- 2 months ago
Some comedy careers end before they truly begin... Join us as we explore the most talented Saturday Night Live performers who showed incredible potential but were let go far too early! From Tim Robinson's surreal sketches to Michaela Watkins' brilliant impressions, these comedians deserved more time to shine on the iconic stage of Studio 8H.
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00:00Don't touch me. Get off me!
00:02That's how rich people say, get off me.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:07And today, we're counting down our picks for the most talented SNL cast members who showed great potential,
00:13but never got the chance to fully deliver before they were abruptly fired.
00:17It's for when you're lying on your couch at night and you get a little chill.
00:21That doesn't happen.
00:21And you reach for a blanket.
00:23No one does that!
00:25Number 10. Emil Joachim.
00:28After gaining momentum in the comedy circuit,
00:31Emil Joachim joined Saturday Night Live ahead of its landmark 50th season,
00:36becoming the first cast member of Lebanese heritage.
00:39My dad always worries about me because I talk about being Arab,
00:41and he's like, you know, you don't have to say we're Arab.
00:44We're not Arab. We're Christian Lebanese. It's different.
00:48For a newcomer, Joachim had a strong year.
00:52While he didn't appear often in sketches,
00:54his weekend update segments showcased his sharp comedic voice and delivered genuine laughs.
01:00Even more, Joachim brought a fresh perspective on the Middle Eastern experience,
01:05which SNL hadn't really explored before.
01:08You know, Arabs are not just like violent people by nature.
01:10We're really just like another group of like hairy, sweaty, passionate guys, you know?
01:14Like, what is an Arab but a Greek that you're kind of afraid of?
01:17You know what I mean?
01:18That's why it came as such a gut punch, not just to him, but to many fans,
01:23when he was fired just before the 51st season.
01:26The decision was even harder to understand,
01:29considering public figures like Zoran Mamdani,
01:32who Joachim could have portrayed brilliantly,
01:35were just entering the cultural spotlight.
01:37You want me to say I miss it?
01:41Of course I do.
01:43You want me to say I'm sad?
01:45Because no one will ever be able to please me the way I'm able to please myself?
01:49I am.
01:50Number 9.
01:51Chloe Trost.
01:52Make your own kind of music
01:56With so many stand-up comedians joining the show in recent years,
02:07Chloe Trost's casting felt like a refreshing change.
02:11Her strong background in improv and sketch comedy
02:14nearly earned her a spot in season 48,
02:17and she ultimately joined the cast the following year.
02:20Trost's short-lived tenure showed a lot of promise.
02:23Her breakout came in the Little Orphan Cassidy sketch,
02:27where she flexed her incredible singing chops
02:29as an unlucky orphan passed over for adoption once again.
02:32Is it cause of my clothes?
02:35You have style!
02:36Is it cause I'm 26 years old?
02:38Wait, what?
02:40No, that can't be it.
02:45Granted, some might argue that she relied too heavily on musical performances,
02:49since her brightest moments all involved singing.
02:51But it was only her first season,
02:54and her range of skills could have been explored further with time.
02:57Unfortunately, we'll never get to see that happen.
03:00You had a whole last meal,
03:03but you left me for a snack.
03:06You better mark my words,
03:08I'm gonna get that boy back.
03:12Number 8.
03:13Michael Longfellow.
03:14In his three seasons on SNL,
03:16the show never quite knew what to do with Michael Longfellow in sketches.
03:20But where he truly shone was on Weekend Update.
03:23You shouldn't cut anti-vax people out of your life.
03:26They could be dead tomorrow.
03:32Spend time with them, call them, get in the will.
03:36Longfellow made several lauded appearances as himself,
03:40and also debuted a roster of quirky characters that instantly won over audiences.
03:44It ain't easy being a cigarette these days.
03:48Everyone wants to vape.
03:50Ooh, let's vape.
03:51Can I hit your vape?
03:52And now look, the children are dead.
03:56So when it was rumored that he had screen tested as a potential Weekend Update anchor,
04:01fans were eager to see it happen.
04:03It felt like the natural step for him,
04:05given his stand-up background and deadpan delivery.
04:08Also, it teased a refreshing change from Colin Jost and Michael Che's decade-long run.
04:14Alas, that never came to fruition,
04:16as Longfellow was fired ahead of season 51,
04:19and reportedly revealed he didn't even screen test for Weekend Update.
04:23All right.
04:24Hey, we're all in this together.
04:26Everyone's been through a lot today.
04:27I think the best thing to do is take a breath, relax, and vote on it.
04:32Number 7.
04:33Casey Wilson
04:34By the time she joined SNL in 2008,
04:45Casey Wilson had already spent years honing her writing and performance skills
04:49at the Upright Citizens Brigade.
04:51She had even co-written the comedy film Bride Wars.
04:54On the show, Wilson delivered spot-on impressions of celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Katy Perry,
05:00and Rachel Ray, as well as memorable original characters like Dusty Velvet.
