Why David Schwimmer is still traumatized by his 1995 ‘SNL’ guest gig

David Schwimmer reflected on his unpleasant experience as a guest-host on Saturday Night Live.

During an interview with Stephen Colbert on Late show on Monday, Jan. 13, Schwimmer, 58, recalled a time when he was preparing for a concert in 1995 amid the peak Friends‘success. (Schwimmer starred as Ross Geller in the comedy series, which launched in 1994.)

Schwimmer, who went to college with Colbert, 60, and studied alongside the TV host as a theater student, said he made “one big mistake” first. Friends cast member to be invited to guest star SNL at that time.

“It was a huge honor… I couldn’t be more excited,” Schwimmer explained. “Friends at the time, it was shooting on a Tuesday night and we would shoot until sometimes one in the morning, so I would fly from LA to New York on a Wednesday to get there. I really didn’t arrive in time SNL until Thursday, two days before the Saturday performance.’

Schwimmer, who currently stars in the Hulu/Disney+ series Goosebumps: The Vanishing“, he continued, “When I walked into the writers’ room, the whole crew was looking at me like I just slept with their mom or something. They weren’t happy to see me and I had no idea (why).

The actor then described how he “sort of got through” the next two days, despite being “kind of traumatized” by his colleagues’ reception.

When asked by Colbert how the guest appearance went, Schwimmer remarked, “To be honest, I don’t remember how it was.”

Schwimmer added that the reaction of the mystifying authors crystallized “years later”. He explained how he “talked to somebody else who was hosting the show and they said, no, no, no, you should show up on Monday.

“No one told me and for years I had no idea why,” he added.

Although he never resolved the mix-up, Schwimmer said he was recently invited 50th anniversary of the show event to be held next month.

“It’s been 30 years and I’m like, well, maybe they’ve forgotten that they don’t like me? Or it’s just some intern who’s tasked with emailing everyone who’s ever hosted, but I don’t know what to do,” Schwimmer said.

Colbert then urged his friend to “go” to the event, telling Schwimmer that he “worked there for a while” and didn’t get his own invite.

“Yeah, but I don’t want to be like Charlie Brown with the football, you know, you’re going to show up all eager again and no, we don’t want you here,” Schwimmer said. “Do you want to be my plus one?” (SNL (It will celebrate its 50th milestone on February 16 with a three-hour live prime-time special featuring five decades of popular cast members and popular guest hosts.)

A visibly amused Colbert then accepted Schwimmer’s invitation and secured him with a firm handshake across the table.