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Live from your screen, it's a celebration of comedy history! Join us as we explore five decades of SNL's most iconic sketches that became pop culture touchstones. From the original cast's groundbreaking work to today's viral sensations, we're reliving the laughs era by era - from Phil Hartman to Will Ferrell, Tina Fey to David S. Pumpkins. Which SNL sketch still has you quoting it years later?
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00:00:00For five plus decades, SNL has delivered sketches that have become pop culture touchstones, endlessly quoted, shared, and re-watched again and again.
00:00:13And so today we are going to relive it all, era by era. And naturally, we are starting with the first ten seasons.
00:00:22I'm Nick Winters and I'm here to entertain you, so sit back, have a hot buttered rum, and let it happen.
00:00:26Welcome to Ms. Mojo. And today, we're counting down our picks for the sketches from the first ten seasons of Saturday Night Live that left their mark on the cultural zeitgeist.
00:00:35Hey, halt. Halt, come on, you got a lot of people standing out here in line. Come on.
00:00:39All right, all right, take it easy.
00:00:42Number 10. Paul Simon's Monologue Worries, Season 2.
00:00:46You might think this is one of those SNL sketches dreamed up at 3 a.m. when everyone's half delirious. And honestly, it probably was.
00:00:54We drank ourselves some beers. Still crazy after all.
00:01:01But for Simon, it was also a chance to show audiences a lighter, sillier side of himself.
00:01:07The sketch takes a meta turn when he can't get over how ridiculous he looks.
00:01:10Yet he sells it so well that we're left wondering, is this just a gag?
00:01:15Or is Simon genuinely defending himself to the audience?
00:01:17You know, you take yourself so seriously.
00:01:22Why don't you stop taking yourself so seriously for a while?
00:01:26Loosen up a little bit.
00:01:28And maybe people will laugh.
00:01:30His back and forth with Lorne Michaels feels so real that it's easy to believe it's happening for real.
00:01:35It's simple, brilliant, and forever iconic.
00:01:38The problem is, I'm singing still crazy after all these years in a turkey outfit.
00:01:44Why would you like to sing in a turkey outfit?
00:01:46I thought it worked great.
00:01:48Yeah, what do I look like? Jan Michael Vincent here? You think I'm looking good?
00:01:51Oh, great! Honestly, why don't you just go change the music?
00:01:54Yeah, let's just do that. Let's just say it was a difference of opinion.
00:01:56Number 9. White Like Me, Season 10.
00:02:00Eddie Murphy wasn't just a breakout star on SNL.
00:02:03He was among the reasons many people tuned in.
00:02:05And this sketch shows exactly why.
00:02:07Some people have gone so far as to say that there are actually two Americas, one black and one white.
00:02:13But talk is cheap.
00:02:15So I decided to look into the problem myself, first hand, to go underground and actually experience America as a white man.
00:02:25Playing off of the 1961 book Black Like Me, Murphy disguises himself as a white man to see how different life really is.
00:02:32It's really quite ingenious. His white guy look is hilariously unconvincing.
00:02:37Yet the reactions he gets are so over-the-top accommodating, it's absurd.
00:02:41Slowly I began to realize that when white people are alone, they give things to each other for free.
00:02:49He gets free stuff, extra kindness, and a glimpse of a world he never expected.
00:02:54It's sharp and yet so ridiculous.
00:02:56Just take what you want, Mr. White. Pay us back any time.
00:03:03Or don't. We don't care.
00:03:05Murphy's an expert in using satire to expose truths while making us laugh the whole way through.
00:03:10So what did I learn from all of this?
00:03:13Well, I learned that we still have a very long way to go in this country before all men are truly equal.
00:03:19But I'll tell you something.
00:03:22I got a lot of friends.
00:03:24And we've got a lot of makeup.
00:03:26Number 8. Landshark.
00:03:28First scene, Season 1.
00:03:30Season 1 definitely leaned into the violent side of nature.
00:03:33From the home invasion of killer bees to the series' very inaugural sketch.
00:03:37Repeat after me.
00:03:39I would like, I would like to feed your fingertips.
00:03:43To feed your fingertips to the wolverines.
00:03:45To the wolverines.
00:03:46In this send-up of Jaws, Chevy Chase plays a shark who doesn't swim up on you.
00:03:51He just knocks on your door.
00:03:53Plumber.
00:03:56Plumber? I didn't ask for a plumber.
00:03:58Who is it?
00:04:01Telegram.
00:04:02Oh, telegram. Just a moment.
00:04:11His disguises are barely believable.
00:04:14Plumber, delivery guy, candygram, and even a dolphin.
00:04:18Yet people still fall for it, only to be gobbled up the second they open up.
00:04:22I have some good news and I have some bad news.
00:04:25First, the good news.
00:04:27Betty and I are having a party tonight, and come on over.
00:04:29You'll have a great time.
00:04:30Now the bad news.
00:04:32You'll be coming stagged.
00:04:33It tapped into the shark panic after the movie's release, became a fan favorite, and was such a hit that it resurfaced several times, including during the 40th anniversary special.
00:04:43Yeah!
00:04:44Yeah, Tina!
00:04:45Let's clean this up!
00:04:46Number 7.
00:04:48Roseanne Rosanadana.
00:04:49First scene, season 3.
00:04:51You can't talk about early SNL without mentioning Gilda Radner and her legendary characters, Lisa Lupner, Baba Wawa, Emily Lutella, and the absolute legend, Roseanne Rosanadana.
00:05:02Roseanne is loud, messy, and totally unhinged.
00:05:06Mr. Fetter, this king got enough problems being dead.
00:05:10Don't make it worse by making him go to New Jersey.
00:05:13Each sketch starts with a viewer question, usually from Richard Fetter of Fort Lee, New Jersey.
00:05:18She immediately goes off on wild, random, typically gross personal stories that have nothing to do with the question.
00:05:24And I was trying to get a close look at it, pressing my nose up against the glass, and fogging it up with my breath and everything, wiping it off and fogging it up again.
00:05:32When I noticed, my tongue was all green from eating this clorette's mint to give me good breath.
00:05:40Yet it never fails to get the laughs.
00:05:42She always ends up with her famous catchphrase, which we're still quoting to this day.
00:05:47Well, Jen, it just goes to show you, it's always something.
00:05:51If it's not one thing, it's enough.
00:05:54The character lived on long after the show, and it's easy to see why.
00:05:58Number 6.
00:05:59Word Association.
00:06:01Season 1.
00:06:02Some moments are totally of their era, but their legacy still holds strong.
00:06:06Jane, you ignorant slut.
00:06:08Yep, that's one example.
00:06:09And the Word Association sketch is another.
00:06:11It's a Word Association.
00:06:13I'll throw you out a few words.
00:06:15Anything that comes to your mind, just throw it back at me, okay?
00:06:17It's just kind of an arbitrary thing.
00:06:18Like if I said dog, you'd say...
00:06:20Tree.
