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Herbert Schlosser, then-president of NBC, brought on Dick Ebersol, the vice president of late-night programming, to address Carson's absence. Ebersol's collaboration with a young Lauren Michaels proved essential. Recommended by Paramount Pictures' chairman Barry Diller, Michaels had established himself in the comedy world and was charged with creating a show that would change television.
Together, they conceptualized a format that would blend sketches, political satire, and musical performances, promising a departure from the traditional, formulaic variety shows.