05:05Ooh, ooh, you like this?
05:08Uh-oh.
05:09Oh, yeah.
05:10Ooh, ooh.
05:14This is sensual and erotic.
05:17However, after less than two years, she was let go.
05:21Having been hired as Maya Rudolph's replacement,
05:24Wilson had all the tools to reach similar heights,
05:26but never got the chance to show them.
05:28What's gonna happen to us next year?
05:30You gonna treat me different once you're certified to operate a forklift?
05:34Me?
05:35What about you and your fancy degree in framing?
05:38Afterwards, she proved just how much potential was left untapped.
05:42She went on to star in the beloved ABC sitcom Happy Endings,
05:46which earned her nominations at the Critics' Choice Television Awards.
05:50I want a gay who will watch house-flipping shows with me
05:52and grab my boobs in a platonic wet.
05:54So you want a stereotypically flamboyant, cartoonish, sex-in-the-city gay?
05:58It's offensive.
05:59The heart wants what the heart wants.
06:00Number 6, Rob Riggle.
06:03Last year, my car got stolen, but they recovered it a week later, right?
06:06And tonight, they pulled me over saying it was listed as stolen,
06:09but it's not.
06:09It's my car.
06:10Oh, yeah.
06:12You're innocent.
06:13Many don't even know that Rob Riggle was once an SNL cast member.
06:18Riggle joined during the show's 30th season as the only new addition.
06:22Surrounded by heavyweights like Amy Poehler, Fred Armisen, and Tina Fey,
06:27it was challenging for him to stand out.
06:29Hey, you know what is looking real good right now?
06:31What?
06:32That Thai chicken skewer.
06:33Oh, well, bro, here it comes.
06:35You're about to take a chicken ride to Thailand.
06:39Woo-hoo!
06:40Look there, brother, man.
06:41Nevertheless, he managed to deliver noteworthy impressions of figures like Larry the Cable
06:46Guy and Howard Dean.
06:48Riggle also debuted Leviticus, an original character with the potential to become a Weekend Update
06:54regular and even inspire sketches of his own had he stayed longer.
06:58Help these two filthy streetwalkers with their lustful addictions for sex
07:06and their insatiable thirst for alcohol.
07:10However, he was let go after just one season.
07:13Post-SNL, Riggle found success in films like The Hangover and on The Daily Show,
07:18proving that his comedic potential was indeed real.
07:22Number 5.
07:23Gilbert Gottfried.
07:24This squinty-eyed New York comedian joined SNL at perhaps the worst time ever.
07:29In 1980, just after Lorne Michaels quit and the show's ratings plummeted.
07:35As a result, Gottfried lasted only 12 episodes before he was fired along with most of the cast.
07:41The lung has one job to get rid of a little smoke.
07:46And does it do it?
07:47No!
07:48The lung traps the smoke on purpose!
07:52In hindsight, the decision came far too soon.
07:55Gottfried could easily have been retained alongside Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo,
08:01as both his audition and brief tenure showed he had great promise.
08:05With time, he would have brought his trademark shrill voice and squint to the stage,
08:09setting himself apart from the ensemble and also elevating the show.
08:13Uh, oh, Gilly?
08:15I'll go out with you.
08:17That Charlie Rocket.
08:21I'll get him if it's the last thing I do.
08:24Regardless, the setback hardly slowed him down.
08:27Gottfried went on to become a beloved stand-up comic and a fixture on late-night television.
08:33Herman Melville once came to me and said,
08:34I'm writing a book called Moby Dick.
08:36It's about a guy in a boat.
08:37You think it needs something?
08:41A fish, an animal, would make it more cheerful.
08:44Number 4.
08:46Damon Wayans.
08:47Each week, the cast of SNL performs brand-new sketches,
08:51hoping to surprise and entertain the audience.
08:54But one person they must never surprise is Lorne Michaels.
08:57Then you don't really know it was Mr. Simpson's bag you saw on this scan.
09:02Who is it?
09:03Oh!
09:08Who's knocking on my door?
09:10Hey, this ain't the airport.
09:12That unspoken rule was broken in season 11, when Damon Wayans went off script during the Mr. Monopoly sketch.
09:19Cast as a cop, Wayans had portrayed the character as envisioned during rehearsals.
09:24But on air, he suddenly decided to play him as an effeminate gay stereotype.
09:29If the Parker brothers could see you now, they puke.
09:32Why you ain't in jail, Mr. – oh, that's right, you're Mr. Monopoly.
09:35This infuriated Michaels, who reportedly fired Wayans immediately after the sketch ended.
09:41While his rebellion was seen as insubordination, it was born out of frustration that his own material was being ignored.
09:48Those overlooked ideas later found a home on In Living Color, which was created by his brother, Kenan Ivory Wayans.
09:55What other game boasts such great names like Dick Butkus?