00:06:20Tree.
00:06:21Chase plays an interviewer giving an interviewee, played by Richard Pryor, a Word Association test.
00:06:26Test.
00:06:27Snow.
00:06:29Rain.
00:06:30Snow.
00:06:30White.
00:06:33Black.
00:06:34Bean.
00:06:35Pod.
00:06:36It starts off innocent, but quickly gets shocking, with both men trading increasingly offensive
00:06:41racial insults.
00:06:43The power flips, and Pryor ends up on top, becoming maybe the best-paid janitor ever.
00:06:47One story says writer Paul Mooney wrote the sketch to vent about backstage tensions, while
00:06:52Chase recalls it as a team effort.
00:06:54Either way, it has a tight hold on its place in the SNL Hall of Fame.
00:06:58You'll be the highest-paid janitor in America.
00:07:00Just don't hurt me, please.
00:07:02Okay.
00:07:04Okay.
00:07:05You want me to start now?
00:07:07Oh, no, no, no.
00:07:07It's all right.
00:07:07I'll clean all this up.
00:07:08Take a couple of weeks off.
00:07:09You look tired.
00:07:10Number five, James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub Party, season nine.
00:07:14You know those sketches where you can't quite put your finger on what makes them so brilliant,
00:07:18but you just know you're watching comedy history in the making?
00:07:21Sometimes I made me break out in a cold sweat.
00:07:24One, two, three, four.
00:07:25This is one of those.
00:07:32Should I get in the hot tub?
00:07:33Yeah.
00:07:34Will you make me sweat?
00:07:35Yeah.
00:07:36Should I get in the hot tub?
00:07:37Yeah.
00:07:37Will you make me wet?
00:07:38Yeah.
00:07:39Well, well, well.
00:07:45Hot tub.
00:07:46Eddie Murphy gives an unforgettable impression of James Brown, showing how the singer might
00:07:51handle a song about getting into a hot tub.
00:07:53The sketch is clever because it doesn't try too hard.
00:07:56Murphy just does his thing, letting the laughs happen naturally.
00:08:11It's funky, funny, and just perfect.
00:08:14And come on, who among us has been able to resist getting into a hot tub without singing
00:08:18about it first?
00:08:23Number four, the Fest Drunk Brothers, two wild and crazy guys, first scene, season three.
00:08:37Say it with us now.
00:08:38We are two wild and crazy guys.
00:08:42Dan Aykroyd and Steve Martin burst onto season three as the Fest Drunks, two Czechoslovakian
00:08:47brothers trying to be cool in America and missing the mark in the funniest ways.
00:08:51There will certainly be a lot of swinging in our bachelor pad tonight.
00:08:56Hold it.
00:08:57Let's catch some rays.
00:09:01You and what army?
00:09:05Forget about it.
00:09:07They strut around like they're the hottest thing in town.
00:09:09Convinced their tight, cheesy outfits and swagger make them God's gift to American foxes.
00:09:15The magic of the sketch comes from their loud, exaggerated delivery and totally off-target
00:09:20use of American slang.
00:09:21I was invited to this really hot party tonight.
00:09:24Do you guys want to go?
00:09:26No way.
00:09:27That's your funeral.
00:09:29Don't come crawling to us to have fashion models from the Fox Bar.
00:09:37We'll be here soon to give themselves to the Fest Drunk Brothers.
00:09:41These guys give us pure goofy energy and they're convinced they're the life of the party.
00:09:45Hey, who are we to argue with two wild and crazy guys?
00:09:49So, now you know we are two wild and crazy guys.
00:09:54Number three, Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood.
00:09:57First scene, season six.
00:09:59You know Mr. Rogers and his calm, friendly neighborhood?
00:10:02Well, you're in Mr. Robinson's neighborhood now.
00:10:05Eddie Murphy perfectly captures Fred Rogers' gentle tone,
00:10:08but everything he says shows how different his world is.
00:10:11Who could that be?
00:10:14Let's see.
00:10:20This is how you answer a door in my neighborhood.
00:10:24Instead of teaching kindness, he teaches survival, street smarts,
00:10:29and how to get by in a tough urban setting.
00:10:31Today, $46.79.
00:10:36Wow, that's a lot of money, boys and girls.
00:10:39Especially for a lady who can only afford to give me a quarter to carry this to a car.
00:10:45I feel so bad for I carried the rest of the way to my apartment for free.
00:10:49It's hilarious for sure, but it's also sharp social commentary on poverty, racism, and inequality.
00:10:56The sketch was one of Murphy's first big hits on SNL,
00:10:59proving his comedic genius and helping the show during a rough patch.
00:11:02When a man loves a woman very much,
00:11:05they lay down and the man gives the woman $20.
00:11:08Sometimes they lay down in the backseat of a Buick.
00:11:13Sometimes mommies and daddies can't have a baby,
00:11:15so they use an adoption agency.
00:11:17Of course, he had to bring Mr. Robinson back when he hosted in 2019.
00:11:21So much has changed since we last spent some time together.
00:11:25My neighbor has gone through so much.
00:11:28It's gone through something called gentrification.
00:11:31Can you say gentrification, boys and girls?
00:11:34It's like a magic trick.
00:11:37White people pay a lot of money,
00:11:38and then poof, all the black people are gone.
00:11:41Number two, The Olympia Restaurant.
00:11:44First scene, season three.
00:11:46Welcome to Olympia Restaurant.
00:11:47Want a tuna sandwich?
00:11:50Grilled cheese?
00:11:52Cheeseburger.
00:11:53Coke?
00:11:53Uh, no Coke, Pepsi.
00:11:55However, if you're craving a cheeseburger, chips, and a Pepsi,
00:11:59you've come to the right place.
00:12:01The genius here lies in the relentless use of a few simple lines.
00:12:04Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger, two chips.
00:12:07Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger.
00:12:09One Pepsi.
00:12:10Two chips, one Pepsi.
00:12:11The repetition, delivered with mounting frustration,
00:12:15becomes funnier with each utterance.
00:12:17The premise was inspired by the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago,
00:12:19which you can still visit today for a classic cheeseburger and chips.
00:12:23Two Pepsi, one chip.
00:12:24Cheeseburger, cheeseburger.
00:12:25Two Pepsi, one chip.
00:12:27You have to go.
00:12:28Four cheeseburger.
00:12:29Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger.
00:12:31Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger.
00:12:34No, no price.
00:12:35Chips.
00:12:36Four chips.
00:12:37Four chips.
00:12:38Four chips.
00:12:38The real tavern even leaned into the spoof,
00:12:41fully owning its accuracy.
00:12:43Apparently, Chicago natives Don Novello and Bill Murray
00:12:45still enjoy swinging by for a double cheeseburger whenever they're in town.
00:12:49Hey guys, come on.
00:12:51Cheeseburger, cheeseburger.
00:12:53Cheeseburger, cheeseburger.
00:12:54Two chips.
00:12:54Two chips.
