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Jordan Peele Sheds Light On His MADtv Contract
To the public eye, it would seem like Jordan Peele career is exactly where he wants it to be–how could it not be with how successful he’s been these last few years?!
But Peele hasn’t always been in charge of his own projects, and he’s had some negative experiences with the companies he’s worked with in the past–and yeah, he’s holding grudges. The Us and Get Out creator talked to The Hollywood Reporter about a life-changing opportunity that was lost over a contract dispute with MADtv back in 2008.
When Peele was nearing the end of his contract when he got an offer to join the Saturday Night Live team. But things didn’t go exactly as planned for the sketch comedian when Fox’s MADtv wouldn’t let him out of his deal early to take his talents to NBC.
“I wanted to be a producer,” Jordan explained. “These producers are making these decisions about art and comedy, and they didn’t know anything about art and comedy. I want to be a producer and bring my artistry to that and they’ll all be sorry.”
He went on to speak about MADtv‘s 20th anniversary special, making a key observation. “You will note that I’m not present,” he told the audience at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade, which had gathered for a sold out edition of the improv training center’s interview series.
But, it definitely seems like that hurt from missing such an opportunity is what’s driven him to have creative control over his own projects now–and he’s doing a great job. After Get Out’s immense success, his latest film Us has achieved a similar amount of both critical and commercial acclaim. According to current estimates, the film’s domestic box office haul is at just under $137 million.