The process for just getting an audition on 'Saturday Night Live' is a giant slippery ladder in which each rung is greased with the guts of a feral cat and only a helping hand can get you to the top step.

And once you've reached the summit, there are only 12 to 14 spots, depending on how bad the previous season was (if it's after the 1980 season, you're golden, Ponyboy). So naturally, some very talented and entertaining people have to fall on the sword as a sacrifice to the cruel mistress of statistics.

That doesn't mean the public can't enjoy these mysterious mirthmakers. Thanks to the beauty of YouTube, now we can all enjoy those lost audition tapes of cast members who didn't make the cut. Here's the cream of the castaway crop ...

Will Greenberg
The best way to stand out with your 'SNL' audition tape, according to cast member Fred Armisen, isn't just to make the audience laugh. You've also got to make it your own. The person underneath the makeup and wigs brings just as much to a show or a sketch as the character they are publicly eviscerating. Greenberg, a member of the hilarious sketch group "Summer of Tears," brings a distinctive down-home flavor to his audition tape featuring some great mini-sketches of country stars Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash and a scary-good Matthew McConaughey, as well as a good ol' Texas blues ditty that sends out an important call-to-arms.



Keri Safran
It's hard to watch the more recent 'SNL' episodes because of the way they blatantly pander to younger and younger audiences. Sure the show is supposed to rip on the flavors of the month, but it seems less and less accessible by assuming the new audience won't understand references outside of their generation. Hiring this redhead could fix that. This stage and screen actress and Groundlings Theater performer does a wide array of funny impressions of Hollywood yesteryear from classic beauties from Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland to soon-to-be classic beauties like Melanie Griffith and Meg Ryan. She also proves she can take on more modern icons like Borat.



Piotr Walczuk
'SNL' needs an impressionist anchor to lean on since Darrell Hammond said goodbye to the cast and crew after his 12 year run. So it's puzzling why the show didn't pick up this comedian and voice-over artist Piotr Walczuk, a 20-years-young actor who found fame and infamy on YouTube thanks to his masterful vocal range and ability to mimic just about any voice thrown at his ear drums. His fame scored him a live audition on the 'SNL' stage in 2008, but somehow he never made the cut. It's hard to understand why when you watch his impressions stretching from Peter Falk to a spot-on Ian McKellen. His take on comic book legend Stan Lee alone is worth a lousy five minutes of NBC's seldom watched airtime.



Susan Deming
This Los Angeles comedian does great impressions of notable figures that are hard to get right, such as Katie Couric and Hillary Clinton (better than Amy Poehler ever could). She has a funny range of original characters that showcase her unique sense of humor and style. And she backs it all up by being a damn fine writer, cramming at least four sketches into her audition tape.



Lance Krall
This former 'Joe Schmo Show' and 'Free Radio' star is one of TV's most underrated comedy talents. He's got great range and an impressive ability to play characters that are either sullen and soft-spoken to outrageously over-the-top to equal comedic effect. He also loves doing prank humor as evidenced by his short-lived, self titled Spike sketch series. He brings both of those unique talents to part of his 'SNL' audition tape, only a portion of which made the web. Lance, if you're reading this, show us the rest. Also, bring back 'Free Radio.' VH1 needs more shows that don't involve fake breasts and catfights.