10:00Or my favorite, Bob Greasy.
10:04Now isn't he a tight end?
10:06He was.
10:09Number three, Jay Farrow and Taryn Killam.
10:12We just couldn't separate these two as they both joined and were fired from the same cast at the exact same time.
10:30While six seasons is more than enough to leave a lasting impression,
10:34these comedians still had plenty to offer when they were suddenly let go.
10:38Killam, for instance, not only created some incredible original characters,
10:42but also excelled at impressions and offbeat physical comedy.
10:46By all accounts, he was one of the show's most reliable performers.
10:50Please don't talk about love tonight.
10:54Please don't talk about sweet gay love.
10:58I love the straight life.
11:00Meanwhile, Farrow was the undisputed master of impressions,
11:04with spot-on takes of Jay-Z, Barack Obama, and Denzel Washington.
11:08So you calling me a liar, right?
11:10No, no, no, I didn't call you a liar.
11:12It sounded like it to me, huh?
11:14Let me tell you something, don't you ever in your life call me a liar.
11:19Still, he was also growing into larger, original characters.
11:22Their premature departures halted trajectories that could have placed both Farrow and Killam
11:27among the ranks of SNL's most iconic stars.
11:31Attention, teachers are students.
11:33Two students have just been expelled for fornicating inside a Mufasa costume.
11:37Number two, Michaela Watkins.
11:43When Michaela Watkins joined SNL in 2008, she believed it would be her big break.
11:49And judging by what she delivered on the show, it should have been.
11:52George Bush helping Barack Obama is like the Skeletor helping the He-Man, you know?
11:59It's crazy.
12:01It's like an arsonist who burns down your house and then asks, do you need help moving?
12:07Watkins brought a unique comedic voice to the stage,
12:10whether impersonating Arianna Huffington or Hoda Kotb or creating original characters like Angie Tempura,
12:17the snarky teenage movie critic.
12:19In just one season, Watkins showed that her years of experience in theater and improv
12:25had prepared her perfectly for the spotlight.
12:27The Hannah Montana movie.
12:29With more time, she could have become one of the show's greats.
12:44Instead, she was fired in 2009, with Lorne Michaels claiming she was too good for the show.
12:50Even so, SNL served as a launchpad for Watkins, as she has since starred in several comedy series.
12:56You are a devoted father, you are a devoted husband, and, not for nothing,
13:02you haven't had sex with anybody besides Jill in like 20 years, so you're factory fresh, buddy.
13:08Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
13:13Aristotle Lattari.
13:14We certainly needed more Angelo on our screens.
13:17If I ever see light up for me, another light up for me.
13:24If I ever see that to me, like this woman, tonight.
13:32John Millhiser.
13:33Could have gone far if the writers had properly mined his manic energy.
13:37Look at your father.
13:42Ashley.
13:44Ashley.
13:46Noelle Wells.
13:48Despite some solid sketches and impressions, Wells only lasted one season.
13:52If you're going to live with me, you should know.
13:55I have OCD.
13:56I also have OCD.
13:58Cool!
13:59You're obsessive-compulsive, too?
14:01No, I have old cow disease.
14:04Sarah Silverman.
14:05SNL could have benefited from the irreverent comedy Silverman is now known for.
14:10Don't take a picture of me.
14:11Oh my god, I'm so embarrassed.
14:14No!
14:14Uh, Sarah, did anything else happen this week?
14:21Uh, yeah.
14:22Oh, well, I pierced my boyfriend's ear.
14:24Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
14:29about our latest videos.
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14:34If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
14:381. Tim Robinson
14:42In 2012, Tim Robinson joined SNL as a performer alongside Aidy Bryant and Cecily Strong, all
14:50of whom came from Chicago's improv scene.
14:53Robinson's surreal style of comedy made his sketches stand out, but it didn't always align
14:58with the show's overall tone.
14:59My favorite dinosaur is a brontosaurus.
15:01As a result, he was fired after just one season as a performer and moved to the writer's
15:14room.
15:14While his brand of cringe humor was an acquired taste, it could have broadened the show's
15:19comedic range had Robinson stayed on longer.
15:21B-b-b-b-b-basketball, gimme, gimme, gimme the ball, because I'm gonna dunk it!
15:27In the writer's room, he met Zach Kanin, with whom he later co-created Detroiters, and the
15:34Emmy-winning Netflix series I Think You Should Leave.
15:37These shows established Robinson as one of the most original comedic voices of his generation.
15:42Oh my god, what happened here?
15:45Yeah, we're all trying to find the guy who did this and give him a spanking.
15:49It's obviously this guy, right?
15:51Yes.
15:51I have a name.
15:53Which SNL cast members do you think stayed on way longer than they should have?
15:58Let us know in the comments.
15:59Excuse me, speak up.
16:02You're at Macy's.
16:03There are rules and regulations.
16:04If you got a complaint, I want to hear it.
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