Molly Shannon On Being Her Dad's Lucky Star, Becoming an SNL Superstar, and Her New Memoir

Tell Me About Your Father

Molly Shannon, beloved performer, Saturday Night Live alumna, and now New York Times bestselling author of the memoir Hello Molly! recently stopped by her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio on her book tour to speak with Erin in front of a sold-out auditorium. This special episode of Tell Me About Your Father is a live recording of their conversation from April 15th at the Cuyahoga County Public Library, and it's the first time Molly has returned to Cleveland since her dad, Jim Shannon, died in 2001. Jim takes center stage in her book and this conversation, where Molly details the aftermath of the unimaginable car accident that made him a single father responsible for raising two little girls. Molly credits her dad for helping her find her moxie and perseverance in the face of a family tragedy and for always encouraging "shenanigans," including the time he successfully dared her and a friend to sneak onto a flight to New York City as tweens. (That friend was in the audience and joins Molly on stage to re-enact the story.) This boldness is also what inspired her iconic SNL characters Mary Katherine Gallagher and Sally O’Malley, strivers who never quit. Listen as she shares the impact her dad had on her career, his coming out to Molly late in life, and their final goodbye.

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