Julio Torres Shawn Mendes Intern: Hilarious SNL Tales
Julio Torres’ Shawn Mendes intern mix-up is one of the most charming anecdotes from his time at Saturday Night Live. In a recent interview with The Guardian on April 12, 2025, the Salvadoran-American comedian and writer shared this gem, recalling how he mistook global pop star Shawn Mendes for an NYU intern strolling the SNL halls. Torres’ absurdist humor and unique perspective shine through as he reflects on favorite letters, colors, and even his least favorite shapes. From SNL sketches to HBO’s Fantasmas, Torres’ quirky worldview captivates. Let’s dive into his delightful stories and what makes him a comedy standout.
Table of Contents
- The Julio Torres Shawn Mendes Intern Story
- Torres’ Absurdist Humor at SNL
- Favorite Letters and Colors
- Least Favorite Shapes and Why
- Torres’ Creative Journey Beyond SNL
- Conclusion
The Julio Torres Shawn Mendes Intern Story
Picture this: Julio Torres, then an SNL writer, spots a confident young man wandering 30 Rockefeller Plaza’s corridors. Assuming he’s an overzealous intern, Torres hesitates, later admitting, “My mind went to, like, God, these NYU kids just think they own the place.” It wasn’t until he saw Shawn Mendes rehearsing on monitors that he realized his mistake—Mendes was the week’s musical guest, not a student aide. “No one cringed, no one was harmed,” Torres quipped to The Guardian, laughing off the harmless blunder.
This Julio Torres Shawn Mendes intern tale, shared during a Melbourne International Comedy Festival chat, captures his offbeat charm. Mendes’ “very confident presence” threw Torres, who joined SNL in 2016 and wrote iconic sketches like “Papyrus” and “Wells for Boys.” The story resonates because it’s relatable—who hasn’t misjudged someone’s role in a high-pressure workplace? It’s a lighthearted peek into the chaotic, star-studded SNL world.
Torres’ Absurdist Humor at SNL
Torres’ three-year stint at SNL (2016–2019) cemented his reputation as a surrealist genius. His sketches stood out for their dreamy, off-kilter tone, a departure from the show’s typical political jabs. “Papyrus,” starring Ryan Gosling as a man haunted by Avatar’s font choice, went viral for its absurd premise. “Wells for Boys,” a fake ad for a toy wishing well, tugged heartstrings with its empathy for sensitive kids, earning praise from critics like Vulture.
The Shawn Mendes intern mix-up fits Torres’ knack for finding humor in the mundane. As he told The Guardian, his comedy often stems from “assigning anthropomorphic traits” to everyday things—like fonts or shapes. This sensibility made him a fan favorite, even if his face rarely appeared onscreen. His four Emmy nominations as an SNL writer underscore his impact, blending whimsy with sharp observation.
Favorite Letters and Colors
In the same interview, Torres revealed his quirky preferences, cementing his status as a creative oddball. His favorite letter? “A, because it has leading man vibes.” He imagines it strutting with confidence, much like Mendes unknowingly did at SNL. Runner-up letters include W and Y for their “intriguing shapes,” showing his fascination with form and personality. These choices reflect his visual approach, honed by his architect mother, Tita, who designed clothes and furniture during his childhood in El Salvador.
As for colors, Torres picks “clear” as his top choice, a nod to his love for the ethereal. “It’s like the absence of color, but also all of them,” he mused, per The Guardian. Blues and silvers follow, evoking calm and sparkle. These preferences echo his work—think Fantasmas’ translucent aesthetics or Los Espookys’ dreamy palettes—where visuals amplify his storytelling. Torres’ world is one where even letters and colors have starring roles.
Least Favorite Shapes and Why
Not every shape wins Torres’ heart. He has a particular disdain for pentagons and octagons, calling them rigid and “displacing.” “There’s a severity to them,” he told The Guardian, contrasting their sharpness with the fluidity he craves. This aversion ties to his comedy special My Favorite Shapes (HBO, 2019), where he riffs on objects like ovals and cacti, giving each a backstory. A pentagon, to Torres, lacks the warmth of a circle or the mystery of a tube.
His shape philosophy reveals a deeper truth: Torres finds beauty in what others overlook, but he’s unafraid to critique what feels off. This discernment shaped sketches like “The Sink,” where Emily Blunt voiced a neurotic basin. By rejecting rigid forms, Torres embraces a fluidity that defines his art, from SNL to his 2023 film Problemista.
Torres’ Creative Journey Beyond SNL
Since leaving SNL, Torres has soared, blending comedy, acting, and directing. He co-created Los Espookys (HBO, 2019–2022) with Fred Armisen, playing Andrés, a quirky heir in a horror-comedy gem. His 2024 series Fantasmas on Max, lauded by The New Yorker for its “otherworldly” vibe, explores identity through vignettes like gay hamster nightclubs. Problemista, his A24 directorial debut with Tilda Swinton, drew from his immigrant experience, earning SXSW buzz.
Torres’ roots in El Salvador, where he hid during the Civil War, inform his work’s melancholy undertow. His mother’s creativity—seen in a church photo he keeps from her college days—fuels his visual flair. As he told NPR, comedy was always his path, inspired by The Simpsons and Ally McBeal. Today, he’s a trailblazer, crafting worlds where interns might be pop stars and shapes tell stories. For more on his career, visit IMDb’s Julio Torres page.
Conclusion
The Julio Torres Shawn Mendes intern anecdote is a delightful window into a comedian who sees the world differently. From mistaking a pop star for an intern to assigning “leading man vibes” to the letter A, Torres’ humor is both absurd and heartfelt. His SNL legacy, marked by sketches like “Papyrus,” lives on, while projects like Fantasmas and Problemista push comedy’s boundaries. Torres reminds us to find magic in the mundane—whether it’s a shape, a color, or a fleeting hallway encounter. His voice, unique and unapologetic, keeps us laughing and wondering what he’ll dream up next.
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