- 5 months ago
Live from New York, it’s nostalgia overload! Join us as we revisit the most hilarious and endlessly rewatchable sketches from Saturday Night Live’s late-80s and early-90s era. From absurdist talk shows to operatic headlines and legendary physical comedy, these classics still slay decades later. Expect iconic catchphrases, surprise cameos, and the characters that made a generation quote along at home. Which sketch still cracks you up every time?
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00:00I'm going to do a terrific show today.
00:02Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:04And today, we're counting down our picks for the most hilarious and re-watchable Saturday Night Live sketches from seasons 11 through 20.
00:11Where's my close-up?
00:13My...
00:14Hey!
00:16Number 10. President Bill Clinton at McDonald's. Season 18.
00:21Bill Clinton may be remembered for many things, but his love of McDonald's is cemented forever in this sketch.
00:26Well, I just want to mingle with the American people, talk with some real folks, maybe get a Diet Coke or something.
00:32All right, fine. But please, don't tell Mrs. Clinton.
00:35While supposedly out for a jog, Clinton can't resist detouring into a McDonald's, claiming it's to connect with everyday Americans.
00:43Except he's not really there to shake hands so much as sneak bites of everyone's food.
00:47Watching him steal burgers while breaking down foreign policy makes the whole thing even funnier.
00:52Your McNugget is released from Great Britain to Somalia, intercepted by warlords.
00:59It's satire that feels both ridiculous and real, poking fun at how politicians try to look like regular folks.
01:06Its brilliance lies in that perfect balance of his polished charm and a very human appetite.
01:11Sir, I think we should probably continue your jog. We've only gone about an eighth of a mile.
01:15All right, all right. You guys up for a real run?
01:18Yes, sir.
01:19Race you to the Pizza Hut!
01:21Number 9. Sprockets. First scene, season 14.
01:25The sketch centers on Dieter, Mike Myers' turtlenecked German host, who takes himself way too seriously.
01:31I'm your host, Dieter.
01:33Then it is springtime, and like the blood-engorged gazelles at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Zoo, I'm ready to rot.
01:41The fun comes from how committed Myers is, with that stiff posture and almost bored stares.
01:47He's basically playing repression like it should be hung up at the Louvre.
01:50Euro-trash is a celebration of the repellent and painful in everyday European life.
01:56For example, Euro-Disney has Fantasyland. Euro-trash has Ennui Village.
02:02What makes it so great is the way it skewers European art house pretension and those painfully serious talk shows,
02:08where every discussion feels far deeper than they have any right to be.
02:11Then, of course, there's his precious, limited monkey, Klaus.
02:14Before we begin, would you like to touch my monkey?
02:18I do touch him.
02:19Touch him? Love him?
02:21Leave up and I have Shrinky!
02:25There, I did it.
02:26The best part is that no matter how bizarre it gets, it always ends with a dance.
02:30That ending seals the legend.
02:32Your categories have become tiresome.
02:34Now's the time on Sprockets when we dance.
02:39That's all the time we have on Sprockets!
02:41Number 8.
02:42Opera Man.
02:43First scene, Season 17.
02:46Adam Sandler was a Weekend Update fixture,
02:48giving us everything from his Halloween costume bit to the Hanukkah song,
02:51a cultural hit that basically went viral in the pre-digital era.
02:55Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli?
03:00Bowser from Shanana and Arthur Fonzarelli.
03:04But Opera Man might be his most prolific character.
03:07Decked out in a tux and cape, he'd turn current events into operatic performances,
03:12often just adding an extra vowel to the end of words.
03:15In his early days, he even sang in Italian,
03:28which sounded impressive even if we hadn't a clue what it meant.
03:31It was ridiculous, it was smart, and it always killed.
03:35Fans loved him so much, Opera Man even came back for SNL's 40th.
03:3940th anniversary, such a special day, oh!
03:44Garrett Morris looks fantastico!
03:47David Spade looks okay, oh!
03:50Number 7.
03:51Coffee Talk with Linda Richman.
03:53First scene, Season 16.
03:55They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,
03:58but we wonder if Mike Myers' then-mother-in-law,
04:01the real Linda Richman, would agree.
04:02It's Mother's Day, and my daughter Robin did not show up.
04:07She's getting married, and this year she's visiting his mother.
04:11So now I'm sitting here, Alain Weerstein, alone like a dog.
04:15After all, she was the inspiration for this chatty New Yorker,
04:18complete with big accent, bigger hair, and endless opinions.
04:23Linda's emotional swings, her undying devotion to Barbra Streisand,
04:27and her frequent use of Yiddish or Yiddish-ish expressions were all part of the gag.