00:12:55Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
00:12:59Pros and Cons Season 7, bringing a whole new meaning to poetic justice.
00:13:04Flipping his window, break his neck.
00:13:07Then his house I start to wreck.
00:13:10Got no reason.
00:13:12What the heck?
00:13:14Kill my landlord.
00:13:15Kill my landlord.
00:13:18C-I-L-L.
00:13:22King Tut, Season 3.
00:13:24A popular exhibit gets disco funky.
00:13:26I've taken all my money and bought me a museum.
00:13:30King Tut.
00:13:33Buried with a donkey.
00:13:34King Tut.
00:13:37He's my favorite honking.
00:13:39Bass-o-matic, Season 1.
00:13:41The best blender pitch we've ever seen.
00:13:43Where do we get one?
00:13:44The days of troublesome scaling, cutting, and gutting are over.
00:13:46Because Super Bass-o-matic 76 is the tool that lets you use the whole bass
00:13:50with no fish waste without scaling, cutting, or gutting.
00:13:53Samurai Hotel, Season 1.
00:13:56Samurai Futaba's first outing, and, well, it's nuts in an iconic way, of course.
00:14:08The French Chef, Season 4.
00:14:11Dan Aykroyd gives us his best Julia Child on a bad day.
00:14:14Cut along the backbone to the Pope's nose like so.
00:14:19Now I've done it.
00:14:21I've cut the dickens out of my finger.
00:14:23Number 1.
00:14:24Blues Brothers, Soul Man, Season 4.
00:14:27Some sketches grow so big, they're best remembered for their lives beyond SNL.
00:14:32Coming to ya, on a dusty road.
00:14:36Good love ya, I got a truckload.
00:14:39The Coneheads not only got a movie, but may have even inspired Third Rock from the Sun.
00:14:44Still, few characters define this era more than the Blues Brothers.
00:14:47The idea began at the Hall & Tunnel Blues Bar, a favorite hangout for the cast that Aykroyd had rented out.
00:14:59It was there that John Belushi caught the blues bug, and the band was born.
00:15:03While not their only appearance, Soul Man is probably their most famous.
00:15:16They went on to make two movies and left a pop culture legacy that's lasted far beyond Studio 8-H.
00:15:22Which SNL sketch do you think defines its early days?
00:15:40The next era of SNL is the one that gave us Phil Hartman's Straight Man, Dana Carvey's Church Lady, and Mike Myers' Wayne Campbell.
00:15:56It's also when Chris Farley started falling through tables, Adam Sandler started strumming ridiculous songs, and, well, so much more.
00:16:06I'm going to do a terrific show today.
00:16:09Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:16:10And today, we're counting down our picks for the most hilarious and rewatchable Saturday Night Live sketches from seasons 11 through 20.
00:16:17Where's my clothes on?
00:16:19My...
00:16:21Hey.
00:16:23Number 10.
00:16:24President Bill Clinton may be remembered for many things, but his love of McDonald's is cemented forever in this sketch.
00:16:33Well, I just want to mingle with the American people, talk with some real folks, maybe get a Diet Coke or something.
00:16:39I'm fine.
00:16:40But please, don't tell Mrs. Clinton.
00:16:42While supposedly out for a jog, Clinton can't resist detouring into a McDonald's, claiming it's to connect with everyday Americans.
00:16:49Except he's not really there to shake hands, so much as sneak bites of everyone's food.
00:16:54Watching him steal burgers while breaking down foreign policy makes the whole thing even funnier.
00:16:59Your McNugget is released from Great Britain to Somalia, intercepted by warlords.
00:17:06It's satire that feels both ridiculous and real, poking fun at how politicians try to look like regular folks.
00:17:12Its brilliance lies in that perfect balance of his polished charm and a very human appetite.
00:17:17Sir, I think we should probably continue your jog. We've only gone about an eighth of a mile.
00:17:22All right, all right. You guys up for a real run?
00:17:25Yes, sir.
00:17:25Yes, sir.
00:17:26Race you to the pizza hut!
00:17:28Number 9.
00:17:29Sprockets.
00:17:30First scene, season 14.
00:17:32The sketch centers on Dieter, Mike Myers' turtlenecked German host who takes himself way too seriously.
00:17:38I'm your host, Dieter. Then it is springtime, and like the blood-engorged gazelles at the Garmisch-Partenkirken Zoo, I'm ready to rot.
00:17:48The fun comes from how committed Myers is, with that stiff posture and almost bored stares.
00:17:53He's basically playing repression like it should be hung up at the Louvre.
00:17:57EuroTrash is a celebration of the repellent and painful in everyday European life.
00:18:02For example, EuroDisney has Fantasyland. EuroTrash has Ennui Village.
00:18:08What makes it so great is the way it skewers European art house pretension and those painfully serious talk shows,
00:18:15where every discussion feels far deeper than they have any right to be.
00:18:18Then, of course, there's his precious limited monkey, Klaus.
00:18:21Before we begin, would you like to touch my monkey?
00:18:24I will touch him.
00:18:26Touch him. Love him.
00:18:28Leave him under a half, Shrinky.
00:18:29There, I did it.
00:18:33The best part is that no matter how bizarre it gets, it always ends with a dance.
00:18:37That ending seals the legend.
00:18:39Your categories have become tiresome. Now's the time on Spockets when we dance.
00:18:46That's all the time we have on Spockets.
00:18:48Number 8. Opera Man. First scene, season 17.
00:18:52Adam Sandler was a Weekend Update fixture, giving us everything from his Halloween costume bit to the Hanukkah song,
00:18:58a cultural hit that basically went viral in the pre-digital era.
00:19:02Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli?
00:19:06Bowser from Shanana and Arthur Fonzarelli.
00:19:11But Opera Man might be his most prolific character.
00:19:14Decked out in a tux and cape, he turned current events into operatic performances,
00:19:18often just adding an extra vowel to the end of words.
00:19:21In his early days, he even sang in Italian, which sounded impressive even if we hadn't a clue what it meant.
00:19:38It was ridiculous, it was smart, and it always killed.
00:19:42Fans loved him so much, Opera Man even came back for SNL's 40th.
00:19:4640th anniversary, such a special day, oh.
00:19:51Garrett Morris looks fantastico.
00:19:54David Spade looks okay, oh.
00:19:57Number 7. Coffee Talk with Linda Richman.
00:20:00First scene, season 16.
00:20:02They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,
00:20:05but we wonder if Mike Myers' then-mother-in-law, the real Linda Richman, would agree.
00:20:09It's Mother's Day, and my daughter Robin did not show up.
00:20:14She's getting married, and this year she's visiting his mother.
00:20:17So now I'm sitting here, allein wie er stein, alone like a dog.
00:20:21After all, she was the inspiration for this chatty New Yorker,
00:20:25complete with big accent, bigger hair, and endless opinions.
00:20:29Linda's emotional swings, her undying devotion to Barbra Streisand,
00:20:33and her frequent use of Yiddish or Yiddish-ish expressions were all part of the gag.
