Saturday Night Live has been responding to American politics for five decades lampooning Presidents from Jimmy Carter to Donald Trump. Susan Morrison, author of the bestselling book Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live and the articles editor of The New Yorker joins SNL special guests to talk about the longest-running and most relevant comedy show on television.
Book Signing to follow.
FULL SCHEDULE:
GUARDRAILS ON DEMOCRACY
MONDAY, JULY 7, 7 PM
SNL: 50 YEARS OF AMERICAN SATIRE
MONDAY, JULY 14, 7 PM
POST-PLAY CHILDHOOD
MONDAY, JULY 21, 7 PM
ORDER OR CHAOS: THE ECONOMY UNDER TRUMP
MONDAY, JULY 28, 7 PM
Hamptons Institute is a forum for ideas that shape both our community and the world. Founded in 2010 at Guild Hall, the Hamptons Institute returns with a compelling series of dynamic conversations. Each session features world-renown experts from diverse fields exploring a single topic through multiple perspectives, followed by an audience Q&A.
The Hamptons Institute’s 2025 installment is guest-curated by Ellen Chesler—author and Hamptons Institute co-founder (alongside Guild Hall’s late Chair, Mickey Straus)—and Patricia Duff, founder of the nonpartisan nonprofit The Common Good, dedicated to civic participation, civil dialogue, and finding solutions through common ground.
ABOUT HAMPTONS INSTITUTE
Founded in 1931 by Mary Woodhouse and her husband Lorenzo, Guild Hall began as a civic institution anchored by a museum and theater. The multidisciplinary arts institution has long been driven by the conviction that engaging with the arts—through exhibitions, performances, and meaningful dialogue—sparks connection, deepens understanding, and inspires people to participate more actively in the world beyond the boundaries of the East End.
This mission expanded in the 1980s with the launch of Hot Topics, a series designed to spark civic discourse, featuring notable panelists like Peter Jennings, recognized for his commitment to democratic journalism. Today, alongside its rich offerings in performing and visual arts, Guild Hall continues to foster thoughtful dialogue with leading luminaries across diverse fields.
LORNE, The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live, Book Cover.
