I won’t lie—proximity to charisma, influence and fame is a little intoxicating. I’m not ashamed to admit it. Plus, I just naturally like to be where the action is. From backstage greenrooms to exclusive soirees at Sundance to URB photo shoots, I’m drawn to the flame of celebrity like a moth. I didn’t start a magazine to live vicariously, but it’s become a nice vehicle to occasionally put me upfront and personal with celebrity culture.

When I got my first chance to go to a taping of Saturday Night Live at NBC Studios in Rockefeller Plaza a few years ago, I was giddy like a little boy. SNL was a show I grew up with, like many ‘70s kids with parents cool enough to let them watch the edgy, politically incorrect skits. And even …