00:20:38It also gave us catchphrases that we're still quoting today.
00:20:49Hello, gorgeous.
00:20:51The movie was like butter.
00:20:53Like butter.
00:20:55Like a big stick of butter.
00:20:58But the best moment might just be when Barbra Streisand herself actually showed up.
00:21:03Honestly, we're all verklempt just thinking about it.
00:21:05We're gonna need a moment.
00:21:06Talk amongst yourselves.
00:21:07Now I'm getting verklempt.
00:21:09We're all verklempt.
00:21:11I'm sorry.
00:21:12Talk amongst yourselves.
00:21:16I'll give you a topic.
00:21:18The Romanesque church design was based on the Roman basilica.
00:21:21Discuss.
00:21:22Number six, Lunch Ladyland, season 19.
00:21:26The bad boys of SNL really shook things up in the show's second decade.
00:21:30Uh, Cindy, can you leave some for us?
00:21:32I thought you were, um, trying to lose weight.
00:21:37Lay off me.
00:21:38I'm starving.
00:21:39They gave us hits like Gap Girls and Canteen Boy,
00:21:42but the absolutely bonkers Lunch Ladyland might be the one that sticks with us most.
00:21:46Adam Sandler sings this ridiculous ode to the Lunch Lady, while Chris Farley goes as hard as he possibly can,
00:22:03clearly trying to make Sandler break.
00:22:05Sloppy Joe, Sloppy, Sloppy Joe, yeah.
00:22:09Sloppy Joe, Sloppy, Sloppy Joe, yeah.
00:22:12Sloppy Joe, Sloppy, Sloppy Joe, yeah.
00:22:15Just as you think this sketch can't possibly get more off the rails,
00:22:19Kevin Nealon enters as Sloppy Joe and saves the day.
00:22:22Honestly, if we weren't seeing it before our very eyes,
00:22:25we'd be convinced this was all some sort of fever dream.
00:22:28Down in lunch, lady land.
00:22:39Number 5.
00:22:40Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, season 17.
00:22:43Phil Hartman could play anyone,
00:22:45from Frankenstein's barely comprehensible monster to a caveman who somehow passed the bar.
00:22:50Sometimes when I get a message on my fax machine,
00:22:53I wonder, did little demons get inside and type it?
00:22:57I don't know.
00:22:59My primitive mind can't grasp these concepts.
00:23:03The genius of this sketch is that Hartman plays it completely straight.
00:23:07Like, sure, who hasn't hired a guy who's been frozen for thousands of years as their legal representation?
00:23:12Totally normal.
00:23:13Did you hear that, Mr. Keyrock?
00:23:16Hang on a second.
00:23:16I'm sorry, Your Honor, I was listening to the magic voices coming out of this strange modern invention.
00:23:23The caveman fumbles through modern life, but he actually understands more than he might think.
00:23:28The world is a frightening and confusing place,
00:23:31even for those of us who haven't been frozen for as long as he has.
00:23:34I fell in some ice and later got thawed out by some of your scientists.
00:23:40Your world frightens and confuses me.
00:23:43With deadpan delivery, tiny caveman logic surprises,
00:23:47and a clever callback to another SNL classic,
00:23:50this sketch is truly iconic.
00:23:52You know, I really don't understand your congress or your system of checks and balances
00:23:59because, as I said during the campaign, I'm just a caveman.
00:24:03Number 4, Chippendale's Audition, Season 16.
00:24:07Sketches like this prove what we all already know.
00:24:10Chris Farley would do just about anything for a laugh.
00:24:14Everyone's watching to see what you will do.
00:24:20Everyone's looking at you.
00:24:23Even though he was one of the skeptics who thought turning his own body into the joke might be a bad idea.
00:24:28Yet he throws himself into it so completely that you can't help rooting for him.
00:24:33And honestly, it almost feels like a crime when they pick Swayze's Adrian over him.
00:24:45This sketch plays perfectly to Farley's strengths as a physical comedian.
00:24:50And for many, it was his breakout moment.
00:24:52Would it fly today?
00:24:53Probably not.
00:24:54But back then, it was comedy gold.
00:24:57Thanks for the laughs, man.
00:24:58I never saw Barney again, but I'll never forget him.
00:25:01And how for one brief moment, he brought out the best in me.
00:25:05That was the time of my life.
00:25:08Number 3, Church Chat, First Scene, Season 12.
00:25:12Dana Carvey gave us some of the most unforgettable characters in SNL history.
00:25:16Sure, grumpy old man is iconic, but church lady?
00:25:19Well, isn't that special?
00:25:21Well, isn't that special?
00:25:22Well, isn't that special?
00:25:27Patrick, well, I think we need some quiet time.
00:25:29Why don't we just scooch on down and think about what we said and if we make any sense at all?
00:25:33Enid Strick, prim and holier-than-thou, would invite guests on her show just to publicly condemn them.
00:25:39Bless her.
00:25:40Well, you know, it's, uh, I'm happy with it.
00:25:42I've gotten some pretty good reviews.
00:25:43I play a villain, which is stretched different for me, and the critics seem to have liked it.
00:25:49I see.
00:25:50So the critics thought you were believable in the role of an evil, bad, demonic, satanic villain from hell.
00:25:56How wonderful for you, dear.
00:25:59Church Lady actually predates Carvey's time on SNL, as anyone who caught his early stand-up would know.
00:26:04The character started as a teacher until his mom pointed out that she reminded her of someone from her church.
00:26:09Oh, I know him. What, oh, what is his name? Let's see. Hmm, could it be...
00:26:16Hey, we've all met a church lady in some form, right?
00:26:21That's probably why this character still slays and has become an SNL legend.
00:26:25Everywhere you look, you've got 11-year-olds dressing up like that vixen Sabrina Carpenter.
00:26:31Do you know who was the best carpenter?
00:26:33Jesus.
00:26:33He's working late, cause he's a savior.
00:26:41Wayne's World is another Hall of Famer that predates SNL.
00:26:52Mike Myers as Wayne and Dana Carvey as Garth are two metal-loving slackers running a cable show from Wayne's parents' basement.
00:26:58They'd host everyone, from classmates to teachers, and of course, most famously, Aerosmith.
00:27:05Part of the fun was how Wayne could go from goofy metalhead energy to suddenly asking some surprisingly deep questions.
00:27:11With the recent developments in Eastern Europe, do you think that communism is on the decline, or is this just a temporary setback?
00:27:17The sketch blew up and gave us lines like,
00:27:19It even spun into two movies, with the first becoming a smash hit, and making Bohemian Rhapsody impossible to hear without headbanging.
00:27:32Excellent!
00:27:35Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
00:27:40Massive Head Wound Harry, season 17.
00:27:43It's like we want to look away, but we can't.
00:27:45Cool and Blow, season 15.
00:27:52SNL, teaching you the importance of fiber in your diet since the late 80s.
00:27:57Well, kinda.
