- 6 weeks ago
Live from New York, it's cringe comedy at its finest! Join us as we count down the most uncomfortable moments that made Saturday Night Live history. From forgotten lines to failed characters, celebrity meltdowns to bizarre ad-libs, these are the times when the iconic sketch show got awkward in all the wrong (or right?) ways.
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00:00We got a great show, you know.
00:01And a kingstone massive, you know.
00:03Boy, boy, boy, boy, boy, boy.
00:05Welcome, you know what?
00:06Key to the bar.
00:07Key to the bar, the boy.
00:08Yeah, man.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo.
00:10And today, we're counting down our picks
00:11for the top 20 most shocking, funny, bizarre,
00:15or cringey moments on Saturday Night Live.
00:17I'm a nice boy, and I like to wear undies.
00:20Undies, undies, undies, undies.
00:24Number 20, Kristen Stewart's F-Bomb.
00:28Hosting SNL is an exciting moment in anyone's life.
00:31For actress Kristen Stewart, some of that excitement was present in her opening monologue.
00:35It is really great to be hosting Saturday Night Live, I gotta tell you.
00:38She initially expressed nervousness that Donald Trump might be watching
00:42because he had previously commented on her past relationship with Robert Pattinson.
00:46She ended the monologue with a bit about not being too cool to host the show,
00:49where she was joined by Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant.
00:52You guys don't have to do this, though, just to make me think you're cool,
00:56because I think you guys are so awesome.
00:57Like, it's a done deal.
00:59Oh, thank God.
01:00While proclaiming how happy she is to be on the program,
01:03Stewart let slip an expletive.
01:05She immediately caught herself, but it clearly caught everyone off guard.
01:09We've got a great show, and I totally care that I'm here
01:12because it's the coolest s*** ever.
01:14Oh!
01:16Oh, my God.
01:17And I'm sorry, and Alessia Carr is also here, and I'll never come back.
01:22Number 19. Suitcase Boy.
01:24If you were to picture Robert Downey Jr. in a suit,
01:28it would most likely be an Iron Man suit, not a suitcase.
01:32Back in 1986, a 20-year-old Downey was rolled out on stage
01:36in a comically large contraption where only his head is visible.
01:39Ladies and gentlemen, Francis thought that Robert should do something
01:43that expressed himself, who he really is.
01:47He claims he's going to do a confrontational monologue,
01:50and we're not sure what that even means.
01:52He goes on to express a series of non-sequiturs
01:55until Joan Cusack comes out in a suitcase as well.
01:58What is this?
01:59Don't mind me. Just go ahead and put you...
02:01What do you mean, go ahead with what I'm doing?
02:03What is that?
02:04Well, I think it's going very well.
02:06You should just go ahead.
02:07He's upset that Cusack is going to steal his thunder
02:10and falls over in anger.
02:11I'm going to knock you over.
02:13You will cushion my fall.
02:15You'll...
02:15Ow!
02:16Ow!
02:18Season 11 of SNL is frequently cited as one of the show's worst,
02:22and with a sketch as baffling as this,
02:25it's not hard to see why.
02:27Number 18.
02:28January Jones is Gassy
02:29A parody of Rear Window sounds like a fun concept,
02:33but its execution leaves a lot to be desired.
02:36It's Grace Kelly.
02:37I'm so sorry I'm late.
02:42Please forgive me.
02:43Hello, James.
02:44Hello, Alfred.
02:45Good evening.
02:47January Jones portrays Grace Kelly,
02:49and the simple setup is that she has gas
02:51and she keeps farting while trying to shoot a scene
02:53with Jimmy Stewart played by Jason Sudeikis.
02:56What could be in a box that size?
03:01Cut!
03:06Did I do it again?
03:07That is the depth of this sketch,
03:09and it is painful to watch.
03:11The only thing that can be added is more farting effects,
03:15and it certainly doesn't improve anything.
03:17In fact, the only real positive takeaway
03:19is that Jones eventually breaks.
03:21Well, Hitch, I feel terrible.
03:24Why?
03:24That's because you're sick, Grace!
03:26You're sick!
03:28Number 17.
