Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end, recently opened up about his experience hosting “Saturday Night Live” in March 2023. Despite enjoying the creative process, Kelce found the table reads particularly challenging due to his difficulties with reading. In a candid interview on the “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast, Kelce shared, “The table reading, for a guy that can’t really read that well, it was kind of a f—ed situation.” He admitted that he was focused on not skipping lines during the read-throughs, which hindered his ability to fully act out and embody the characters.
Kelce’s struggles resonated with Taylor Lewan, host of the podcast, who expressed empathy for reading difficulties. Kelce mentioned his preference for audiobooks, saying, “That’s why they make audiobooks now, for guys like us.”
Despite the challenges, Kelce emphasized that he had fun and wanted to take the opportunity seriously.
Kelce discusses SNL table read challenges
“I want to have fun doing it, but I don’t want to look like a loser,” he said. “I want to make them respect my approach and how I’m taking it seriously. But it was just a fun roller coaster, man.”
In addition to the table reads, Kelce described the grueling nature of the preparation week leading up to his hosting gig, with long hours that stretched into the early morning.
Besides his hosting duties, Kelce has also ventured into acting, with roles in FX’s “Grotesquerie” and an upcoming Netflix sequel to “Happy Gilmore.” He continues his successful football career with the Kansas City Chiefs while exploring opportunities in the entertainment industry. Kelce’s candid revelation about his reading difficulties and the challenges he faced while hosting “SNL” highlights the hard work and determination required to perform live comedy, even for a sports superstar.