00:27:58It would take over 30,000 bowls.
00:28:02To eat that much, you'd have to eat 10 bowls a day, every day, for eight and a half years.
00:28:09Wow! I think I get the picture!
00:28:12Number 1. Matt Foley, Van Down By The River, season 18.
00:28:17Farley gave us plenty of characters who'll live on as long as SNL does.
00:28:22However, few match the legacy of motivational speaker Matt Foley.
00:28:26There are three things to know about Foley.
00:28:28He's 35, thrice divorced, and...
00:28:31And I live in a van down by the river!
00:28:34Born in Farley's Second City days, Foley throws out the rulebook on what we imagine a motivational speaker should be.
00:28:40Well, la-de-frickin-duh!
00:28:46We got ourselves a writer here!
00:28:49Hey, Dad, I can't see real good. Is that Bill Shakespeare over there?
00:28:53Farley's physical comedy shines, cracking up the audience and his scene-mates alike.
00:28:58The character blew up, although nothing ever quite matched his SNL debut.
00:29:02Now you kids are probably asking yourselves, hey, Matt, how can we get back on the right track?
00:29:09Farley 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.
00:29:16Oh, Matt's gonna be your shadow!
00:29:18Here's you, here's Matt!
00:29:20There's you, there!
00:29:26Whoops-a-daisy!
00:29:28By the mid-90s and early 2000s, SNL was once again redefining comedy sketches for a whole new generation.
00:29:50And it was all thanks to the likes of Will Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Tina Fey, just to name a few.
00:30:00Welcome to my abode. Come in, please.
00:30:03Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:30:04And today, we're counting down our picks for the funniest SNL sketches from seasons 21 to 30 that we can't stop re-watching.
00:30:11Sometimes it's not the setup that sticks with you, but the way the cast throws themselves into it.
00:30:29I'm looking for a sweater for my boyfriend.
00:30:33Really? Well, if you wanted to match your outfit, I suggest you try a Hallmark store.
00:30:36That way you can pick up that Hang In There poster you've been dying to get.
00:30:41Nice one. Air 5.
00:30:42Other times, it's the fact that they can't stop re-watching.
00:30:45In this sketch, Jimmy Fallon and host Sean Hayes play snooty shop assistants serving up sass to every customer.
00:30:51We also carry Hoodie and the Blowfish albums.
00:30:53Shall I wrap one up with a backwards baseball cap when the tape of the Cheers finale?
00:30:58Or you can try them on in that time machine over there. Why don't you set it for 1994?
00:31:02Then, enter Will Ferrell on a motorized scooter with a cell phone so tiny it makes early 2000s tech trends look oversized.
00:31:10The sheer seriousness with which he commits to the bit turns the scene into comedy gold, leaving his co-stars struggling to keep it together.
00:31:17Yes? Really? Splendid.
00:31:24We're going to the Dolce & Gabbana show. How fast can you have your bags packed for Mirage?
00:31:28The only thing they're selling is how absolutely hysterical this whole bit is.
00:31:33My Paul Smith does.
00:31:36My Paul Smith does saying au revoir.
00:31:41Number 9. Mary Catherine Gallagher wants to join a gang.
00:31:44Season 24. Say it with us now.
00:31:47Superstar.
00:31:48This character really cemented Molly Shannon as a comedy force.
00:31:52Her wild flailing, awkward energy, and random outbursts make absolutely no sense in a biker gang format.
00:31:58Hi-ya!
00:32:00They call me the tamponator.
00:32:02Yet it almost feels like the Black Angels should be asking to join her gang.
00:32:06The best part is how far Shannon goes for the laugh.
00:32:09She throws herself into every emotional outburst and physical gag, often literally.
00:32:14Of course, this wasn't Mary Catherine's only outing.
00:32:17We'll take a good long look again, because you just stepped into hell, baby!
00:32:22Fans couldn't get enough of her nervous monologues and quirks, and her success led to a movie,
00:32:27and apparently even helped pave the way for more women writers on SNL.
00:32:30Number 8. Colonel Angus Comes Home. Season 28.
00:32:48This sketch is basically a masterclass in double entendre.
00:32:50Are you ladies out here talking about Colonel Angus?
00:32:55Yes, Daddy. I can't wait to meet him.
00:32:58Oh, watch out, Melinda. Once a woman is introduced to Colonel Angus, she'll settle for nothing less.
00:33:03On the surface, it looks like a harmless classic Hollywood-style parody.
00:33:07If you first saw it as a kid, that's probably all you thought it was,
00:33:10and you were left wondering why the adults were laughing so hard.
00:33:13I've never much cared for Colonel Angus.
00:33:17He robs me the wrong way.
00:33:18Not sure why. Can't put my finger on it.
00:33:24So, be honest. How old were you when you finally realized why this sketch is so brilliant?
00:33:28The genius lies in how seriously the cast takes it,
00:33:31truly embracing the traits of the genre without even a hint of breaking.
00:33:35I always dreamt of the day Colonel Angus would rest his head at Shady Thicket.
00:33:40Their sincere and wholesome performances make the innuendos even funnier.
00:33:44It's clever, ridiculous, and simply timeless.
00:33:48Call me by my given name.
00:33:50Oh, Eno. I so love the sound of Cunnilingus, but I guess I could give Analingus a try.
00:33:59Number 7. The Lovahs with Barbara and Dave, Season 27.
00:34:03This isn't the first time we meet the Lovahs, but it's definitely the one people remember most.
00:34:08Probably because of Farrell's seemingly relentless mission to make Fallon break.
00:34:13Dave. Dave. Dave. David.
00:34:20Not much of a challenge, sure, but Farrell later admitted he was, let's say, secretly playing footsie with him underwater.
00:34:26I thought I was sitting next to you, but I'm not. I'm sitting across from you.
00:34:30But I just remember trying to get my foot in your crotch during the sketch.
00:34:35We all know those couples who slather on PDA like sunscreen in a heat wave.
00:34:39But even they don't hold a candle to these Lovahs.
00:34:43Hands groping, fingers fluttering, thighs twitching in the anticipation of lovemaking that will take place in this hot tub in less than 12 minutes.
00:34:57The humor stems from the relatability of being around such couples, only dialed up to the extreme.
00:35:03No one can keep it together, and we're laughing just as hard alongside them.
00:35:07Somewhere in the distance, we heard the pounding of native drums.
00:35:21Was it in our mind? We don't know.
00:35:28Number 6. Mom Jeans, Season 28
00:35:31Commercials have always been a staple of SNL, but some just become part of our cultural zeitgeist.
00:35:36Oops, I crapped my pants.
00:35:38Oops, I crapped my pants. I've heard of those. Do they work?
00:35:42Oops, I crapped my pants. Outperformed every bladder and bowel control product on the market today.
00:35:46Take Mom Jeans, written by Tina Fey after a very personal fashion tragedy.
00:35:51Mom Jeans fit mom just the way she likes it.
