Today we’d like to introduce you to Elle Cee.
Hi Elle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
“Teach oneself by exploring the old and deducing the new.”
When someone asks, “What’s your story?”, you may find it hard to pinpoint where to begin. A tragedy? A death? Major accomplishment? At one time, I would have struggled with the same issue. However, after following God’s voice and experiencing a miracle. I now know exactly where my story begins.
So it’s 2017, I’m living in LA. At the time, things weren’t quite sticking. I couldn’t find an apartment and things at my job couldn’t have been more mundane. One day, I was watching SNL on tv, writing sketches on my laptop and scrolling through Facebook on my phone, multitasking at its finest. I came across a post from my cousin Joshua that said, “Three years ago, I was hoping someone would give me the opportunity I just made for myself.” It stood out so quickly. “Wow, you just gave yourself the opportunity?!”, I thought. Immediately, I heard a voice in my spirit say, “So are you going to GIVE yourself the opportunity and audition for Saturday Night Live”? “No!” I thought instantly. I actually answered audibly because the voice in my spirit was so poignant. After several days of toying with the idea and extreme conviction, I bought a one-way train ticket from LA to New York. I decided to take the train instead of a flight because I felt this would be more of a journey, a flight seemed too direct. Ten days after my spiritual nudge, I was boarding a train to New York. The cool thing about my trip was that I had a six-hour layover in Chicago, which is my hometown. As I’m taking the trip, I’m documenting the experience and taking everything in. I got to Chicago after being on the train for almost two days. I was able to visit with my friends, shower and change. Six hours later, I got back on the train to finish the final leg to New York City.
Now, before getting to New York, I had fantasized that I would be greeted at Grand Central Station by an immaculate and grandiose flash mob like Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake in the movie Just Friends. However, when I arrived, it was quite the opposite. I arrived at Penn Station in the middle of rush hour on a cold and rainy Monday in May. Considering this was my first time in New York, I was very intimidated and disappointed to say the least. Keep in mind I didn’t even have a plan! I knew the first thing I needed to do was find somewhere to stay. I found a Starbucks, set up my laptop and started searching on Airbnb. Once I found an Airbnb, the next step was figuring out how I was going to get an audition.
I grew up in the ’90s. In the 90s, if you wanted to get a record deal, you would find a top executive like Rusell Simmons or Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs (affectionately known now as Love) and audition for them on the spot. If you were lucky, you would get a record deal! Well, that was my idea, I was going to run into Lorne Micheals and audition for him on the spot!
The first night I got to New York, I went straight to 30 Rock. I had to see the Mecca of sketch comedy. While I was there, I met a driver for NBC who was really nice! He was a Caribbean man who gave me some tips about New York. Where to go, where not to go, etc. After that, I went back to my Airbnb excited about what was to come.
The next few days consisted of planning creative ways in which I could run into Lorne Micheals. Then, I was ready to execute plan number one. I returned to 30 Rock, went to SNL’s front desk and told them I had an audition with Saturday Night Live, hoping they would let me upstairs. Would you believe they actually called upstairs? Of course, they didn’t let me upstairs. I didn’t have an audition. But hell, it didn’t hurt to try! A couple of days later, I ran into Keenan Thompson in the lobby. I started doing impersonations for him right on the spot. He was very nice and watched me perform. Although he explained that he couldn’t help me due to the audition process, he did take down my email, which seemed promising. Several days later, I decided to use a sign. I found a poster board and wrote, “Lorne Micheas, I am here to audition for Saturday Night Live”. I stood across the street from 30 Rock, hoping someone would see me, maybe my sign would go viral, etc. Six hours later, no audition. All of ten days later, I am broke, destitute and out of options. I really felt let down. Up until this point, there were so many serendipitous interactions and occurrences that confirmed I was on the right path, but yet, no audition.
In the evening, broke and out of ideas, I went to Bryant Park. After several hours, I was sitting and conversing with a homeless man named Warren. We were sharing stories about where we came from, our families, and how we both ended up in New York. He shared a video with me of him playing the guitar, just several days prior, and THE Celine Dion singing along with him. I then told him, “You know what Warren? This (my) situation reminds of a story in the bible. It reminds me of the story of Jericho”. “In the story of Jericho,” I said, “God instructed His people to walk around the city once a day for six days. And on the seventh day, they walked around seven times, blew a trumpet and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down and they were able to defeat the city.” I told Warren, “I feel like 30 Rock is my Jericho. I feel like I should walk around the building seven times.” He replied, “You know what, do it! If you feel like you should do that, do it!” I was definitely perplexed by his response. I thought what I was saying sounded crazy, but to him, it sounded like a good idea. So there I was, at Bryant Park, grabbing the two backpacks of all my belongings, and headed to 30 Rock. Luckily, it was only a few blocks away. I had no idea what was going to happen or if this was going to work. I just knew all I had left was faith.