03:30Larry David's Holocaust Jokes
03:31If you watch Curb Your Enthusiasm,
03:34you know Larry David is the one person
03:37willing to say the things others won't say
03:39to avoid feeling uncomfortable.
03:41It really shouldn't be a surprise, then,
03:43that David brought up the Holocaust during his monologue.
03:45If I'd grown up in Poland
03:47when Hitler came to power
03:49and was sent to a concentration camp,
03:53would I still be checking out women in the camp?
03:58He mentions how it would be difficult
04:00to pick up women in a concentration camp.
04:02Sometimes things are better left unsaid,
04:04as the bit caused some controversy
04:06due to the sensitive nature of the subject.
04:08The problem is
04:09there are no good opening lines
04:12in a concentration camp.
04:14And while audience members let out a few laughs
04:17to our ear,
04:18they sounded nervous
04:19as they may have been unsure of how to react.
04:22What?
04:22What'd I say?
04:24Is it me or is it the whole thing?
04:28Number 16.
04:29SafeLight Autoglass Gets Creepy
04:31This one started out decently enough
04:33but didn't stick the landing.
04:35In a parody of SafeLight commercials,
04:37we are presented with a technician
04:39checking in with a mother and daughter duo
04:40after repairs were made to their car.
04:43Wow, the windshield looks brand new.
04:45Thanks for your help.
04:46Bye.
04:47Wait, how close was the game?
04:49We demolished them.
04:50Good job.
04:51This happens a few times
04:52because the windshield keeps cracking.
04:54Where things go off the rails
04:56is when it's revealed
04:57that the employee has been purposely
04:59breaking the windshield
05:00to get close to the daughter.
05:01Tell her what?
05:02You don't feel this?
05:03What's happening between us?
05:05Gross, no.
05:05It was an unnecessary turn
05:07that made everything creepier
05:09than it needed to be.
05:10SafeLight was none too thrilled
05:12about its portrayal
05:13and eventually,
05:14this segment was removed
05:15from subsequent airings for a time.
05:17It's okay.
05:18I'm not insulted.
05:19Number 15.
05:20Father-daughter ad.
05:22The setup for this commercial spoof
05:23seems innocuous enough.
05:25A dad dropping off his daughter
05:26at the airport.
05:27Things take a turn
05:41towards the unexpected
05:42when instead of the daughter
05:43going off to college,
05:44she's actually joining ISIS.
05:47Unsurprisingly,
05:48many people took exception to this
05:49as it seemed to be making light
05:50of the pain and suffering
05:51the group has caused.
05:53Not helping matters
05:54were some of the more
05:55cringe-inducing lines like,
05:56Dad,
05:58it's just ISIS.
06:00There just isn't much substance
06:01beyond the shock value
06:02of having a young woman
06:03join an extremist group.
06:05Take care of her.
06:08Death to America.
06:09Number 14.
06:11Nude Beach.
06:12Bob and Doug are at
06:13a nude beach resort
06:14and Doug,
06:14played by Matthew Broderick,
06:16is understandably feeling
06:17a little nervous.
06:18I feel a little self-conscious, Bob.
06:20I mean,
06:21I've never been to a nude beach before.
06:22Doug, come on.
06:23Will you stop with this?
06:24You have nothing to worry about.
06:26When they meet a larger group
06:28of Bob's friends,
06:29all they can talk about
06:30is the male appendage,
06:31with nearly everyone
06:32commenting on how small Bob's is.
06:34Yeah, I guess so.
06:36Well, that's okay.
06:36I hear it really doesn't matter
06:37to women.
06:38Yeah, I read that too.
06:39The initial mention is humorous,
06:41but they really run the concept
06:43into the ground.
06:44In about four minutes,
06:46the word penis is uttered
06:47around 40 times,
06:48including in a song.
06:50Naturally, when this aired,
06:5246,000 complaints were sent in.
06:54It kind of makes us wonder
06:56if there's room for serious discussion
06:58on these subjects on television.
07:00So to those of you
07:01who missed the point,
07:02grow up.
07:03Really, come on.
07:04Number 13.
07:06Gen Z Hospital.