00:35:54She'll love the 9-inch zipper and casual front pleats.
00:35:58Cut generously to fit a mom's body.
00:36:00The sketch captures this idea that women don't need to care about appearances quite the same way after having kids.
00:36:06But these women lean into that with a smile and a dance, which makes it that much funnier.
00:36:11It perfectly captures and exaggerates the look and feel of the style.
00:36:15She'll want to wear them to everything, from a soccer game to a night on the town.
00:36:19And with your choice of ankle length, capri length, or shorts, you'll find the perfect jean for even the least active of moms.
00:36:27We all know what mom jeans are, and some of us shamefully keep a pair at the back of our closets.
00:36:32That's probably why the joke has endured, keeping us in stitches today.
00:36:36So this Mother's Day, don't give mom that bottle of perfume.
00:36:39Give her something that says, I'm not a woman anymore. I'm a mom.
00:36:44Number 5. The Roxbury Guys. First scene, season 21.
00:36:48You might say that the Fest Drunk Brothers walked so that the Roxbury Guys could run.
00:36:53Hey, what's going on here? What's going on?
00:36:54Where are you guys with them?
00:36:56Well, because we are...
00:36:57Wild and crazy guys!
00:37:00According to Chris Kattan, they came up with the characters during their Groundlings days,
00:37:05when they hit a Santa Monica bar and watched a guy bopping to the music while scanning the room.
00:37:09Of course, the head bop became their signature move, typically to the beat of Hathaway's What Is Love.
00:37:24The guys were often a little too aggressive in their pursuits in a way that certainly wouldn't fly today.
00:37:30Yet it was so popular that it spawned a feature film.
00:37:33To this day, we can't think of that 90s dance hit without thinking of the Roxbury Guys.
00:37:39Number 4. Debbie Downer, Disney World, season 29.
00:37:51You know a sketch is iconic when its very name has entered our everyday lexicon.
00:37:55We're enjoying your day, everything's going your way, and along comes Debbie Downer.
00:38:00Dratch said she was inspired by an interaction on vacation where someone asked where she was from,
00:38:05and when she said New York, they immediately asked about 9-11.
00:38:09Anyway, it only made sense for Debbie to make her debut in the most magical place on earth.
00:38:14By the way, it's official.
00:38:25I can't have children.
00:38:27This sketch was one of those times where things don't perhaps go as they did in rehearsals,
00:38:31and yet pop culture history is made.
00:38:34The cast was apparently caught off guard by the wah-wahs,
00:38:37which led to that now infamous domino effect of laughter that made this sketch iconic.
00:38:41Or during the fireworks when you went about about feline AIDS.
00:38:47It's the number one killer of domestic cats.
00:38:52I can't take it.
00:38:53Number 3. NPR's Delicious Dish, Shweaty Balls, season 24.
00:38:58As we saw earlier with Colonel Angus, the beauty of this sketch is in its masterful use of wordplay.
00:39:04Well, there are lots of great treats at this time of year.
00:39:06Zucchini bread, fruitcake.
00:39:09But the thing that I most like to bring out at this time of the year are my balls.
00:39:12It's built around the absurdity of a polite public radio show segment
00:39:16where their guest, Pete Shweaty, presents a holiday treat called Shweaty Balls.
00:39:20Wow.
00:39:21My mouth's watering just thinking about those things.
00:39:24Everyone involved remains so deadpan, so oblivious,
00:39:27and yet they make sure that if you didn't get the joke the first time,
00:39:30you were definitely doubled over with laughter by the end.
00:39:33The host's hushed tones and polite fascination with Pete's balls
00:39:37make the innuendos even more hilarious.
00:39:39I can't wait to get my mouth around this ball.
00:39:46Ooh, I like the way your balls smell.
00:39:49It was such a hit that in 2011,
00:39:51Ben and Jerry's unleashed their own Shweaty Balls on the public.
00:39:53They're made from a secret, Shweaty family recipe.
00:39:57No one can resist my Shweaty Balls.
00:40:04The Celebrity Jeopardy sketches became some of SNL's most beloved features of the late 90s and 2000s.
00:40:12Set a new Jeopardy record with negative $230,000.
00:40:19You think you're pretty smart, don't you, Trebek?
00:40:22What with your daggo mustache on your greasy hair?
00:40:25Daryl Hammond even called his Sean Connery impression, quote,
00:40:28easily the most popular thing I've ever done.
00:40:31The tension between his crude Connery and Farrell's frustrated Alex Trebek always steals the show.
00:40:36Let's just go to Animal Sounds for $600.
00:40:41This is the sound a doggy makes.
00:40:44Mr. Connery.
00:40:46Mool.
00:40:47Misreadings, double entendres, and constant insults just keep the laughs coming.
00:40:51Then there's Norm Macdonald's Burt Reynolds,
00:40:53who always pipes up just in time to tip Trebek over the edge.
00:40:57Turd Ferguson.
00:40:58Yeah, what do you want?
00:41:05You buzzed in.
00:41:06No, I didn't.
00:41:08Yes, you did.
00:41:09Yeah, well, that's your opinion.
00:41:10Fallon's French steward rounds out this chaotic crew.
00:41:13The recurring sketch became a quick fan favorite, yet we love this one,
00:41:17perhaps even more than Connery enjoys getting under the host's skin.
00:41:20Despite your best efforts, you answered correctly.
00:41:23Let's see what you wagered.
00:41:26Suck it, Trebek.
00:41:27No!
00:41:29Number 1.
00:41:31More Cowbell, Season 25.
00:41:34Ever wondered about the cowbell in Blue Oyster Cult's Don't Fear the Reaper?
00:41:48This now legendary sketch takes you behind the scenes of the recording session,
00:41:52behind the music style.
00:41:54Now it's going to be a great track.
00:41:55Guys, what's the deal?
00:41:56Are you sure that was sounding okay?
00:41:58I'll be honest, fellas, it was sounding great, but I could have used a little more cowbell.
00:42:04Will Ferrell plays Gene, an over-enthusiastic cowbell player,
00:42:07complete with his stomach peeking out of his shirt and his wild flailing,
00:42:11in a display of physical comedy that hits all the right notes.
00:42:14Christopher Walken proves to be his perfect sparring partner,
00:42:18flawlessly delivering lines that are apparently still quoted back to him today.
00:42:22I gotta have more cowbell.
00:42:25Don't blow this for us, Gene!
00:42:26Meanwhile, the rest of the crew is barely holding it together.
00:42:34And who can blame them?
00:42:35We've got a fever, and the only cure is to watch this sketch again.
00:42:39Guess what?
00:42:40I got a fever.
00:42:43And the only prescription is more cowbell.
00:42:46What was your standout sketch of SNL's third decade?
00:42:48Robert, do you have anything to add?
00:42:52Nah.
00:42:54The next decade of SNL was another high point.
00:42:58An era where sketches didn't just dominate on TV, they exploded online.
00:43:04Dick in a box, anyone?
