Tracy MorganHis tenure on "Saturday Night Live" from 1996 to 2003 was a pivotal chapter in his career, but it didn't come without a fight.

Since its premiere in 1975, "Saturday Night Live" has been a cornerstone of late-night television, launching the careers of many comedy legends, including Steve Martinand Aykroyd, Tina FeyAdam Sandler, Pete Davidsonand Kate McKinnon.

However, the experience of working on the show comes with its challenges, as many cast members, including Tracy Morgan, have discovered.

In the Peacock docuseries "SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night," Morgan, now 56, candidly recalled feeling out of place during his first few years on the show.

"I wanted to show them my world, how funny it is. But for the first three years, I sometimes felt like I was culturally isolated," he explained. “I come from a black world. I'm an inner-city kid.”

Referring to “SNL” as “the whitest show in America,” Morgan admitted, “I felt alone. I felt like they didn't get it.”

Morgan credits "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels with helping him find his footing. Michaels gave Morgan valuable advice that ultimately shaped his approach to comedy on the show.

“Lorne Michaels talked to me,” Morgan said. “He said, 'Tracy, I hired you because you're funny, not because you're black. So just do your thing.' And that's when I started doing my thing.”

Pete Davidson, who spent eight seasons on "SNL" from 2014 to 2022, recently sparked conversations about the show's salary structure. "Do you guys know how much they pay us?" Davidson said in a video for New York Magazine December 2024. “It's like three thousand per episode. I think I got dinner.”

Jason Sudeikis echoed similar sentiments, admitting that his salary during his early years on the show didn't allow for big purchases. “I mean, you don't make enough money to make big purchases. "I think the rental in New York was probably the biggest purchase I made after writing my first year on 'SNL,'" he shared.

Other current and former "SNL" cast members including James Austin Johnson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sarah Silverman, Sarah Sherman, Cheri Oteri, Seth Meyers, Bowen Yangand Rachel Dratchalso announced.

"I bought a pair of shoes that were out of my budget," Louis-Dreyfus revealed. “I'll tell you, it was $75.”

Young also treated himself to a pair of shoes, sharing in the video, “I go to Saks across the street, buy a pair of Gucci shoes. The kind that everyone got, and the kind that I wouldn't feel super cool about now.”

Some cast members, including Johnson, Meyers and Oteri, revealed that they used their first paycheck to buy furniture.

“Couch. I reupholstered it three or four times,” Oteri replied. “I remember the designer came in tears and said, 'OK, those arms are too high. We have to get rid of it... We're going to get rid of that couch.' I said, 'Oh no. No, you didn't. Not today, Satan. No, the couch stays. You're going.'”

Former child star Bobb'e J. Thompson has accused comedian Tracy Morgan of inappropriate behavior during her time on "The Tracy Morgan Show." In an interview with Comedy Hype NewsThompson claimed Morgan approached him when he was just seven years old while filming the NBC sitcom, which ran for one season from 2003 to 2004.

Thompson claimed the incident happened during a tense encounter on set, where Morgan grabbed him by the collar, swore at him and used the N-word. Reflecting on the alleged feud, Thompson said it stemmed from his reputation as a "scene stealer" due to his energetic and comedic performances.

"I remember being a kid on a certain set, and the star of this project I was working on got mad at me," Thompson said. “I'm just a seven-year-old just doing my job, bro. He got mad at me, grabbed me by the collar and said, 'Who the hell is on that sign, my n---a?' That's how he treated me.”

Thompson added that Morgan repeatedly criticized him for "bumping" him during scenes, claiming the comedian would often tell him to get his energy back. At the time, Thompson played Jimmy, the youngest son of Morgan's character, a garage owner who balances family and work.