07:07The way younger generations talk
07:09sure is funny, don't you think?
07:11At least, that's what
07:11this sketch would have you believe.
07:13Bruh, seriously?
07:15I'm so pressed right now, bro.
07:17In a parody of daytime soaps,
07:19a group of friends
07:20are at a hospital
07:20trying to find out
07:21if Bestie is okay.
07:23And the conceit is
07:23that everyone uses slang
07:25typically attributed
07:26to members of Gen Z.
07:27Your Bestie took a major L
07:29while driving her Hellcat.
07:30Yeah, we saw.
07:32We tried everything
07:33we could in surgery.
07:34And it was sus for a while.
07:35But we have your Bestie on a machine
07:37and we're doing everything we can.
07:39Unfortunately,
07:40there are no jokes
07:42beyond the phrases used
07:43sounding out of place
07:44in a serious medical context.
07:46Many viewers found it cringey
07:48while others claimed
07:49the show was misappropriating
07:50the use of African-American
07:52vernacular English.
07:53Bro!
07:55You capin'!
07:56Unfortunately, no cap.
07:58Number 12.
07:59Commie Hunting Season.
08:01This sketch is frequently considered
08:03one of the worst on SNL.
08:05And it's not hard to see why.
08:07It sure is exciting, Uncle Lester.
08:09My very first commie hunt.
08:11It seems to be satirizing
08:13the Greensboro Massacre
08:14where far-right extremists
08:16shot and killed
08:17communist protesters
08:18in Greensboro, North Carolina.
08:20The main thing
08:21working against this segment
08:23is that it's just not funny.
08:25Boys!
08:26Boys!
08:26There's plenty of commies
08:28for everybody!
08:30I'm sure you'll all bag your quota.
08:33It's only about three minutes long
08:34but feels longer
08:35because there are zero laughs
08:37throughout the entire runtime.
08:39It's painful to watch
08:41because the actors
08:41say their lines
08:42expecting some reaction
08:43from the audience
08:44but all they get is silence.
08:46It's not let a little thing
08:47like this spoil
08:48a whole damn afternoon!
08:49Oh, and
08:50they use a racial epithet
08:51about 30 seconds in.
08:53So, not a great recipe
08:55for success.
08:55Number 11
08:57Sinead O'Connor
08:58Tears a Photo of the Pope
08:59She only made one appearance
09:02on SNL
09:03but it's one of the most
09:04memorable and controversial.
09:06Her first performance
09:07of the night
09:07was her single
09:08Success Has Made
09:09a Failure of Our Home.
09:20She received thunderous applause
09:22from the audience
09:22which would be
09:23the complete opposite reaction
09:25to her later performance.
09:27O'Connor did an acapella rendition
09:28of Bob Marley's War
09:30and towards the end
09:31she held up a photo
09:32of Pope John Paul II
09:34and tore it.
09:35Fight the real enemy!
09:37The result
09:38was dead silence
09:40as she stood there
09:41as everyone was in shock
09:42over what they just witnessed.
09:43Come on!
09:49The action was meant
09:51to highlight wrongdoings
09:52occurring within the church
09:53but wouldn't be widely acknowledged
09:55until much later.
09:57Number 10
09:58Louis C.K.'s inappropriate jokes.
10:01This is one opening monologue
10:03that has aged terribly
10:04especially given the misconduct allegations
10:07now associated with the comedian.
10:08If I'm in a gas station
10:10late at night
10:11and a young man comes in
10:14wearing a hooded sweatshirt
10:15if he's white
10:16I'll think
10:17oh he's an athlete.
10:19If he's black
10:21unless he has a big smile
10:22on his face
10:22then I become mildly racist
10:24and this is what I think
10:25I think
10:26that's fine
10:27everything's fine
10:28nothing's gonna happen
10:31no of course I'm fine
10:32why did I even think that
10:33for a second?