00:43:06Watch her face when I kiss her ear.
00:43:08Oh.
00:43:08Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:43:14And today, we're counting down our picks for the funniest Saturday Night Live sketches
00:43:18from seasons 31 to 40 that we'll never tire of re-watching.
00:43:31Number 10.
00:43:32Do It On My Twin Bed.
00:43:33Season 39.
00:43:34The Lonely Island wasn't the only one ruling SNL's musical sketches during this era.
00:43:39Ben, say what's up to my cousin.
00:43:41Hi.
00:43:42Say what's up to my neighbor.
00:43:43Hey.
00:43:44Then take my man to my childhood bedroom.
00:43:48The ladies showed they could also deliver bangers.
00:43:50And let's be honest, create some holiday classics.
00:43:53Who isn't blasting Back Home Baller as they roll up on their parents' drive for Thanksgiving?
00:43:58Cause I'm a back home baller.
00:44:01If I want something, I just holler.
00:44:03I do what I want and I get what I want.
00:44:06Cause my parents miss their daughter.
00:44:08We also got this hilarious Pussycat Doll-esque music video about bringing your S.O. home for
00:44:12the holidays.
00:44:13It manages to be funny and sexy, relatable and surprising all at once.
00:44:19Come on, Tixie boy, gotta do this quick.
00:44:22While my folks are at the pharmacy, my mom is sick.
00:44:26Apparently, it all came together in just about five days.
00:44:36The team was surprised by how quickly the sketch took off, becoming a viral hit.
00:44:41To us, it just feels like a present we can enjoy year after year.
00:44:44So let's do it in my twin bed.
00:44:46Twin bed.
00:44:47Not gonna like it.
00:44:48Like it.
00:44:48But you can't be picky.
00:44:50Picky.
00:44:50When you stand with your family.
00:44:52Family.
00:44:53Having sex in a tiny twin bed, y'all.
00:44:56Happy holidays.
00:44:57We out.
00:44:59Number nine.
00:45:00Spelling Bee.
00:45:01Season 31.
00:45:02The word is punchline.
00:45:04Here, we'll put it in a sentence for you.
00:45:06SNL sure knows how to milk a punchline for maximum comedy.
00:45:09Could you use it in a sentence, please?
00:45:13Business.
00:45:15I'm in the insurance business.
00:45:21Could you spell the word, please?
00:45:26No.
00:45:27On paper, this sketch shouldn't work.
00:45:29It's literally just a guy grossly misspelling the word business.
00:45:33Yet with the deadpan delivery of every wrong letter, it somehow gets even funnier.
00:45:37L.
00:45:38M.
00:45:39K.
00:45:40Q.
00:45:41K.
00:45:42W.
00:45:43Q.
00:45:44Q.
00:45:45Q.
00:45:46Q.
00:45:47Q.
00:45:48Q.
00:45:49Q.
00:45:50Q.
00:45:51Q.
00:45:52Q.
00:45:53By the eighth Q, we're doubled over with laughter.
00:45:56What really makes it iconic is how straight both actors play it, without even the hint of
00:46:01a smile.
00:46:02Chris Parnell's one-word mic drop is also perfectly timed.
00:46:05D.
00:46:07Q.
00:46:07M.
00:46:08D.
00:46:09Q.
00:46:09H.
00:46:10Q.
00:46:10I.
00:46:10I.
00:46:10I.
00:46:10I.
00:46:11I.
00:46:11I.
00:46:12I.
00:46:27I.
00:46:28Jack Black's painful childhood memory, revealed in a surprising cameo from Tenacious D.
00:46:47Number eight, Liza Minnelli tries to turn off a lamp, season 37.
00:46:58Kristen Wiig brought countless weird and wonderful characters to Studio 8H, from Gilly to Sue to Penelope to one of two a-holes to the Target Lady.
00:47:10She also had a few unforgettable impressions up her sleeve. Liza Minnelli trying to turn off a lamp? How funny could that be?
00:47:17Is there a little knob on here that you turn and everything goes black?
00:47:23I don't know, Liza. It's probably pretty simple.
00:47:27You tell that to Debbie Reynolds!
00:47:30Well, with an actress like Wiig who throws herself into anything, the answer is downright hysterical.
00:47:36Her Liza is cartoonish, that is, if Bob Fosse choreographed cartoons,
00:47:41but there's still something in her performance that makes us believe the real Liza might have done this.
00:47:46Once!
00:47:47Twice!
00:47:51Three!
00:47:53Will a Fosse neck do it?
00:47:55It quickly became a fan favorite, and we've never looked at the simple act of turning off a lamp the same way since.
00:48:01And we missed the show.
00:48:03The heck with cats, let's dance!
00:48:10This has been Liza Minnelli tries to turn off a lamp.
00:48:16Number seven, new Disney movie, season 40.
00:48:20SNL sure loves lampooning Disney. Heck, we've even made a whole list about it.
00:48:24There's the fighting!
00:48:25Who does her hair? Birds?
00:48:27At least I didn't marry a beast.
00:48:29His name is Kelsey Grammer.
00:48:31I'm gonna rip this freak-ass weave off your head!
00:48:35Here comes Midnight F***!
00:48:37You'll find Disney Housewives on there, as well as this action movie version of Bambi starring Dwayne The Rock Johnson.
00:48:43When I was a boy, they took away my mother.
00:48:46No!
00:48:46Now it's time for them to pay.
00:48:55Dearly.
00:48:55The sketch takes aim at Disney's recent trend of turning beloved animations into hit-or-miss live-action films.
00:49:02It's fast, it's furious, and it's surprisingly funny for something that takes an already pretty dark movie and makes it darker still.
00:49:08Like it or not, we're part of the game.
00:49:12Me, you, and all our forest friends.
00:49:16I ain't got friends.
00:49:18This time, Bambi's back, and he's hell-bent on avenging his mother.
00:49:22We're not saying this is the Disney remake we want, but given their recent string of live-action flops,
00:49:27we're not not saying they shouldn't at least consider it either.
00:49:30Where are they?
00:49:31When you see them, give me a sign.
00:49:33Here's the sign.
00:49:35Fear crossing, mother f***er!
00:49:36Number 6, CBS Evening News, Katie Couric interviews Sarah Palin.
00:49:43Season 34, Tina Fey's Sarah Palin impression remains one of SNL's all-time greats.
00:49:49Every morning when Alaskans wake up, one of the first things they do is look outside to see if there are any Russians hanging around.
00:49:57If there are, you gotta go up to them and ask, what are you doing here?
00:50:00And if they can give you a good reason, they can, then you start a responsibility to say, you know, shoot.
00:50:05Not only did they look uncannily alike, but Faye nailed the essence of the then-Alaska governor.
00:50:10Voices, gestures, and all, while delivering one iconic line after another.
00:50:15I believe that diplomacy should be the cornerstone of any foreign policy.
00:50:21And I can see Russia from my house.
