Thompson joined the sketch comedy show at age 25 and has remained there for a record-breaking 23 seasons. He said that the financial rock bottom has kept him from departing the show. “If you ever wonder why I continue to do SNL, that’s a factor," the Emmy winner admitted. “So yeah, it’s a cautionary tale that’s in the back of my mind for sure.”

On today's episode of “Daily Variety” podcast, Variety's Todd Spangler details the growing opposition within media and entertainment to Paramount Skydance's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. And Marc Malkin talks to documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville about his Focus Features documentary "Lorne,