Sarah Sherman, fresh off her fourth season on Saturday Night Live, recently shared an unusual and emotional connection to one of the show’s most iconic former cast members, Gilda Radner.
During an appearance on Vulture’s Good One podcast, Sherman revealed that her SAG residual checks were mistakenly sent to Radner’s estate.
“I got a giant envelope in the mail with a handwritten letter that was like, ‘Hey, I’m Gilda Radner’s brother,’” Sherman recalled. “Weird thing happened where I’ve been receiving all of your residuals checks for the past few months.”
Sherman said the moment hit her deeply. “I started, like, hysterically sobbing, obviously. Because I’m like, ‘Okay, God’s speaking to me right now.’ The fact that my SAG residuals checks had been sent to Gilda Radner’s estate?”
Sherman also shared how SNL creator Lorne Michaels reacted to the surprising mix-up after she texted him in a burst of emotion.
“I texted Lorne [and] I was like, ‘Oh my God, my checks have been sent to Gilda Radner’s estate! Isn’t this like a crazy coincidence? I feel like this is like a miracle or like I feel like this is a spirit is talking,’” she said.
His simple reply? “That’s sweet.”
Radner, who passed away in 1989 at the age of 42 due to ovarian cancer, was one of the original Not Ready for Prime Time Players when Saturday Night Live launched in 1975.
She became known for unforgettable characters like Roseanne Rosannadanna and her sharp impressions of Barbara Walters and Lucille Ball.