04:31It also gave us catchphrases that we're still quoting today.
04:42Hello, gorgeous!
04:44The movie was like butter.
04:46Like butter.
04:48Like a big stick of butter.
04:51But the best moment might just be when Barbra Streisand herself actually showed up.
04:56Honestly, we're all the climp just thinking about it.
04:58We're gonna need a moment.
04:59Talk amongst yourselves.
05:00Now I'm getting verklempt!
05:02We're all verklempt!
05:04I'm sorry.
05:06Talk amongst yourselves.
05:09I'll give you a topic.
05:11The Romanesque church design was based on the Roman basilica.
05:15Discuss.
05:16Number 6.
05:17Lunch Ladyland, Season 19.
05:19The bad boys of SNL really shook things up in the show's second decade.
05:23Uh, Cindy, can you leave some for us?
05:26I thought you were, um, trying to lose weight.
05:30Lay off me!
05:31I'm starving!
05:33They gave us hits like Gap Girls and Canteen Boy, but the absolutely bonkers Lunch Ladyland might be the one that sticks with us most.
05:40Adam Sandler sings this ridiculous ode to the Lunch Lady, while Chris Farley goes as hard as he possibly can, clearly trying to make Sandler break.
05:58Sloppy Joe, Sloppy, Sloppy Joe, yeah.
06:02Sloppy Joe, Sloppy, Sloppy, Sloppy Joe, yeah.
06:05Sloppy Joe, Sloppy, Sloppy, Sloppy, Sloppy Joe, yeah.
06:09Just as you think this sketch can't possibly get more off the rails, Kevin Nealon enters as Sloppy Joe and saves the day.
06:15Honestly, if we weren't seeing it before our very eyes, we'd be convinced this was all some sort of fever dream.
06:21Down in lunch, lady land.
06:32Number 5. Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, Season 17.
06:37Phil Hartman could play anyone, from Frankenstein's barely comprehensible monster to a caveman who somehow passed the bar.
06:43Sometimes when I get a message on my fax machine, I wonder, did little demons get inside and type it?
06:50I don't know.
06:52My primitive mind can't grasp these concepts.
06:56The genius of this sketch is that Hartman plays it completely straight.
07:00Like, sure, who hasn't hired a guy who's been frozen for thousands of years as their legal representation?
07:05Totally normal.
07:06Did you hear that, Mr. Keyrock?
07:09Hang on a second.
07:10I'm sorry, Your Honor, I was listening to the magic voices coming out of this strange modern invention.
07:17The caveman fumbles through modern life, but he actually understands more than he might think.
07:22The world is a frightening and confusing place, even for those of us who haven't been frozen for as long as he has.
07:28I fell in some ice and later got thawed out by some of your scientists.
07:33Your world frightens and confuses me.
07:37With deadpan delivery, tiny caveman logic surprises, and a clever callback to another SNL classic, this sketch is truly iconic.
07:45You know, I really don't understand your Congress or your system of checks and balances, because, as I said during the campaign, I'm just a caveman.
07:56Number 4. Chippendale's Audition. Season 16.
08:01Sketches like this prove what we all already know.
08:04Chris Farley would do just about anything for a laugh.
08:07Everyone's watching to see what you do.
08:14Everyone's looking at you.
08:17Even though he was one of the skeptics who thought turning his own body into the joke might be a bad idea.
08:22Yet he throws himself into it so completely that you can't help rooting for him.
08:26And honestly, it almost feels like a crime when they pick Swayze's Adrian over him.
08:39This sketch plays perfectly to Farley's strengths as a physical comedian.
08:43And for many, it was his breakout moment.
08:45Would it fly today?
08:47Probably not.
08:48But back then, it was comedy gold.
08:50Thanks for the laughs, man.
08:52I never saw Barney again, but I'll never forget him.
08:55And how for one brief moment, he brought out the best in me.
08:59That was the time of my life.
09:01Number 3. Church Chat.
09:03First scene, Season 12.
09:06Dana Carvey gave us some of the most unforgettable characters in SNL history.
09:10Sure, grumpy old man is iconic, but church lady?
09:13Well, isn't that special?
09:14Well, isn't that special?
09:16Well, isn't that special?
09:16Patrick, I think we need some quiet time.
09:22Why don't we just scooch on down and think about what we said and if we make any sense at all?
09:27Enid Strick, prim and holier-than-thou, would invite guests on her show just to publicly condemn them.
09:32Bless her.
09:33Well, you know, I'm happy with it.
09:35I've gotten some pretty good reviews.
09:37I play a villain, which is a stretch different for me.
09:41And the critics seem to have liked it.
