The 40 Most Unforgettable SNL Controversies Through the Years
The 40 Most Unforgettable SNL Controversies Through the Years
Saturday Night Live has been serving late-night comedy over NBC's airwaves nearly every week since the show's debut in 1975 (yes, long before the existence of comedy podcasts and the ability to stream your favorite comedies on Netflix and Hulu). The program's irreverent satire and live-broadcast format basically guaranteed it would court controversy from the very beginning, but that hasn't stopped SNL from taking home 67 Emmys, launching the careers of dozens of talented comedians and actors, spotlighting hundreds of great musical acts and creating some of the most memorable sketches of all time. As it turns out, bad hosts, edgy material, rebellious musicians, and accidental f-bombs are all just part of the fun. Read on to see Saturday Night Live's biggest controversies from throughout its tenure as one of the longest-running shows in television.
"The Claudine Longet Invitational"
Not long after French pop singer and actress Claudine Longet was arrested for shooting and killing pro skier Vladimir “Spider” Sabich in 1976, Saturday Night Live ran a skit featuring stock footage of falling skiers overdubbed with gunshots. A cease-and-desist from Longet's lawyer followed, SNL publicly apologized, and the sketch was pulled from air. All in all, it wasn't a much harsher punishment than Longet herself received. After a conviction of negligent homicide, the actress spent 30 days in jail.
Sinéad O'Connor vs. The Pope
In a defining moment of her career, and possibly SNL's most famous controversial moment, Sinéad O’Connor concluded her 1992 performance by ripping a photo of Pope John Paul II in half.
Martin Lawrence's monologue takes a turn
In 1994, Martin Lawrence's opening monologue included a critique of modern female hygiene. Citing network policy, SNL removed the comments from all re-broadcasts of the episode.
Fred Armisen vs. Governor Paterson
Fred Armisen's recurring portrayal of legally blind New York Governor David Paterson wandering into the camera frame wasn't funny to at least one person: the governor himself. Paterson came on the show in 2010 to issue a personal reprimand, but not without wandering into one final shot alongside Armisen.
Pete Davidson makes fun of Dan Crenshaw
In a 2018 sketch, cast member Pete Davidson made fun of Republican congressional candidate Dan Crenshaw, who'd lost his right eye in combat in Afghanistan, saying, "You may be surprised to hear he's a congressional candidate from Texas, and not a hit man in a porno movie." In the following week's show, Davidson issued an in-person apology to Crenshaw. Crenshaw got in a jab of his own when he said Davidson looked "like if the meth from Breaking Bad was a person."
The "Nude Beach" sketch
In 1988's "Nude Beach" sketch, Matthew Broderick, Dana Carvey, Kevin Nealon, Dennis Miller, and Jon Lovitz endeavored to say "penis" as often as possible. In the end, the word was uttered over 40 times.
Larry David makes a Holocaust joke
In his 2017 opening monologue, Larry David imagined how he might've hit on women in a concentration camp. The Anti-Defamation League deemed the bit “offensive, insensitive & unfunny all at same time.”
Kenan Thompson plays a battered Tiger Woods
A 2009 sketch starring Kenan Thompson as Tiger Woods portrayed the golfer holding a series of press conferences, each time appearing increasingly battered by his wife. The skit was criticized for making light of domestic violence. It didn't help matters that the episode's musical guest was Rihanna, who'd been assaulted by partner Chris Brown earlier that same year.
Paul Shaffer was the first to drop an f-bomb
Part of the show's house band in 1980, Paul Shaffer slipped up during a medieval sketch that made heavy use of the word “flogging.” In his 2009 memoir, Shaffer recounts show creator Lorne Michaels approaching him after the incident to tell him, "You've broken down the last barrier."
Charles Rocket's slip up
The f-word made its second appearance on SNL the following year, when cast member Charles Rocket, while in character as Dallas oil baron J.R. Ewing, used the word in a closing exchange with host Charlene Tilton. He was fired from the show later that season.
