Work Text:
Sabina was nervous. Really nervous. This was her first time ever doing “Saturday Night Live.” She didn’t know how Lorne Michaels accepted her auditions. She didn’t even know how she got there in the first place.
Her first day started on Thursday evening, as she was told. She was put as a co-anchor for “Weekend Update,” which was possibly her favorite segment on SNL. However, she didn’t know how it happened and why she was put as a co-anchor despite just starting. Technically Colin Jost was put as a co-anchor on his first episode, but he had been there since 2005. Not even Michael Che was put as a co-anchor on his first day.
Sabina inhaled and exhaled before stepping into the Studio 8H building. She wasn’t the only one who was starting out, as three other cast members were added at the same time as her. So why was she nervous? She kept overthinking on what she’d say to everyone and how she’d introduce herself. She kept repeating it over and over again until she got there. Now Sabina was more nervous than before. She was even scared to go in.
To her relief, someone stood right next to her, so now she was easily distracted from her nervousness. “Oh hey! You’re new here right?” The person asked. Sabina internally widened her eyes. It was Colin fucking Jost, one of her favorite cast members on SNL. “Yes! Hi! My name is Sabina Benson.” She introduced, holding out her hand. Colin shook it. “I’m Colin Jost.” He said. “Yeah I know who you are.” Sabina chuckled.
“Oh wait you’re mine and Michael’s new co-anchor right?” Colin asked. “Yeah that’s what I was told.” Sabina answered. “Ok, perfect. Tonight we usually read the script for ‘Weekend Update’ and start on the stage and costumes and stuff. So that’s why you were called here today.” Colin explained. Sabina nodded in understanding.
After a moment or two, Sabina followed Colin to the rest of the cast and the staff. She breathed in quietly, not wanting anyone to judge her by her loud, nervous breathing. “Hi! I’m Sabina.” Sabina said, introducing herself. “Nice to meet you Sabina! Welcome to ‘Saturday Night Live!’” Beck Bennett exclaimed. Beck was another favorite of hers. “Glad to be here!” Sabina beamed. After speaking to the cast members for a few and getting to know them, she heard someone yelling.
“Sabina?!”
Sabina looked up and widened her eyes.
“Danny?!”
It was Sabina’s oldest brother D’Angelo, who was nicknamed Danny.
“What the fuck are you doing here?!”
“Why the hell are you dressed so professionally?”
Danny never really dressed up professionally so when Sabina got the chance to see him like that, it always shocked her.
“I work here. I’m one of the head writers.” Danny answered.
Sabina widened her eyes again. “Since when?!” She exclaimed. “For about two years now. So every time I travel to New York, it’s because I’m working here.” Danny explained.
“Why didn’t you tell me?!” Sabina asked. “I thought you knew! Do you not watch the goodbye segments?” Danny asked. “I do but the credits go by so fast I can’t see who the head writers are.” Sabina explained.
“You two know each other?” Colin asked.
“She’s my little sister.” Danny spoke, which shocked everyone.
“Hey DanDan, what are we waiting for?” Another voice chirped.
“You too?!” Sabina exclaimed. It was her second older brother Silas.
“WHAT IN THE FU–” Silas screamed before Danny cut him off with a hand over his mouth.
“Hello I do curse you know?” Sabina said, sarcastically. Danny and Silas rolled their eyes as the older took his hand off the younger’s mouth. “Sanitize your mouth Silas.” Sabina jokingly added. Danny rolled his eyes again.
“You didn’t answer my question though. What are you doing here?” Danny asked.
“I’m the new co-anchor for ‘Weekend Update.’”
“HUH?!” Danny and Silas shouted simultaneously.
“Oh yeah. You can definitely see how idiotic they are.” She said to the cast.
“We told you we were getting a new co-anchor!” Michael Che expressed. “I didn’t know it was Sabina!” Danny explained.
Sabina rolled her eyes at how clueless her brothers were. “Silas, what’s your job here?” She asked. “I’m a producer here.” Silas replied. “At 17?!” Sabina exclaimed. “Says you! You’re starting here at 13! You beat Anthony Michael Hall and now Pete’s not the youngest anymore!” Danny revealed. Anthony Michael Hall became the youngest SNL cast member in history, starting at 17 like Silas. Pete Davidson was the youngest here until Sabina came. He started at 20. Now, Sabina would break those achievements and would be the very first cast member to be born in the 2000s.
Eventually, she, Colin, and Michael had to read the script aloud as if they were doing it in front of a live audience. Danny and Silas watched intently and were impressed by Sabina’s skill. The only issue was she kept laughing a little. Everyone let it slide since Pete would do the same thing too.