10:35Bringing to a close
10:36SNL's 40th season
10:37Louis C.K.'s risky stand-up routine
10:39tackled racism
10:40and for good measure
10:42the Israel and Palestine conflict
10:43It is because my kids
10:45are like Israel and Palestine
10:46and I'm like America
10:48The little one's like Palestine
10:51because she always gets screwed
10:52she gets the worst deals
10:53While the comedian's entire set
10:55was soaked in controversy
10:56the monologue's final tangent
10:58ramped up the awkwardness
11:00to a whole new level
11:01reminiscing about a creepy individual
11:03who lived in his neighborhood
11:04Louis C.K. concluded
11:05that the only reason
11:06such crimes continue to happen
11:08despite the risk of prison
11:09is because the act
11:11must be really enjoyable
11:12You can only really surmise
11:15that it must be really good
11:17I mean
11:18from their point of view
11:19from their
11:20not ours
11:21but from their point of view
11:23it must be amazing
11:25Number 9
11:26Adrian Brody's Dreads
11:29Inaugurated in 1975
11:30Saturday Night Live
11:32has crossed the line
11:32countless times
11:33However, occasionally
11:35a performer takes things
11:36a step too far
11:37and earns a ban
11:38for their troubles
11:39Hot off an Academy Award
11:53winning performance
11:53in The Pianist
11:54Adrian Brody hosted SNL
11:56for the first and last time
11:58Due to time constraints
11:59SNL frowns on improvisation
12:02but this didn't discourage
12:03Brody from taking charge
12:04when he introduced
12:05Sean Paul's musical performance
12:07Making things as awkward
12:16as possible
12:17the actor decided
12:18to don fake dreadlocks
12:19and speak in an awful
12:21Jamaican accent
12:22What was even the joke here?
12:24Adrian
12:24scripts exist for a reason
12:26And I give a big up
12:28enough respect
12:28and dance hard players
12:30you know
12:30And I shun John
12:32Bruins on your own
12:33Get them on
12:34Number 8
12:35Andy Kaufman wrestles women
12:37So if there's any woman
12:39out there tonight
12:40who would like to prove me wrong
12:42like to take me on
12:43in a wrestling match
12:44I'd like to call you up
12:45all now
12:45you can just volunteer
12:46During Saturday Night Live's
12:48infancy
12:48Andy Kaufman frequently dropped by
12:50for random appearances
12:51and the comedian's
12:52peculiar style of humor
12:53proved to be a hit with fans
12:55This changed in 1979
12:57when Andy Kaufman challenged
12:59a female audience member
13:00to a wrestling match
13:01At the time
13:02Kaufman's villainous
13:03wrestling persona
13:04was a significant component
13:05of the entertainer's
13:06live routine
13:07But this fact was lost
13:09on SNL's crowd
13:10Kaufman was booed
13:17and effectively kicked off
13:18the variety show
13:19A couple of years later
13:20the home audience
13:21voted for Kaufman
13:22to be banned
13:23from Saturday Night Live
13:24Here's how you voted so far
13:26Keep Andy
13:28105,316
13:30Dump Andy
13:33134,691
13:39Uh oh
13:39Time to boil the water
13:41Number 7
13:42Tom Green ditched at the altar
13:44I'm a nice boy
13:45and I like to wear undies
13:47undies
13:48undies
13:49undies
13:49undies
13:50Primarily known for
13:51Freddie Got Fingered
13:52Tom Green's brand of shock comedy
13:54certainly made an impression
13:55during his hosting gig
13:56in 2000
13:56Don't they look proud?
13:58Yeah
13:59You look fearful
14:00Yeah
14:00No
14:02Whether people are fans
14:06of this type of humor
14:07or not
14:07Green's randomness
14:09means there tends to
14:10always be an element
14:11of awkwardness
14:12During the opening monologue
14:13During the opening monologue
14:13Green and fiancé
14:14Drew Barrymore
14:15announced plans to wed
14:16by the end of the episode
14:17Although
14:18the whole thing
14:19proved to be
14:19little more than a tease
14:21If skits are intentionally awkward
14:24does it still count?
14:25Ooh
14:26I'm a level 9 wizard
14:28I'm a very powerful wizard
14:30Ooh
14:31This is my doggie
14:32Cherry's Jubilee
14:34Number 6
14:36Tiger Woods sketch
14:37Those who have supported me
14:39over the years
14:40I offer my profound apology
14:42for these multiple transgressions
14:43Multiple?
