Tracy Morgan’s Emotional Moment With Tina Fey and How ‘SNL’ Inspired Him to Be Funny Again

“I will for always be indebted to that cast,” he tells Howard about the current stars of "Saturday Night Live”

August 16, 2016

During his first appearance on the Stern Show since the 2014 traffic accident that almost killed him, Tracy Morgan told Howard had it not been for the current cast of “Saturday Night Live” he may have never returned to stand-up comedy.

“Forget stand-up, I thought about suicide,” Morgan said while describing the depression he went through following the crash. “I was that damaged in the hospital.”

Tracy explained he struggled just trying to say simple words, so it didn’t seem possible for him to get back on stage and start telling jokes again. But, in addition to his wife telling him to take his “big gut” and go do some stand-up, Tracy revealed he was motivated to become funny again while guest hosting “SNL.” The opportunity came after Tracy asked Lorne Michaels if he would allow him to come back for a live show.

“Without blinking he said, ‘The door is always open,'” Tracy recalled. He was booked soon after and during the first few days leading up to his appearance, Tracy said he became impressed by how hard everyone at the show was working.

“They inspired me so much,” he told Howard. “I will for always be indebted to that cast for inspiring me to go back and be funny.” So inspirational that Tracy decided to go out to the Comedy Cellar and grab the mic for the first time since his accident.

“It was like a new life, and I did five minutes,” he told Howard.

Just a few weeks before his “SNL” return, Tracy made a surprise appearance at the 2015 Emmys and told Howard how he and Tina Fey shared an emotional moment backstage – the secret was so well kept, not even his good friend former “30 Rock” co-star knew he would be there that night.

“She had her back to me and I said, ‘T!’ And she turned around and lost it,” Tracy recalled. He told her to stop crying and promised to see her just as soon as she was done presenting. When it came time for Tracy to go out on stage, he said he caught a glimpse of Tina sitting in the front row, crying tears of joy.

“She was happy that the comedy was still there,” Tracy said. “That’s my sister I never had.”

For tickets and info for Tracy Morgan’s “Picking up the Pieces” tour, click here.