Could the next head honcho at 30 Rock be the creator of 30 Rock?

Lorne Michaels seems to think so. The longtime Saturday Night Live executive producer discussed who might take over the show when he inevitably retires, and confirmed that Tina Fey is in the running. After Fey’s name was mentioned during an interview with Entertainment Tonight on the Emmys red carpet on Sunday, Michaels said, "It could easily be Tina Fey, but you know, there are a lot of people who are there now who are also, you know…" implying that there are numerous quality options to take the reins. 

Michaels went on to praise the 30 Rock writer. "Tina’s brilliant and great at everything," he said. "She’s a very important person in my life."

Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels.

Walter McBride/WireImage

Fans and insiders have long speculated about who Michaels may select as his eventual successor. Michaels has shepherded SNL in various capacities — writer, producer, and executive producer — since he co-created the show in 1975, save for a five-year hiatus in the 1980s.

In the same interview, Michaels also reasserted that he plans to stick with the show for at least another year. "We’re doing the 50th anniversary show in February of '25, so I will definitely be there for that, and definitely be there until that, and sometime before that we’ll figure out what we’re gonna do," he confirmed.

Fey joined SNL in 1997 as a writer, and was quickly promoted to head writer in 1999, becoming the first woman to hold that title on the show. She became an official cast member and co-anchor of "Weekend Update" at the beginning of season 26 in Fall 2000. She remained on the show until 2006, when she left to write and star in 30 Rock, which parodied the SNL office and was also executive produced by Michaels.

Michaels also produced or executive produced several of Fey’s other projects, including Baby Mama, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, and all three iterations of Mean Girls (two on screen, one on stage). He frequently has a stake in movies and shows from SNL alums, including Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Fred Armisen.

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