Darrell Hammond is known for his hilarious impressions, but the “Saturday Night Live” veteran has shown a very serious side, revealing details about his traumatic past – including a very difficult moment that occurred during his time on the show.
“There was cutting backstage,” Hammond, who has a new book, “God, If You’re Not Up There, I’m F***ed,” told CNN in an emotional interview. “I was once taken to a psych ward.
“The week that I did the [Al] Gore debates, I believe I was taken away in a straight jacket. And there’s no way you people would know about that,” Hammond continued. “But ‘SNL’ is a place where if Lorne [Michaels, ‘SNL’s’ Executive Producer] judges if you can hit the ball over the wall that night, then you’re gonna go out and step up to the plate. I didn’t want to let Lorne down.”
Hammond claimed he was abused as a child by his mother, who passed away two years ago.
“When I was a child, I was a victim of systematic and lengthy brutality, I mean, stabbing, beating, being electrocuted, stuff like that,” he told CNN.
On Monday, Horatio Sanz, one of Hammond’s former “SNL” castmates, Tweeted his support for the funnyman.
“I’m proud of my friend Darrell,” Horatio wrote.
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