The 'SNL' Scene Shop Is Like Visiting The Warehouse At The End Of 'Raiders Of The Lost Ark'

It was a glorious sight to behold. I've never seen anything like it and, most likely, I never will again. There's almost no chance you will ever see it, so I am going to try my best to bring you there through words and photos. Honestly, it really is like visiting the warehouse at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, only instead of seeing the Ark of the Covenant, there's the Turd Ferguson podium from "Celebrity Jeopardy." And I got a complete tour where I was allowed to take as many pictures as I wanted. I took a lot. And I'm going to share some of those ahead.

This all actually started in 2014 with a chance encounter. I was getting drinks in Tribeca with my friend and New York editor, Lane Brown. Randomly, the guy at the bar next to us was talking about how he had been working with SNL on some sort of construction project, but kept mentioning having to go to Brooklyn. We started talking to this man who told us about this seemingly magical place in Brooklyn where everything SNL needs, literally built on a moment's notice, is made. Honestly, I was riveted. I knew a lot about SNL, but I didn't know how this place worked or that it even existed…

(I do promise paid subscribers bonus content and this is one of those posts. I cannot do this newsletter without paid subscribers. If you are on the fence about subscribing and love SNL, you will probably enjoy these truly behind the scenes photos and explanations. If you don't care about SNL, you still might like seeing these, but I cannot make any guarantees about your enjoyment level...)