Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, recently shared his experience hosting “Saturday Night Live” in March 2023. He admitted that the table read was particularly challenging for him as someone who struggles with reading. “The table reading, for a guy that can’t really read that well, it was kind of a tough situation,” Kelce said.
He explained that he was more focused on not skipping lines than fully embodying the characters he was supposed to portray. Kelce participated in the writers’ rooms, where he was pitched various skit ideas, which he found enjoyable. However, the reading itself proved to be a daunting task.
“I was just focused on, ‘Don’t skip this line,'” he noted, highlighting the hardest part of the experience. Taylor Lewan, Kelce’s co-host on the “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast, empathized with Kelce’s difficulty, sharing his own struggles with reading and preference for audiobooks.
Kelce’s challenging SNL table read
Kelce agreed, jokingly adding, “That’s why they make audiobooks now, for guys like us.”
Despite the challenging preparation week, which involved late-night rehearsals and recordings, Kelce found the experience thrilling. “You’re there all week, up ’til 2, 3 in the morning every day, just trying to knock stuff out, do some of the prerecorded stuff. That was a crazy ride,” he said.
Kelce emphasized his commitment to doing a good job, balancing enjoyment with professionalism. “I want to have fun doing it, but I don’t want to look like a loser doing this. I want to make them respect my approach and how I’m taking it seriously,” he said.
Although primarily focused on his football career, Kelce has ventured into acting, securing roles in projects like FX’s “Grotesquerie” and Netflix’s upcoming “Happy Gilmore” sequel. His hosting gig on “SNL” showcased his versatility and willingness to step out of his comfort zone, despite the challenges he faced during the table read.
