Bob Odenkirk says he was 'too young' when he joined “SNL”: 'I had no f---ing clue what I was doing'

Bob Odenkirk joined Saturday Night Live as a writer at age 25 — and he doesn't necessarily recommend that career path for others.

On comedian Tig Notaro's podcast Don't Ask Tig, the actor recalled an exchange he had with his 24-year-old son Nate, who wants to pursue a career as a comedy writer at SNL or a similarly prominent show.

Odenkirk insists that during his early years at SNL, "I was unsure of myself. It was hard. It was existentially dangerous. I had feelings of 'I should erase myself.'"

"I was too young when I got hired at SNL," he continued. "That was not a good thing. That could've gone wrong. That could've gone so wrong. It came this close so many times to going so wrong. You gotta believe me. And it's hard for kids to believe you when you say, 'I had no f---ing clue what I was doing and I was scared outta my wits for years.'"

Saturday Night Live/Youtube; Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images Bob Odenkirk in a cameo on 'SNL' in 1991.

Odenkirk wrote for SNL from 1987 to 1991. During that time, performers such as Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Chris Farley, and Tim Meadows made their debuts on the show. Odenkirk once told PEOPLETV that he was "such a prick back then."

"I wish I wasn't such a stuck up young man," Odenkirk told PEOPLETV. "I wish I was a sweeter fellow because I had a great opportunity there. I made the most of it. I learned a lot about comedy writing and I made some great friends for life at that show, but I still wish I'd just handled it better, but don't you always wish that about your young self?"

His time on SNL wasn't without its highlights, though. In an episode of Hot Ones, Odenkirk said that his time working on Chris Farley's Matt Foley sketches was "most fun I had in show business." The sketch came from the duo's pre-SNL days in Chicago. "I played the dad in the sketch and we did it seven times a week at Second City."

Listen to the full episode of Don't Ask Tig below.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

• Bob Odenkirk urges actors not to accept SAG-AFTRA strike waivers: 'It's a strike. Be on strike.'

• Bob Odenkirk says he rejected advice from conservative doctor before his heart attack

• Bob Odenkirk calls performing Matt Foley sketch with Chris Farley the 'most fun I had in show business'