Lorne Michaels Can’t Stop Talking About Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Legal Battle
Lorne Michaels has been fixated on Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s ongoing legal drama—especially after Ryan Reynolds made a joke about it during the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special.
On the “Fly on the Wall” podcast Thursday, former “SNL” cast member Dana Carvey revealed that the longtime producer, 80, has been repeatedly texting him about the high-profile “It Ends With Us” controversy.
After the big event, Carvey sent Michaels a congratulatory message, but rather than discuss the show’s success, Michaels jumped straight to the lawsuit.
“Instead of talking about the show, he just goes, ‘Baldoni will now countersue. I think that Lively will probably get a new attorney,’” Carvey recalled.
The “Wayne’s World” star, who was on “SNL” from 1986 to 1993, tried steering the conversation elsewhere, but Michaels was locked in.
“I said, ‘But wow, Tom Hanks was great, and what about that monologue with Steve [Martin]?’ and he goes, ‘I don’t know where Ryan Reynolds is on this, but they certainly have deep pockets.’”
Michaels has not publicly commented on the matter, and his rep did not respond to Page Six’s request for a statement.
Ryan Reynolds’ Joke Sparks Controversy
During the anniversary special, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler asked Reynolds how he was doing. His response? “Great! Why, what have you heard?”
The “Deadpool” star’s quip raised some eyebrows, but Carvey found it amusing.
“It’s been all over the news,” he said. “So when Ryan Reynolds said, ‘What have you heard?’ he was basically being tongue-in-cheek. It was a good moment.”
Carvey’s co-host, David Spade, added that he understood why Reynolds might joke about the situation.
“They’re like us,” Spade said. “Whatever’s going on, you try to make a joke about it.”
However, there’s been some disagreement over who actually came up with the line.
Wally Feresten, “SNL’s” longtime cue card operator, claimed on the “Fifi, Fev and Nick” podcast that Reynolds came up with the joke himself.
“He had a different line in rehearsal, and he pitched that to replace it. That was his idea,” said Feresten, who’s known as “Cue Card Wally.” “We wouldn’t do anything too controversial unless they were in on it.”
However, multiple sources disputed Feresten’s claim.
“The opening joke was pitched by ‘SNL’ and never changed,” one insider told Page Six. “The follow-up joke was rewritten in rehearsal.”
NBC also denied Feresten’s version of events, with an “SNL” source adding, “Wally is not part of the writing process or any of those decisions.”
Lively and Baldoni’s Legal Battle Escalates
Lively and Reynolds’ appearance at the star-studded “SNL” special was their first joint red carpet since December—when the “Gossip Girl” actress filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni.
She also accused the “It Ends With Us” director of leading a smear campaign against her.
Baldoni has denied all allegations and responded with his own $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Lively and Reynolds.
As the legal battle intensifies, it seems even “SNL’s” legendary producer can’t stop talking about it.
