Sarah Sherman isn't holding back. The SNL cast member recently discussed the editing process behind her debut HBO comedy special, Sarah Squirm: Live + in the Flesh, and what her executive producers asked her to remove.
During an appearance on the Comedy Means Business Podcast, Sherman revealed what Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein told her to cut. "They were like, 'Cut the f*cking RFK Jr. jokes, bro, Cut the airplane jokes,'" she recalls with a laugh. "'Just freak sh*t only.'"
The directors wanted maximum weirdness, zero mainstream politics. Sherman delivered on that instruction in the final special — a fever dream of her signature maximalist comedy style.
Sherman also discussed what it's like working at SNL, including some awkward dynamics that fans don't see behind the scenes.
In classic Sherman fashion, she compared the whole ordeal to something only she could: bombing like Oppenheimer. The reference was perfectly absurd, perfectly her.
The special showcases Sherman at her most unfiltered. Her willingness to lean into the bizarre rather than topical humor sets her apart in a comedy landscape often dominated by political riffs and celebrity callouts.
Sarah Sherman: Live + in the Flesh is now available on HBO. Based on these behind-the-scenes revelations, the final product is pure, uncut Sherman weirdness.
