Career setbacks often disguise themselves as devastating blows, only to reveal later that they were merely detours toward something greater. Few stories illustrate this principle more vividly than Amber Ruffin's path through the competitive landscape of American comedy. What began as a heartbreaking rejection from one of television's most coveted institutions transformed into a decade-long partnership that would redefine her professional trajectory.
In December 2013, Ruffin found herself at a career crossroads that many comedians only dream of reaching. After an intensive audition process for Saturday Night Live, she had advanced to the final round at the show's iconic 30 Rock headquarters. The signals seemed promising—she'd been invited to stay and watch the Fallon/Timberlake Christmas episode, a gesture that suggested she was being seriously considered for the cast. Flying back to Los Angeles, she carried with her a sense of cautious optimism that bordered on certainty.
The phone call that followed shattered those expectations. When the producers delivered the news that she hadn't secured the position, the disappointment cut deep. "I thought I was gonna die," Ruffin candidly shared with Mark Malkoff during the season premiere of LateNighter's Inside Late Night podcast. The raw emotion of that moment reflected not just the loss of a specific job, but the death of a particular vision she'd held for her career's next chapter.
Yet fate, as it often does, had orchestrated a different plan. Just three days after that crushing rejection, her phone rang with a call that would fundamentally alter her professional life. On the other end was Seth Meyers, a familiar face from her early days in comedy when both had performed at Amsterdam's Boom Chicago improv theater a decade earlier. Their shared history created an immediate connection, but the purpose of his call would exceed anything she anticipated.
Ruffin naturally assumed Meyers was reaching out to offer consolation, to commiserate over the SNL disappointment with a colleague who understood the stakes. Instead, he presented her with an opportunity that would prove far more consequential than the one she'd just lost. Meyers was preparing to launch Late Night with Seth Meyers, taking over NBC's 12:35 a.m. timeslot, and he needed writers who could do more than just write—they needed to perform.
The proposition was both thrilling and daunting. Would she be willing to relocate to New York in less than a week? For Ruffin, the answer was never truly in doubt. The speed of the offer reflected the urgency of late-night television production, but also the confidence Meyers had in her abilities. What seemed like a consolation prize in the moment would quickly reveal itself as a master key unlocking multiple doors.
Twelve years later, Ruffin remains a vital part of the Late Night team, a tenure that speaks volumes about both the work environment Meyers has cultivated and her own satisfaction with the role. "There is no reason why you would ever quit this job," she explains, highlighting the rare alchemy of creative fulfillment and professional stability that the position offers. In an industry notorious for burnout and constant turnover, such loyalty is practically unheard of.
But Ruffin's story doesn't end with her longevity on Late Night. The platform Meyers provided became a launchpad for an impressively diverse portfolio of creative ventures. While maintaining her position at the show, she somehow found the bandwidth to host her own Emmy-nominated late-night series for Peacock, The Amber Ruffin Show, which allowed her distinct voice and perspective to take center stage. This wasn't just a side project—it was a testament to her ability to balance multiple demanding roles simultaneously.
Her creative output extends far beyond television. Ruffin co-authored a book with her sister Lacey Lamar, translating her sharp observational humor to the page. The literary world wasn't her only additional domain—she earned a Tony nomination for co-writing the book of Broadway's Some Like It Hot, demonstrating that her talents could thrive in the demanding environment of musical theater. Each new medium presented fresh challenges, yet she navigated them with the same authenticity that made her comedy resonate.
Currently, Ruffin's schedule shows no signs of slowing. She appears weekly as a team captain on CNN's Have I Got News For You, bringing her comedic sensibilities to the news commentary format. Simultaneously, she's in previews with her new Off-Broadway musical Bigfoot! at New York City Center, with its official opening set for March 1. The project represents yet another creative evolution, blending her love of performance with the collaborative nature of musical theater.
When confronted with the sheer volume of her commitments, Ruffin offers a simple yet profound philosophy: "If it's not fun, I'm not doing it." This principle serves as both a personal compass and a professional filter, allowing her to maintain enthusiasm across multiple projects without succumbing to the exhaustion that plagues many in the entertainment industry. It's a mindset that prioritizes creative joy over mere career advancement, suggesting that sustainability in show business requires genuine passion.
This approach also explains how she juggles her various roles without losing the sense of play that makes her work distinctive. In an era where many creatives spread themselves thin across platforms, Ruffin seems to have found a sustainable model that amplifies rather than dilutes her voice. Each project feeds into the others, creating a synergistic effect that enhances rather than fragments her creative identity.
The full circle nature of her journey—from SNL rejection to becoming a staple of NBC's late-night lineup, from performing in Amsterdam to Broadway stages—offers a powerful lesson about resilience in creative fields. What appears to be a closed door might simply be redirecting you toward an entrance better suited to your particular talents. Ruffin's ability to transform disappointment into opportunity didn't happen by chance; it resulted from a combination of preparedness, relationships, and the courage to say yes when new paths emerged.
Her story resonates particularly strongly in today's entertainment landscape, where traditional career ladders have been replaced by more complex, non-linear trajectories. Success no longer follows a predictable formula, and Ruffin's multi-hyphenate career exemplifies the benefits of versatility and adaptability. The comedian who once thought she'd die from rejection now thrives across television, publishing, and theater—a testament to the unpredictable nature of creative careers.
For those navigating their own professional uncertainties, Ruffin's journey offers several actionable insights. First, maintain the relationships you build along the way—Meyers' call came precisely because they'd worked together years before. Second, treat every opportunity as a potential foundation rather than a destination. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, anchor your decisions in what genuinely excites you rather than what seems most prestigious on paper.
The entertainment industry will always be unpredictable, filled with rejections that feel personal and opportunities that arrive disguised as setbacks. Amber Ruffin's career demonstrates that the difference between those who survive and those who thrive often comes down to perspective, persistence, and the willingness to embrace the unexpected. Twelve years after that fateful phone call, she continues to prove that sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you never saw coming.
To hear Ruffin discuss her journey in her own words, listeners can tune into her full conversation with Mark Malkoff on the Inside Late Night podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever podcasts are streamed.