By Lily Lemaire | Photo Intern
As a teenager, I didn’t watch a lot of Saturday Night Live because it simply was not that funny to me. Sure I watched a few skits here and there, but it was ridden with unfunny sex jokes or politics that I did not care for.
However, there is hope for improvement due to the arrival of a new cast member: Grace Reiter. She brings a newer style of comedy to her work, a kind of comedy that’s so unique and appropriate for all ages.
If you haven’t heard of Grace Reiter, you may have seen her work with the comedy group “American High.”
“American High” is a film production company that became famous for their short-form content about life in high school, and later college life too when the cast members started college. These shorts gained massive popularity across several social media platforms, which put them in the spot light for up-and-coming comedy groups.
The first TV Series they made was “Minimum Wage“, which became so successful they signed a deal with Netflix to make more seasons. Not only did Reiter act in “Minimum Wage,” but she also helped write and direct it.
Reiter’s skills as an actor in American High really showcase how good she is in short, fast-paced comedies with acting, which is a key characteristic to being a good actor on SNL.
Apart from American High, Reiter has carried out a few solo projects, such as “Spooners,” a comedy short film about a lonely woman that hires a professional cuddler to cope with the stresses of adulthood.
Another project that she made with her friends was “The Hunger Games (but better),” a 42 minute short film where she and her friends recreated “The Hunger Games” saga from memory in the span of three days. Everything from the shoddy green screens, to the hilariously improvised lines, to Reiter’s fake Katniss-style braid really gives it that authentic human touch that I crave in this modern age.
Reiter’s solo work with her friends showcases the more creative side of her acting and writing, which is a great asset to have as an SNL cast member.
Some people don’t like SNL for its takes on politics, pop culture or sex. Some people might hate it because they simply miss the old cast; but I believe that with new cast members like Grace Reiter, SNL can become a better show by satirizing things like old works of art or the everyday mundane life.