Samuel L. Jackson also drops an f-bomb
Playing himself in a 2012 sketch, Samuel L. Jackson's language got more colorful than intended. According to Jackson, fellow actor Kenan Thompson was meant to cut him off midway through the expletive, but failed to do so. The moment was a shock, but it was not the first time the f-word made an appearance on SNL.
Ashlee Simpson lip syncs
A musical guest on SNL in 2004, Ashlee Simpson performed "Pieces of Me" without issue, but when her band started up her second song of the set, the vocals from "Pieces of Me" began again. Adding insult to injury, Simpson's mic was nowhere near her mouth at the time.
Rage Against the Machine gets kicked out
When Rage Against the Machine guested on the show in 1996, the band's use of an upside-down American flag as a stage prop got 'em thrown out of the building after only one song.
"Djesus Uncrossed" sketch angers Christian groups
In a 2013, Christoph Waltz played a shotgun-toting Jesus in a sketch depicting the crucifixion in the style of a Quentin Tarantino revenge fantasy. Christian groups were not amused.
Sam Kinison jokes about weed
In 1986, NBC's policy was that any drug references on the network had to be negative. In discussing the government's war on drugs, comedian Sam Kinison claimed, ″You can’t get any more pot. If you give us back the pot, we’ll forget the crack." His comments were edited from the West Coast broadcast.
Kanye West's pro-Trump rant
Already something of a veteran musical guest of SNL, Kanye West wrapped up his 2018 appearance by donning a Make America Great Again hat for his final song, then delivering a surprise rant in support of President Trump. The speech wasn't aired, but comedian Chris Rock, who was in the audience at the show, recorded it and posted it to his Instagram feed.
System of a Down yells "f— yeah"
During a 2005 appearance, System of a Down guitarist Daron Malakian screeched out an "unscripted expletive" midway through the band's performance. It was edited out of later broadcasts.
Norm MacDonald gets fired
Norm MacDonald's tenure as host of Weekend Update came to an abrupt end midway through SNL's 1997–98 season. It was widely believed that the decision, which came from NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer, not show creator Lorne Michaels, was in response to MacDonald's jokes about recently acquitted football star, and close friend of Ohlmeyer's, O.J. Simpson.
Ariana Grande curses during her monologue
The musical number in Ariana Grande's 2016 opening monologue was made more memorable when the pop star flubbed a line and accidentally muttered "oh s—" before proceeding with the song.
Frank Zappa is a terrible host
Two years after his appearance as a musical guest in 1976, Frank Zappa was asked to host SNL. In the book Live From New York, authors James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales quote Don Novello, a writer for the show at the time, as saying "the Frank Zappa show was like one of the worst ever." Zappa was never invited back.
Fear wreaks havoc
For its appearance on SNL's 1981 Halloween show, California punk band Fear invited fans to slam dance in front of the stage. The situation rapidly spiraled out of control. The New York Post later reported that $200,000 worth of damage was done to the studio.
Sam Rockwell says the f-word
In a 2018 sketch starring Sam Rockwell as a frustrated host of a PBS science show, the actor was a little too in character when he said, "You can't be this f—ing stupid."
Andrew Dice Clay comes on the show
When Andrew Dice Clay was scheduled to host in 1990, cast member Nora Dunn and musical guest Sinéad O'Connor both refused to appear in the episode. NBC even insisted on a five-to-seven-second delay, to give censors time to catch any unsavory behavior. Clay stuck to the script however, and ultimately SNL’s decision to book the comedian was far more controversial than anything he said or did on air.
Donald Trump hosts
In 2015, SNL proved it was still unafraid to feature a controversial host when it invited then presidential candidate Donald Trump on the show.
Chevy Chase and Bill Murray get into a fight
In 1978, Chevy Chase’s ego was nearly as renowned as his comedic talent. Returning to SNL as a host two years after his departure from the cast, Chase ended up in a backstage argument with current cast member Bill Murray that escalated into a full-blown fist fight.
