Adam Scott’s Golden Globe Moment Becomes a Cultural Phenomenon
Adam Scott has become an Emmy good-luck charm, not only because he is a double nominee for Severance as the show’s star and an executive producer but also because of his pivotal guest appearance in The Studio. Both Apple TV+ shows have benefited from his presence: Severance is the most-nominated series with 27 nods, while The Studio is the most-nominated comedy with 23 bids. His performance in The Studio has left a lasting impact, especially in an episode centered around the Golden Globes.
In the “Golden Globes” episode of The Studio, Scott appears as himself, playing a character named Sal Saperstein, who is introduced as an old friend of Ike Barinholtz’s studio executive, Sal Saperstein. During the fictional ceremony, Scott wins the Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a TV Miniseries or Movie and delivers an impromptu acceptance speech that includes a surprising thank you to Sal Saperstein.
“On the way in here, I ran into an old buddy of mine, the dude whose couch I slept on when I first came out here,” Scott says, “So if I’m thanking people, I think I should thank Sal Saperstein.”
This line quickly became a meme, sparking a running gag throughout the episode. Quinta Brunson, Jean Smart, Aaron Sorkin, and Zoë Kravitz all pay tribute to Sal Saperstein, much to the growing frustration of Matt Remick, played by Seth Rogen. The phrase even gained traction beyond the episode, spreading across social media and becoming part of the Emmy season discourse.
The Inspiration Behind the Episode
The episode drew inspiration from Scott and Barinholtz’s real-life friendship, which dates back decades. After the show aired, Scott posted a vintage photo of the two of them on Instagram captioned “Me and Sal, circa 2001,” to which Rogen responded, “Damn. I can smell the couch from here.”
While his onscreen counterpart may be envious, the real Rogen, who is up for Best Comedy Actor, told Gold Derby that the Globes episode was the one he was most proud of. He described the challenge of shooting the episode at the Beverly Hilton, which added logistical difficulties. Rogen wanted the event to feel authentic, ensuring that the caliber of celebrities seen on screen matched what would be expected at a real Golden Globe ceremony.
“I wanted there to be never a suspension in disbelief in the caliber of celebrity you were seeing,” Rogen explained. “That’s not who’d be winning a Golden Globe, that’s not who’d be hosting the Golden Globes, that’s not who’d be getting a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Golden Globes, that’s not who’d be presenting at the Golden Globes.”
A Unique Collaboration
Scott shared how he was recruited for the show. He had a Zoom call with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Rogen’s partner and co-creator of The Studio. They asked him to participate in the Golden Globes episode, and he immediately agreed. “I didn’t need to read a script or anything, because I knew it would be a blast, and it was.”
Despite the challenges behind the scenes, the atmosphere on set was festive. Scott recalled that the experience felt like being at the Golden Globes for four days. “It was a room filled with people in gowns and tuxedos – and it was bizarre,” he said. “Those of us in the room that had been [to the Globes] were kind of astounded at the realism of the event.”
The Impact of the Gag
The “Thank you, Sal Saperstein” line has continued to resonate long after the episode aired. Scott admits that he still gets requests to deliver the line, and Barinholtz is still surprised by strangers shouting it out in daily life. Even celebrities like Questlove, Alison Brie, and Chris Daughtry have quoted the line on social media.
Barinholtz hopes that if Scott wins Best Actor for Severance, he will thank Sal Saperstein. “I’m trying to will that to happen, but it has definitely exploded a little bit,” he said. Whether or not Scott acknowledges Sal Saperstein at the Emmys remains to be seen, but the cultural impact of the line is undeniable.
