/) - And Just Like That article
  • (https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/hacks-season-finale-why-deborahs-tragic-twist-needed-to-happen/) - Hacks article
  • (https://www.vulture.com/article/terry-sweeney-snl-50-interview.html#:~:text=Back%20in%20SNL's%2011th%20season,was%20fired%20after%20one%20season.) - Terry Sweeney's SNL interview
  • (https://www.thedailybeast.com/punkie-johnson-reveals-why-she-never-fit-on-snl-says-exit-was-mutual/) - Punkie Johnson's SNL exit article
  • (https://www.thedailybeast.com/snl-cast-molly-kearney-and-punkie-johnson-exit-ahead-of-season-50/) - Molly Kearney's SNL exit article
  • (https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/how-kate-mckinnon-became-the-snl-weirdo-in-chief-192554/) - Kate McKinnon's Rolling Stone interview

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