MPR News interviews Claire McFadden ’13 about path to writing for SNL
McFadden majored in environmental studies at Carleton.
Claire McFadden ’13 was interviewed by MPR News for a segment titled, “How a Carleton College alum went from Northfield to ‘Saturday Night Live’.”
A Carleton College graduate has followed an unlikely path from the quiet Northfield, campus to the bright lights of New York City, where she is now writing for NBC’s long-running and highly acclaimed sketch comedy series “Saturday Night Live.”
Claire McFadden started at SNL for its 51st season this fall after performing in renowned improvisational comedy troupe Second City in Chicago for seven years. And she isn’t the only new SNL hire with Minnesota connections: St. Paul native Tommy Brennan also joined the cast this season.
McFadden’s path to comedy may seem atypical. She majored in environmental science, and interned for former President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. After graduating from Carleton in 2013, she wanted to work in the White House in environmental policy or in some other public service capacity, but she had a hard time landing a position in a difficult job market. But that ended up being the signal she needed to shift gears.
“That was really the sort of push for me to go, well, if I’m not going to get a job that’s deeply meaningful and helping people, then maybe I should just go for what in the secret pocket of my heart I want, which is to do comedy and to be a writer,” McFadden told MPR News in an interview.