"you don’t shoot anything down"- Bob Odenkirk opens up about the rule he made for writers at SNL

When it comes to crafting a creative space, Bob Odenkirk has an idea or two about what does and doesn't work. The Emmy-winning actor, writer, and comedian recently looked back on his early days at Saturday Night Live (SNL), recounting how the pressure-cooker environment of the late-night institution taught him what not to do when he eventually co-created his own sketch comedy show.

While talking to Variety on Aug 18, 2025, he said,

"When I went to ‘Mr. Show’ and I was in charge over there with David Cross, I sort of made it a rule that you don’t shoot anything down."

He then explained that it was very easy for the young writers at SNL to have their concepts summarily rejected by more experienced staffers before they even got a chance to fully explain themselves, he said.

That stint, Odenkirk said, left a lasting impression on him and directly affected the manner in which he managed the writers' room on HBO cult series Mr. Show with Bob and David.

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What did Bob Odenkirk say regarding SNL?

Bob Odenkirk spoke of his stint at Saturday Night Live as a steep learning curve, though not always an easy one. While speaking to Variety's Know Their Lines on August 18, 2025, he shared,

"At SNL it was very easy, particularly for young writers, to have their ideas shot down very quickly by older writers," he remembered.

The experience could be demoralizing, especially for writers who were still developing their voice. But rather than letting it discourage him, Odenkirk carried the lesson forward: he learned the value of allowing writers to clarify their ideas before criticizing them.

By the time he and David Cross brought Mr. Show to life in 1995, Odenkirk had made that hard-won lesson a habit. He said to Variety,

"You have to talk about everything. You have to fully understand the writer’s idea before you let it go. So it was a good thing to learn what not to do from ‘Saturday Night Live.'"

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Who is Bob Odenkirk, and more details about him explored

Bob Odenkirk at 78th Annual Tony Awards (Image Via Getty)

For those who are not familiar with his work, Bob Odenkirk has played many roles in the world of entertainment. Born in Illinois in 1962, he started out as a comedy writer and became a member of Saturday Night Live in 1987.

He worked there with the likes of Robert Smigel and Conan O'Brien, writing for sketches and even developing the character "Matt Foley, Motivational Speaker" for Chris Farley, which became a legendary moment in SNL's history.

Following his departure from SNL in 1991, Odenkirk continued to collaborate with The Ben Stiller Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien before eventually joining David Cross for Mr. Show.

Bob Odenkirk’s HBO show ran for four seasons in the 1990s and became a cult hit for its edgy, alternative sketch comedy. It featured early roles from Tom Kenny, Paul F. Tompkins, and Sarah Silverman, earned several Emmy nominations, and stood out thanks to Odenkirk’s focus on creative freedom for writers.

Beyond comedy, Odenkirk is best known for playing Saul Goodman (aka Jimmy McGill) in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. His performance in the spinoff earned him six Emmy nominations for Best Actor in a Drama.

He has also appeared in movies like Nebraska, The Post, Little Women, and the action movie Nobody, which he also produced. More recently, he had his Broadway debut in Glengarry Glen Ross, for which he received a Tony Award nomination.

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Interested viewers can watch Odenkirk's Saul Goodman on Netflix.