14:46So it happened more than once?
14:48A lot of topics
14:49can be made funny
14:50but that doesn't mean
14:50a joke shouldn't be criticized
14:52for being in poor taste
14:53Satirizing Tiger Woods' infidelity
14:55and ensuing car accident
14:57on the night
14:57his wife Elan
14:58learned about her husband's behavior
15:00SNL's skit
15:01saw Kenan Thompson's
15:02terrified Woods
15:03deliver a series
15:04of apologetic press conferences
15:05Yeah
15:06this is what happened
15:08I'm just lucky
15:09my wife Elan
15:09was there
15:10to courageously call
15:11911
15:11I'm so glad to have her
15:13I love her so much
15:14There is
15:16no other woman for me
15:17Progressively presented
15:20in a more battered state
15:21Thompson appeared
15:22alongside
15:23Blake Lively's Elan
15:24with the implication being
15:25that she was responsible
15:26for his injuries
15:27Domestic violence
15:28and comedy
15:29aren't exactly
15:30a great mix
15:30and Saturday Night Live's sketch
15:32exemplifies
15:33why this is the case
15:35Seems like I keep saying
15:38the wrong thing
15:39in these press conferences
15:40So this time
15:43I have a prepared
15:44written statement
15:45which I shall stick to
15:46There's controversial humor
15:54and then there's
15:54mining disabilities
15:56for easy jokes
15:57I'm tired of all these
15:58fancy two-eyed smart alecks
16:00from this big city
16:01running the show
16:01It's time we get someone
16:04from Utica
16:05Syracuse
16:05or Schenectady
16:06towns where
16:07people have a little
16:08something off about them
16:09I mean
16:09they don't have to be blind
16:11As part of the
16:12Weekend Update
16:13with Seth Meyers
16:14Fred Armisen
16:14portrayed New York's
16:15Governor David Patterson
16:16as a bumbling
16:17short-sighted nitwit
16:19who couldn't even
16:20properly hold a map
16:21The real Patterson
16:23is legally blind
16:24so besides being
16:25an all-around lazy joke
16:26SNL was poking fun
16:28at the Governor's
16:28real-life condition
16:29I mean come on
16:31I'm a blind man
16:32who loves cocaine
16:33who was suddenly
16:34appointed Governor
16:35of New York
16:36My life is an actual
16:38plot from a
16:38Richard Pryor movie
16:39Unsurprisingly
16:41the National Federation
16:42of the Blind
16:43criticized SNL
16:44for echoing
16:45a detrimental stereotype
16:46associating blindness
16:48with incompetence
16:49So to summarize
16:50you want someone
16:51with some knowledge
16:52of the economy
16:53who is a little off
16:54and is completely
16:55unprepared to be senator
16:56Do you have anyone in mind?
16:57Yes, me
16:58It's an episode
17:04that lives on
17:05in infamy
17:06that time
17:07The Great One
17:07hosted SNL
17:09Putting on a
17:17faux New York accent
17:18Steven Seagal
17:19set out to deliver
17:20comedy gold
17:21serenading the crowd
17:22with a passionate
17:22rendition of
17:23Kung Fu Fighting
17:24and smashing
17:25Rob Schneider's head
17:26into a photocopier
17:27Everybody was
17:28Kung Fu Fighting
17:30He brought the show
17:34home
17:35or at least
17:35tried to
17:36with a laughable
17:37impersonation
17:38of Andrew Dice Clay
17:39a comedian known
17:40for his notoriously
17:41misogynistic persona
17:43Set your white ass down
17:45How you doing that?
