Live from New York, it’s Chris “Cue Card Wally” Feresten – The Scribe of Saturday Night Live
For more than 35 years, Chris “Wally” Feresten (Syracuse ’87) made his mark on American sketch comedy as the cue card holder for Saturday Night Live (SNL). Over the years he has collaborated with comedy and celebrity legends, developed his own cue card empire, and become an on-screen talent, all while being endlessly entertained.
Classic comedy influences
Wally grew up in a family that thrived on laughter and was introduced to comedy in his formative years. His dad was a salesman, but always saw the joy in humor and wanted to be a comedian.
His father opened a world to him through the edgy comedy pioneers of the 70s, introducing him to Monty Python, Mel Brooks, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and Cheech and Chong. Wally said, “I may have been way too young for some of the material, but it really shaped my sense of humor.”
When Saturday Night Live hit the airwaves, Wally’s dad saw the show and recognized that it was something special. He woke his son to watch, and Wally was delighted and inspired, saying, “I had a little black and white TV and I was just laughing all night. I started writing soon after that.”
Finding his way in comedy
In high school, Wally’s teachers found his writing genuinely funny, which emboldened him to pursue his passion in TV and film writing at Syracuse University. He said, “That’s all I wanted to do.”
After college, he tried his hand as a comedy writer in Los Angeles, where he wrote a few scripts, but struggled to get them made. Fortunately, his brother (who shared his passion for comedy) was on staff at SNL and gave him a recommendation for an open position as a cue card writer.
It was pretty ironic for a guy whose teachers said he had the worst handwriting they’ve ever seen. But the staff at SNL said they’d seen worse, and gave him a shot.
Live from New York!
In spite of his suspect handwriting, Wally gave it his all in his new job. He climbed ladders and bent himself into uncomfortable positions to stay off-camera while smoothly flipping through the cards for the on-stage talent.
His supervisor saw that he was an asset on the floor and welcomed him after experiencing his professionalism and enthusiasm. Wally said, “I guess I was calm under the pressure and the talent became comfortable working with me. In my third year, they picked me to be the head of the department.”
Wally’s good humor and easy-going personality helped him make a connection with hosts. He said, “I get to work with the host every week, one-on-one, and usually, it’s someone I haven’t met before, so it’s about gaining their trust. It’s a lot of laughing, and a lot of fun.”
SNL memories
Wally built a lifetime of memories and relationships at SNL that he is eternally grateful for. He got to work with talented hosts and comedy legends and celebs like Steve Martin, Martin Short, Betty White, John Hamm, Charles Barkley, and Ariana Grande, just to name a few.
He said, “I made connections with these people because they’re trusting me to help them out.”
He also formed bonds with cast members including Adam Sandler and Chris Farley (who were SNL freshmen at the same time), Bobby Moynihan, Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, Kenan Thompson, Will Forte, Bowen Yang, and Norm MacDonald among many others. He was even able to be a part of the televised laughs when Norm used some of his jokes on Weekend Update.
At the 50th anniversary of SNL, Adam Sandler gave him an on-air tribute.
Building a business
When he started at SNL, Wally was only working three days a week at the show. But his close relationships helped him build a business. He established New York City Cue Cards and has been feeding words to late night shows including: The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien, and Late Night with Seth Meyers.
Seth Meyers became such a fan that he made Wally an on-air talent.
Cue Cards By Wally
During the Covid years, Wally established a company called Cue Cards By Wally for fans of SNL. He provides personalized, hand-written cue cards with just about any message that fans would like (minus anything that might be a copyright infringement). It has been wildly popular and tends to explode when social media influencers get their own cue cards.
How Pilam influenced his life
Wally admitted that he was first attracted to Pilam for “free beer and cable TV.” He said, “I started hanging out, and found them to be very laid back with a wide variety of brothers. I liked that. Everyone was super funny and nice. And before I knew it, they pinned me.”
He said, “It was the best decision I could have made. The Pilam guys are the ones I still keep in contact with. We still do yearly trips together. They’re the best friends I’ve ever made.”