I arrived at 30 Rock and began my journey. While walking, I was listening to a gospel song titled “Shout Unto God”, by Fred Hammond. It’s a gospel song about the story of Jericho. With Fred Hammond on repeat, I began my laps around the building one after the other. Mind you, 30 Rock is a very big building, not only in height but in width. In other words, I’m doing a lot of walking. Exhausted, I finally reached the last lap, the seventh lap. Halfway through I see a black livery truck pull up along the building about 30 yards in front of me. I see several people exiting the truck and suddenly realize I recognize their faces. Is that Mickey Day? Vanessa Bayer and Bobby Moynihan? That’s right, members of Saturday Night Live’s season 42 cast were exiting the truck and entering the building. I was in shock! I couldn’t believe what just happened. I just saw the cast members! “This has to be a sign”, I thought. They had all entered the building once I reached the entrance. I couldn’t stop walking anyway. I had a mission to complete.
I finally completed the seventh lap and stood at an entrance. The same entrance I stood adjacent to several days before, holding a sign hoping to change my life. As I stood there, I began to pray. I know God hadn’t led me that far to leave me. I then saw the same Caribbean driver I met the first night in New York walking towards me. “Hey!” he says, “how did everything go with the audition?”. Defeated, I begin to respond. I told him I hadn’t had an audition yet and I wasn’t sure what was next. He then begins talking to me, but I’m not really listening to him. I’m praying. I’m praying to God that I’m not crazy, that Him and the Universe conspired to bring me here and that I didn’t make this up in my head.
Suddenly, I turn to my right and see two men in suits walking toward the building. “They’re gonna get robbed”, I thought. I don’t know if you’ve ever been near Time Square late at night, but it ain’t the safest, and we weren’t far from that area. As they walked closer to me, I began to recognize their faces. “That’s Lorne Micheals! That’s Steve Higgins!”, I thought. Can you believe the creator and executive producer of Saturday Night Live were walking into the very entrance I was standing by. This is my moment! I grabbed my sign, remembered my 30 sec elevator spiel and began approaching the two men. “Hi! My name is Lauren and I’m from Chicago. I came all the way here from LA. I’ve wanted to be on SNL since I was 10 years old!” I blurted out. Lorne Michels looked scared. Steven Higgins was very polite and amused. “Alright, alright” Steve said calmly as he saw how excited and flustered I was. “Take down my email and send us a tape, make sure it’s clean and we’ll take a look at it”, he continued. “Okay!!” I shouted hysterically and took down his email. After they entered the building, the reality of what took place finally began to sink in. I was not crazy. I wasn’t hearing things. God led me to a promise… and delivered. I literally just witnessed a miracle.
I sent my tape to SNL two weeks later. They responded and told me to send the tape again in July, remember it was May at the time. I sent the tape again in July, as instructed and in late August, they called to be a part of a student showcase at UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade) as a part of the audition process. I participated in the showcase and audition with none other than Bowen Yang, current SNL cast member. August of 2017 was the last time I heard from SNL, but it won’t be the last time they hear from me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My biggest obstacle has always been my fear. Once I get over that, I know I can conquer anything. Nothing can stand in my way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Television:
Cry Wolf ID Discovery
Sex Sent Me to the ER TLC
Fatal Attraction TVOne
Music Videos:
Beyonce “Formation” Choir Member
Bart Baker “Black Beetles” Fan
A-Omega “I’m a winner” Main Feature
9Matic Presents… “Stay Black” Main Feature
Movies:
S.M.H The Movie Pt1 Madame Redbone GA Slim Films/PYT Studios
S.M.H The Movie Pt1/Pt2 Harry the Pimp GA Slim Films/PYT Studios
Improv:
3,2,1 on Fire Lead Player Improv Troop
The Mike Bend Sketch Comedy Show Lead Player
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Don’t give up! Everyone has their own story. Watch the stories of the people that inspire you. Constantly surround yourself with people who support you and know your worth. Do things with integrity. Continue working on becoming the best version of you! Keep God first. Stay spiritually connected. Don’t neglect your mental health. Protect your peace like a vital organ. Fear is a lie, don’t waste your time believing it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ellecee__/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElleCee83/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellecee/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Elle__Cee_
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjsDApVd3r0KyKZprGzhqwg