Shane Gillis is hired and fired
Just hours after SNL announced Shane Gillis would be joining the show's cast, videos surfaced of the stand-up comedian using racial and homophobic slurs. He was fired days later.
Louis C.K. jokes about child molestation
When the comedian hosted SNL in 2015, many viewers took issue with his jokes about child molestation.
The Replacements guest on the show
According to Rolling Stone, the Replacements got drunk, said the f-word just off mic during their first song, switched clothes for their second, and rang up $1100 in hotel damages over the course of their 1986 booking on SNL. Their actions nearly convinced Lorne Michaels to ban all artists on the Warner Bros. label from ever appearing on the show. Ultimately, the ban applied to The Replacements alone.
Adrien Brody goes off script
While hosting in 2003, Adrien Brody donned fake dreadlocks and imitated a Jamaican patois to introduce musical guest Sean Paul. Show creator Lorne Michaels was not impressed.
Milton Berle hosts
Milton Berle may have been "Mr. Television" in the ’50s and ’60s, but comedy had changed by the time he came on SNL to host. His choices to use scripted ad-libs and prearrange a standing ovation ensured he would not be invited back.
"Canteen Boy Goes Camping"
In a 1994 sketch, Adam Sandler's recurring Canteen Boy character is subjected to the advances of his scoutmaster Mr. Armstrong, played by SNL favorite Alec Baldwin. The skit angered some viewers, who thought the skit depicted child molestation. Ultimately, a disclaimer was inserted into rebroadcasts clarifying that Canteen Boy is 27 years old.
Steven Seagal is the worst
Since his appearance on the show in 1991, many have named Steven Seagal as SNL's worst host, including show creator Lorne Michaels in an on-air exchange with Nicolas Cage in 1992.
Elvis Costello switches songs
As a musical guest in 1977, a young Elvis Costello surprised the SNL crew and censors when he stopped his band seconds into playing “Less Than Zero” and started up “Radio Radio.” A little over twenty years later, on SNL's 25th anniversary show, he recalled the infamous episode by interrupting the Beastie Boys and leading everyone in a group performance of "Radio Radio."
Nirvana gets physical
SNL's signature curtain call has always been congenial. Never more so than when Nirvana made its first appearance on the show in 1992. As the credits rolled, all three members made out with one another, tongues and all.
The "Safelite AutoGlass" sketch
When a 2017 sketch starring Beck Bennett as a Safelite AutoGlass repairman repeatedly breaking a woman’s windshield in order to hit on her 17 year old daughter, many, including Safelite AutoGlass, felt the skit had gone too far.
Wayne's World mocks Chelsea Clinton
In 1992, cast member Mike Myers was left feeling decidedly not excellent after a “Wayne’s World” skit mocked Chelsea Clinton and drew the ire of Hillary Clinton. Myers apologized and the joke was pulled from subsequent broadcasts.
Jenny Slate says the f-word
In her first ever episode, cast member Jenny Slate dropped the dreaded f-bomb. She was fired at the end of the season, but ten years later, in a 2019 interview with InStyle, Slate said she didn’t think the curse word was to blame.
Cypress Hill lights up on stage
When Cypress Hill’s DJ Muggs lit a joint onstage during the group’s 1993 musical performance, he ensured that the trio’s first appearance on SNL would also be its last.
Kristen Stewart gets a little too excited
When Kristen Stewart said that hosting SNL was the “coolest f— thing ever” during her 2017 monologue, her slip may not have been the show’s only run in with the word, but it was possibly its most endearing.
Dave Chappelle uses some risky language
Dave Chappelle tested the boundaries of SNL-approved speech when he hosted the show in 2016, at one point offering a cheeky apology to Lorne Michaels. It didn't seem to matter much, though: he took home an Emmy for the appearance.
From Nirvana's on-stage make-out to Kristin Stewart's slip-up.