Cue Card Wally Has Been the Vanna White of ‘SNL’ for Over 30 Years
Talk about a behind-the-scenes celebrity that you may know without really realizing it. His name is Cue Card Wally, and Wally Feresten who is originally from West Bridgewater, Massachusetts between Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, has been writing and holding cue cards for Saturday Night Live for more than 30 years.
Let's be honest, who would ever think a cue card guy is an actual job? Oh, and during his off time, his cool life continues. Wally holds cue cards for various commercials including one he did with former New England Patriot, Rob Gronkowski, at an event in Miami, Florida.
According to the Gothamist website, Wally says the trick to being a great cue card person is having solid, legible handwriting while being calm under pressure as you stand there knowing celebrities count on you for lines as you flip through the cards.
Flip too fast or too slow, and a joke could fall flat. Also, last-minute rewrites are a thing, so he has to be 'on' the entire hour-and-a-half show.
Sometimes you're on ladders or lying down on the ground with these cue cards, making sure the celeb can read them. This often entails holding out your arms for long periods and in awkward positions. Toss in the 'live" part of SNL, and you better be on top of your game.
According to Gothamist, Wally became the head of the cue card department in 1993 and has a staff of eight, because cue cards are that crucial.
By the way, Wally also does the cue cards for Late Night With Seth Meyers, having met Seth during the latter's SNL days.
If you want to follow Wally's fun antics, find him on Instagram @cuecardwally_official. He always has a big smile, and to me, looks like a Wally.
20 Bands That Reunited With All of Their Original Members
Gallery Credit: Philip Trapp