17:48It's nice to be
17:49on your show here
17:50I'm glad you could
17:52make it Mr. Dice
17:53The only problem
17:54the crowd clearly
17:55had no clue
17:56what was going on
17:57Seagal's minimalist
17:58acting just isn't
17:59compatible with
18:00impressions
18:01and the awful skits
18:03he wrote
18:03landed him
18:04a ban
18:04from hosting duties
18:05I ain't see you
18:07any movies
18:07and what's the afro
18:08anyway
18:09you look like
18:09Link from
18:10the Mod Squad
18:11Oh
18:14it's 1991
18:16you know
18:17why don't you
18:18cut it square
18:19bada bing
18:20going off script
18:25on SNL
18:25is the quickest
18:26way to ensure
18:27no more
18:28subsequent appearances
18:29right out of the gate
18:31Martin Lawrence
18:32ventured off
18:32the beaten path
18:33when he unleashed
18:34a rambling monologue
18:35challenging
18:36the network's censorship
18:37rather than using
18:42this opportunity
18:43to address
18:44the topic further
18:44he launched
18:45into an astonishing
18:46tirade about
18:47Lorena Bobbitt
18:48and women
18:48with smelly
18:49posteriors
18:50cause I'm getting
18:51with some of the ladies
18:52smelling odors
18:52going wait a minute
18:53girl smell this
18:54this you
18:55smell yourself girl
18:56edited out
18:58of any repeat airings
19:00Martin's monologue
19:01was substituted
19:01with a short graphic
19:02summarizing the comedian's
19:04comments
19:04and adding
19:05that it had almost
19:06cost the cast
19:07and crew
19:07their jobs
19:08you know what I'm saying
19:09knowing they got
19:09a yeast infection
19:10I'm sorry
19:12sorry
19:13come up with
19:14dough all on
19:14your damn lip
19:15got a bagel
19:19and a croissant
19:19on your lip
19:20anybody got any butter
19:21I like jelly on
19:23number 2
19:25Ashley Simpson's jig
19:27ladies and gentlemen
19:29Ashley Simpson
19:30quick warning
19:33watching this clip
19:34could result
19:35in uncontrollable cringing
19:37perpetually stuck
19:38in Jessica Simpson's
19:39shadow
19:39Ashley strived
19:40to serve as a punkier
19:41and more authentic
19:42alternative to her sister
19:43unfortunately
19:44lip syncing on
19:45Saturday Night Live
19:46emphasis on the live
19:48doesn't leave the
19:49greatest of impressions
19:50when the band
20:04launched into her song
20:05Autobiography
20:06but the vocal track
20:07for Pieces of Me
20:08played instead
20:09her lip syncing
20:10later explained
20:10as due to acid reflux
20:12was exposed
20:13to the world
20:14mimicking a deer
20:23caught in the headlights
20:24the unfortunate young singer
20:26ran off the stage
20:27leaving behind
20:27a confused audience
20:28and the lingering traces
20:30of her career
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20:51number 1
20:53Kanye West's
20:55pro-Trump rant
20:56prior to the advent
20:57of the internet
20:58and digital cameras
20:59a post-show speech
21:00like this
21:01may have been lost
21:01to the ages
21:02but for better
21:03or worse
21:04Kanye West's
21:05pro-Trump rant
21:06was recorded
21:06and immortalized
21:08they bullied me backstage
21:09they said
21:09don't go out there
21:10with that hat on
21:11they bullied me backstage
21:13they bullied me
21:15wearing a
21:16make America
21:17great again hat
21:18Kanye
21:18who was the musical
21:20guest of the night
21:20addressed the crowd
21:21with a speech
21:22that can only be described
21:23as disheartening
21:24you see they laughing at me
21:26you heard them
21:26scream at me
21:27greeted with both
21:28boos and cheers
21:29from the audience
21:30Kanye cited Trump
21:31as a personal inspiration
21:32while simultaneously
21:33implying that
21:34the president
21:35is racist
21:36and so many times
21:37I've talked to like
21:38a white person
21:40about this
21:40and they say
21:41how could you like
21:42Trump
21:42he's racist
21:43if someone inspires me
21:44and I connect with them
21:46I don't have to believe
21:47in all their policies
21:49which moment was too awkward
21:51for you to handle
21:51let us know in the comments
21:53we've got to know in the comments
21:56that will actually be
21:58POCKless
21:59people
22:00in the comments
22:01hence
22:01we've been
22:02that's
22:03I don't know in what
22:03we're talking about
22:03nothing
22:04but I think
22:05that will be
22:07what I'll show you
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