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Tina Fey Reacts to ‘SNL’ Boss Saying She Could Replace Him

“It was nice of him to say that, and I love him very much,” the show’s former head writer said of her longtime mentor.

Tina Fey responded to Lorne Michaels’ suggestion that she could “easily” replace him as the executive producer of Saturday Night Live by calling her former boss “irreplaceable.” Fey, 54, who served as SNL’s first female head writer before going on to create shows like 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, told The Hollywood Reporter in the new interview that it was “nice” of Michaels to say last year that she “could easily” be his successor. “And I love him very much,“ she added, before calling the 80-year-old creator of the 50-year-old franchise ”irreplaceable." She added, “His set of gifts and skills are entirely unique. His eye for talent! He’s one of the last three people in show business who actually understand everything. I’ll leave it at that.” Fey’s former “Weekend Update” co-anchor and frequent collaborator Amy Poehler also resisted weighing in on the possibility but did say, “I will say that I feel like there are very few things that Tina wouldn’t do well in this world.” Michaels had previously indicated he would retire from SNL after its 50th anniversary special but has since walked that back and has said he currently has no plans to give up his powerful post.