Lorne Michaels Explains Ashlee Simpson’s Infamous SNL Lip-Sync Fiasco in Unaired 60 Minutes Clip: 'Accidents Happen'

Almost 20 years after Ashlee Simpson’s infamous lip tease on Saturday night livewe get a better picture of how Lorne Michaels reacted to the public response in 2004.

The latest episode of the new CBS News podcast 60 minutes: Second look features previously unheard clips from the long-running October 2004 news magazine show, profiles of Michaels and SNLSeason 30 cast — including more comments from Michaels about Simpson’s performance.

“I think accidents happen. I think that’s the nature of live television,” said Michaels, now 79 60 minutes‘ Lesley Stahl in an unaired recording.

Ashlee Simpson on ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 2004.

Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank

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Stahl and her team were known for SNL timed the week of Simpson’s appearance on the show in October 2004, filming her leaving the stage in tears over the state of her voice after a rehearsal.

They were also present at the live taping of the show, when a technical error caused the audio of her song “Pieces of Me”, which she had already performed, to start playing during her second musical performance in the episode, revealing that he was lip-syncing. The pop star did a little dance and left the stage seconds after the show started, her first time on it SNL30-year history of such a thing happening.

In a continuation of the interview that aired during the October 31, 2004 episode 60 minutesMichaels confirmed he didn’t know Simpson intended to lip-sync, but dismissed the criticism. “Life goes on,” he said, “And most of it Saturday night live there’s always next week.”

But there was something else in the interview. On 60 minutes: Second lookproducer Denise Cetta said Michaels was eager to sit down with Stahl again after The Simpsons SNL episode. “He wanted to clarify that this is not something that is common practice Saturday night live“, she explained.

In unaired portions of their conversation, Stahl pressed Michaels about the public’s reaction to the fiasco.

Lorne Michaels in July 2024.

Julien M. Hekimian/Getty

“You know, there are things that… you know, that you have no control over,” he said. “It’s like feeling like you’re a player and it’s raining. It really has nothing to do with you. You don’t control the rain. And I think there was a lot more to this case than what just happened, which is, I think, what everyone else felt.”

“I was in the control room saying, ‘Well, I mean, there’s just — there’s just an egg. I mean, there was nothing to watch,’ he said of his reaction to the moment.

Stahl asked if Michaels thought SNLThe incident damaged the reputation.

“No,” he insisted, adding that much would depend on that 60 minutes story. “But I… no, I don’t think the reputation of the show was hurt. No, I think it’s like, it happened, it was live, it didn’t — it kind of blew up. And that happened many times.”

Stahl noted that part of the reason the incident “blew up” was because there was a perception that Michaels tried to “kick one out of us” by approving Simpson’s jump.

“Honestly, if I tried to pull one off, it would be a lot more complicated than that,” Michaels joked.

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Ashlee Simpson Ross in July 2024.

Paul Archuleta/Getty

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Following her SNL Simpson explained that she was suffering from acid reflux which caused her to lose her voice at the time. The singer, now 39, addressed the incident earlier this year during a February appearance on Broad Ideas with Rachel Bilson and Olivia Allen podcast.

“It taught me humility, it taught me so much about myself and my personal strength,” she said, adding that the awkward moment also taught her “how to get back up and start again.”

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