When it comes to the various eras of Saturday Night Live, the ‘90s arguably stands as one of the most beloved decades for the long-running sketch comedy series. Among SNL’s ‘90s stars were David Spade and Rob Schneider, who both managed to make their marks while working at Studio 8H. Even as someone with a more casual knowledge of the Lorne Michaels-created show, I’ve long been aware of Schneider and Spade’s contributions to it. What I didn’t know until now, however, was that there was “tension” between the two comics.
David Spade was on SNL for six seasons from 1990 to 1996 and, in the decades since he’s been away from the show, he’s been open about aspects of the experience. (That includes that infamous joke he made at Eddie Murphy’s expense in ‘95.) During a recent interview with Esquire that was shared to YouTube, Spade covered a wide range of topics and was eventually asked about what his relationship with Rob Schneider was like early on. From there, the Joe Dirt star explained what was at the root of his and Schneider’s issues:
I would say the best way to sum that up is we're both stand-ups. They're both doing about the same middle acts. I got paid pretty well to be middle $600. Don't worry about it. $600, which was huge for a middle just But sometimes I got a thousand. And Rob was the same. And part jealousy on my part. He was very driven. Also, we all want to do well on the show. It just led to some tension.
This rivalry between the two stars actually falls in line with what some series alums (including Spade himself) have said about the SNL experience. Spade admitted it could be hard for newbies to get themselves written into sketches. With that, some fresh cast members may find themselves competing for material. With that, I can honestly understand why Schneider and Spade will get competitive, and their desperation makes even more sense, considering they were on the show at the same time as stars like Adam Sandler, Chris Rock and Chris Farley, who became some of SNL’s most impactful stars.
Amid his recent interview, Spade went on to suggest that he and Schneider (who was on Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1994) have gained some perspective. The Rules of Engagement star further opened up about his take on that feud:
Rob, in fairness, later said we all got a little crazy, and he got a little crazy, too, you know, broke some eggs along the way also. So, we weren't our best version of ourselves. This is your one big break and, every week you're not getting on, you’re more stressed and freaked out and so everything really matters. Anything can cause a fight. You're so tense.
Both Spade and Schneider eventually found success beyond SNL, and they even worked together on 2010's Grown Ups alongside fellow series alums like Sandler and Rock. So what does the Schneider/Spade relationship look like today? Well, Spade has a positive take:
We’re probably at the best friendship we've been right now because, once you get through that and then you're getting older, then you look like you might both be in showbiz for a while. So that's a little bit of relief that it's not just step off SNL off a cliff because you can just disappear. And so I got on Just Shoot Me, he was doing Hot Chick and these movies, Deuce Bigalow. Everything was going okay. So we didn't talk a ton, because everyone was doing stuff, but we did Grown Ups [which was] great…. I do talk to him a lot more now.
It’s great to hear there are no hard feelings at this point, and that’s truly a testament to the way in which people can change over time. Additionally, I just find it interesting to hear about the dynamics shared between members of the SNL cast, considering how unique a work environment it is. There have certainly been beefs between stars though, based on Spade’s comments, his tiff with Schneider doesn’t sound as bad as other behind-the-scenes spats.
Grab a Peacock subscription and stream David Spade and Rob Schneider’s performances in classic episodes of Saturday Night Live. Also, watch new episodes of the show when they air on NBC at 11:30 p.m. ET as part of the 2026 TV schedule.