After that was over, Danny and Silas spoke with her. “You did great Bi! But try to die down the laughter a bit.” Danny advised. “Yeah. Especially when you gotta deal with that guy.” Silas added, pointing at Alex Moffat. Sabina tilted her head in confusion.
“You know that character he plays, The Guy Who Just Bought A Boat?” Danny asked. “Wait, I'm interviewing him?!” Sabina asked, excitedly. “Mhm. He used to be interviewed by Colin. He’s your problem now.” Silas shared. Oh yeah. This was gonna be eventful.
The next day, it was a Friday. Today was rehearsal for SNL. Sabina got there a bit early. She was skipping school today just for the SNL rehearsal. Because of Sabina being in SNL, her mom got her transferred to a school in New York so her education wouldn’t be affected. Luckily, Sabina hated her school back in Los Angeles. The only good part about it was her girlfriend. She missed her.
She watched as the cast rehearsed some skits with the host, Ryan Gosling. Danny, who was sitting next to her, observed the skits since he wrote some of them. “Being a head writer is kinda difficult huh?” Sabina asked. “Hell yeah.” Danny replied.
Eventually it was time for the “Weekend Update” segment to be rehearsed. Despite already hearing the jokes, Sabina still laughed a bit. Danny gave her a look, but she ignored him. Rehearsal day went well and eventually, it was time to leave. Sabina had been staying in the apartment that Danny and Silas lived in when SNL would start.
The next day, it was Saturday. D-Day. Today was a dress rehearsal and some stuff would get cut if they weren’t liked by the audience. Sabina was looking through her phone and saw people talking about her online. Most of the articles she saw mentioned her as “the daughter of Foo Fighters’ Evelyn Jackson” or “the niece of Michael Jackson.” While Sabina liked being referred to as that, she hoped that SNL will help bring out a name of her own. It was tough being from a famous family with the public constantly having expectations of her.
A few hours later, it was 11:30. Time for the show. Sabina was extremely nervous, more nervous than when she first started. “Good luck Bi! You’re gonna do great!” Danny beamed. “Yeah! You were stellar at rehearsals. You’re a natural at this!” Silas added. Sabina smiled nervously. Her brothers had to leave her to work so she went to change into a dress that was appropriate for “Weekend Update.”
While she was texting her girlfriend, who wished her luck, she heard a voice. “Hey Sabina we’re coming on in about a minute.” Michael said. “Ah ok!” Sabina exclaimed, setting her phone down. She walked behind Michael and met up with Colin. “Look at my baby sister!” Danny cheered. “Shut the fuck up!” Sabina whisper-yelled. “Good luck!” Mikey Day chimed in. Sabina gave a thumbs up and then eventually, it was time.
Sabina felt odd sitting on that chair. She would usually be watching this on her TV. She never in a million years thought that she’d be a co-anchor. Everything breezed by with Sabina unintentionally making the segment better by her laughing. She nearly died laughing when she was interviewing Alex’s character The Guy Who Just Bought A Boat. She did not know how Alex was able to handle this character, considering he had to say a lot of tongue twisting puns. Ryan Gosling also played a character called Guy Who Just Joined Soho House, which was Alex’s character’s cousin. Sabina did not know how she didn’t fall off her chair laughing.
When she got backstage, she felt herself getting lifted off the ground and felt nothing but spinning. “I AM SO FUCKING PROUD OF YOU!!!” Danny shouted. Sabina heard laughter from around her. “Dude relax!” Sabina giggled. “Don’t drop her now!” Silas yelled. “You’re gonna end up killing her.” Beck chuckled.
Afterwards, more skits were presented and eventually, it was 1 am. The show was finished. Sabina stood there during the goodbye segments as Ryan Gosling was closing out the show. Once he finished, the cast were talking to each other. Sabina still felt awkward so she didn’t know who to go to. “You did great today!” Colin said. “Thanks!” Sabina exclaimed. She walked around and said hello to Beck, Alex, and Mikey, who complimented her on her performance. She also said hello to Heidi Gardner, Chris Redd, and Luke Null, who were starting at the same time as her. After doing that, Sabina waved to the audience.
The cast went backstage and Sabina once again met up with her brothers. “Are you ready to go?” Danny asked. Sabina nodded, wiping her eyes. She got her stuff, which was a bag that contained her dress. She had already changed back to the clothes that she came in earlier. “I’ll see you guys!” Sabina said to her cast members, who said their goodbyes to her.
Once Sabina got to the apartment, she jumped on her bed and felt happy that everything went well. Her first few days went great and she couldn’t wait to go back.