When we first met Andy Samberg back in 2005, he was a newly featured player on Saturday Night Live with, to be honest, a slew of bad impressions. But Samberg proved to be one of the freshest and, frankly, oddest voices during his tenure on SNL, and became one of the most beloved cast members in the show’s history. Extending his niche comedy into films like Hot Rod and his sitcom role in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Andy has stayed on top since we first laid eyes on that perfectly geometric jaw.
Some of Samberg’s most notable work has been with his equally creative and funny friends Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone. Known for their work as the comedy group The Lonely Island, the trio have certainly made a name for themselves as comedic musicians, writing fake raps and pop songs, often about extremely niche or mundane subjects. Their hyper-specific sense of humor paired with their keen social awareness skyrocketed their success as a comedy troupe, with three studio albums and even a movie in their classic parody style. Real hype for The Lonely Island resurfaced when they performed their first live concert at Clusterfest in June, but some of their most infamous work came during Samberg’s time as a cast member on Saturday Night Live while Schaffer and Taccone served as writers.
After 43 years on air, SNL has gifted us with innumerable moments that have evolved into cultural relics. But none compare to the digital shorts introduced in 2005. Generally written and directed by the boys from The Lonely Island, the digital shorts quickly became a fan-favorite segment of the show. Though they still occur regularly, the Samberg era of digital shorts was undeniably iconic. In honor of Samberg’s 40th birthday, we’re taking a look back at some of his best SNL digital shorts. Me likey dat.