Steve Martin reportedly declines offer to play Gov. Tim Walz on ‘Saturday Night Live’

“Only Murders in the Building” star Steve Martin has reportedly declined Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels’ offer to play Gov. Tim Walz on the show, the Los Angeles Times reports.

“I wanted to say no and, by the way, he wanted me to say no,” Martin told the newspaper. “I said, ‘Lorne, I’m not an impressionist. You need someone who can really nail the guy.’ I was picked because I have gray hair and glasses.”

Social media users have obsessed over Walz since late July when he called former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, “weird people” during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” This week, the online obsession with Minnesota’s governor reached a fever pitch when Vice President Kamala Harris chose him as her running mate.

Walz’s public portrait has been fueled in large part by what some call his “big dad energy,” which can be best summed up as a uniquely midwestern blend of self-sufficiency served alongside a series of jokes that would prompt any teenager to perform an eye roll.

Online commentators have pitched several other comedians who might tap into that sensibility to imitate Walz on the long-running sketch comedy show, which premieres its 50th season on Sept. 28. (Jim Gaffigan, anyone?)

Maya Rudolph is set to return as Harris, the Times reports. But she cleared her calendar and even moved production of her Apple TV+ series in order to accommodate the gig. Martin didn’t want to do the same.

“It’s ongoing,” he said. “It’s not like you do it once and get applause and never do it again.”