09:42I see.
09:43So the critics thought you were believable in the role of an evil, bad, demonic, satanic villain from hell.
09:48How wonderful for you, dear.
09:52Church lady actually predates Carvey's time on SNL, as anyone who caught his early stand-up would know.
09:58The character started as a teacher until his mom pointed out that she reminded her of someone from her church.
10:03Oh, I know him.
10:05What is his name?
10:06Let's see.
10:07Hmm, could it be...
10:10Say, say, say!
10:11Hey, we've all met a church lady in some form, right?
10:14That's probably why this character still slays and has become an SNL legend.
10:19Everywhere you look, you've got 11-year-olds dressing up like that vixen Sabrina Carpenter.
10:25Do you know who was the best carpenter?
10:26Jesus.
10:29He's working late, cause he's a savior.
10:34Number 2.
10:35Wayne's World.
10:36First scene, season 14.
10:38Wayne's World is another Hall of Famer that predates SNL.
10:42Wayne's World!
10:43Wayne's World!
10:43Party time!
10:45Hey, you guys!
10:46Mike Myers as Wayne and Dana Carvey as Garth are two metal-loving slackers running a cable show from Wayne's parents' basement.
10:52They'd host everyone, from classmates to teachers, and of course, most famously, Aerosmith.
10:58Part of the fun was how Wayne could go from goofy metalhead energy to suddenly asking some surprisingly deep questions.
11:04With the recent developments in Eastern Europe, do you think that communism is on the decline, or is this just a temporary setback?
11:10The sketch blew up and gave us lines like, party time, excellent, swing, and we're not worthy!
11:17Swing!
11:18It even spun into two movies, with the first becoming a smash hit, and making Bohemian Rhapsody impossible to hear without headbanging.
11:26Excellent!
11:26Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
11:33Massive Head Wound Harry, season 17.
11:36It's like we want to look away, but we can't.
11:38Whoa!
11:39Whoa!
11:39Whoa!
11:40Whoa!
11:41Whoa!
11:42Whoa!
11:42You did see that!
11:43It would take over 30,000 bowls to eat that much oat bread, you'd have to eat 10 bowls a day, every day, for eight and a half years.
12:03Wow!
12:04I think I get the picture!
12:05Toontz's The Driving Cat, Driver's Test, season 14.
12:10Catastrophically funny.
12:11See, I told you he could drive!
12:14Toontz's, look out!
12:16Hey!
12:19Pumpin' Up with Hans and Franz, first seen season 13.
12:23And you thought your personal trainer was harsh.
12:25It's not our job to check up on you, either.
12:27So, you know, if you're not gonna do it, don't be jerking us around.
12:31You know, we don't have the time.
12:32All we want to do is pump you up.
12:36It's A Wonderful Life, The Lost Ending, season 12.
12:39Not such a wonderful ending for Old Man Potter.
12:42George, baby, you're in enough trouble already.
12:44You made one mistake, Mr. Potter.
12:45You double-crossed me and you left me alive.
12:47Wait just a second.
12:48I'll give you the money back.
12:49I don't want the money.
12:50I want a piece of you, Potter.
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13:08Number 1.
13:09Matt Foley, Van Down by the River, season 18.
13:13Farley gave us plenty of characters who live on as long as SNL does.
13:18However, few match the legacy of motivational speaker Matt Foley.
13:21There are three things to know about Foley.
13:23He's 35, thrice divorced, and...
13:26And I live in a van down by the river.
13:30Born in Farley's Second City days, Foley throws out the rulebook on what we imagine a motivational speaker should be.
13:37Well, la-de-frickin-da!
13:41We've got ourselves a writer here!
13:45Hey, Dad, I can't see real good.
13:47Is that Bill Shakespeare over there?
13:49Farley's physical comedy shines, cracking up the audience and his scene-mates alike.
13:53The character blew up, although nothing ever quite matched his SNL debut.
13:59Now you kids are probably asking yourselves,
14:01Hey, Matt, how can we get back on the right track?
14:05Farley left us far too soon, but we'd like to think that Matt Foley is still living it up in a van down by the river in the sky.
14:12Oh, Matt's gonna be your shadow!
14:14Here's you, here's Matt!
14:16There's you, there!
14:22Whoops-a-deezy.
14:24Which sketch from this SNL era do you think everyone needs to watch at least once?
14:27Let us know in the comments.
14:29Buh-bye.
14:31Thanks now.
14:33Buh-bye.
14:33Buh-bye.
14:34Buh-bye.
14:35Buh-bye.
14:36Buh-bye.
14:37Buh-bye.
14:38Buh-bye.
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