00:50:23Her parody of Palin's interview with Katie Couric may be her finest moment.
00:50:28If you saw the original, you might have been shocked by how accurate it was.
00:50:32Some lines were practically lifted word for word.
00:50:34Like every American I'm speaking with, we are ill about this.
00:50:39We're saying, hey, why bail out Fannie and Freddie and not me?
00:50:42But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those that are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, to help, um, it's gotta be all about job creation, too.
00:50:57Also, too, shoring up our economy.
00:51:00Faye brilliantly turned an awkward, floundering interview into comedic gold.
00:51:04She didn't just mimic Palin, she properly became her.
00:51:08It was sharp, smart, and brutally funny.
00:51:10Honestly, if Faye stepped in for Palin for a day, would anyone even notice?
00:51:15Also, having a dollar-value meal at restaurants, that's gonna help.
00:51:21But one in five jobs being created today under the umbrella of job creation, that, you know, also...
00:51:31Number five, MacGruber, first scene, season 32.
00:51:37In a spoof of the old adventure show MacGyver, Will Forte plays special agent MacGruber, who somehow always gets distracted, even with a literal ticking time bomb in front of him.
00:51:48If we don't defuse this dynamite, it won't just be our spirits that are dampened.
00:51:52It'll be the whole town of Cedarville.
00:51:54What do we do, MacGruber?
00:51:55Ten seconds!
00:51:56Jojo, toss me that paper cup.
00:51:58Casey, I need three pine needles.
00:52:00You got it, Mac Daddy!
00:52:01He and his team keep ending up in the most unlikely situations, with MacGruber asking for the most random tools and always losing focus.
00:52:09Hand me that chalk!
00:52:10Coming right up, MacGruber.
00:52:11Vicky, that hairbrush.
00:52:12You got it, MacGruber!
00:52:13Okay, Isaac!
00:52:15Okay, look, I'm just gonna lay all my cards on the table here.
00:52:17That little birdie was my friend Brad, and he said that the person talking to me on my back was you.
00:52:21The bomb inevitably goes off, but they'd return for another segment where things continue going off the rails.
00:52:27It was such a hit that it broke out of SNL and turned into a movie and a TV series.
00:52:32MacGruber even teamed up with Pepsi and MacGyver star Richard Dean Anderson for three ads, one of which played during that year's Super Bowl.
00:52:40Five seconds, MacGruber!
00:52:42Vicky?
00:52:43Fine, Pepsumer!
00:52:44Okay, I better get to work on this, baby.
00:52:49After this.
00:52:50Pepsumer!
00:52:51This has to be one of SNL's best recurring sketches, which is why it's the second time we're mentioning it in this series.
00:53:05In this round, we get top-tier performances, as always, from Will Ferrell, Daryl Hammond, and Norm MacDonald.
00:53:12What are you talking about?
00:53:12He's been there the whole time.
00:53:13Wait, oh, but...
00:53:14Burt Reynolds, where did you come from?
00:53:18I've been here the whole time.
00:53:19No, you haven't.
00:53:22Sure have, from before.
00:53:23Wig's Kathie Lee Gifford perfectly complements the usual chaos.
00:53:27For how much?
00:53:28How about a glass full, right?
00:53:31Come on, hand it over to you, Mark. Let's go.
00:53:33We don't have wine.
00:53:34Okay, that's okay. I brought my own.
00:53:36Yet it's Tom Hanks playing Tom Hanks who truly steals the show.
00:53:39He leans into this dim-witted, pickle-loving version of himself who's never heard of Cast Away.
00:53:45You've managed to cast away quite a number of points.
00:53:49I'm sorry, what's that?
00:53:52Oh, I'm sorry. I was making a pun on the title of your movie, Cast Away.
00:53:57I don't know what that is.
00:53:59Also, as always, Trebek ends the sketch feeling utterly defeated.
00:54:03But this group of contestants somehow takes it to a whole new level, and we're absolutely here for it.
00:54:08Let's see what my friend, Sean, wagered.
00:54:15Number 3. Stefan. First scene, season 34.
00:54:19This sketch has everything.
00:54:21This club has everything.
00:54:23Ghosts.
00:54:23Good.
00:54:24Banjos.
00:54:24Good.
00:54:25Carl Palladino.
00:54:27A stuck-up kitten who won't sign autographs.
00:54:31Although we're used to seeing Stefan at the update desk, we first met him as one of two Zaleski brothers in Movie Pitch with Stefan.
00:54:38He soon became a staple on Weekend Update, dishing out the hottest tips on the New York scene.
00:54:42Inspired by Bill Hader and John Mulaney's real-world encounters.
00:54:45If you're looking for madness in March, I know just the spot.
00:54:50New York's hottest club is Kevin.
00:54:54Beyond his wild club tips, Stefan became known for his mannerisms while breaking character, usually after Mulaney would swap his lines live on air.
00:55:03On the dance floor, you'll find both guys from Wham! wearing a two-man horse costume.
00:55:08Spoiler alert, they're both in the back.
00:55:10The cast was a special guest.
00:55:19The gag started after a rehearsal joke flopped, so Mulaney changed it at the last minute.
00:55:23He loved Hader's genuine reaction, so he kept doing it.
00:55:27This character hits like one of Jupid's arrows.
00:55:29Stuff on the dance floor is surrounded by 12 dancing Jupid's.
00:55:33Jupid's?
00:55:34Jewish Cupid's.
00:55:36Fool.
00:55:37I just want you to meet someone nice and settle down.
00:55:40Number two, The Californians, Stewart has cancer, season 37.
00:55:46The Californians is a fan favorite for its melodramatic soap opera tone and how much of the drama is focused on traffic.
00:55:53Stewart, why are you him so early?
00:55:55I skipped Wilshire and took Beverly over to Santa Monica and took that all the way up.
00:56:00Yeah, I just came over to fix the speakers, the outside speakers on the patio.
00:56:05Plus the cast's unwavering commitment to the ridiculous valley accent that's the cherry on the sundae.
00:56:11This particular sketch has gone down in history because even the players can't deny how absurd it is.
00:56:16Stewart, look at me.
00:56:19You can do this.
00:56:21I know a shortcut through Elsa Guindal.
00:56:23Take the 105 West and exit on Cove.
00:56:25When you see the Zanko chicken on the left, turn right.
00:56:28Take Venice and follow it all the way down.
00:56:30They take something serious like a medical emergency and derail it by arguing about the best route to the hospital.
00:56:37Once the cast starts breaking, how could this sketch ever go as planned?
00:56:41What are you eating here?
00:56:44This is supposed to be at the Chino Correctional Center in Southern California.
00:56:48Well, I escaped.
00:56:49I ran down an on-ramp and hauled ass across the five.
00:56:54We would love to know how often the directions they painstakingly described are actually correct.
00:56:58Who needs GPS when you have SNL?
00:57:01Then I hitched a ride on the back of a taco truck down to where like the one-on-one meets the ten, you know?
00:57:06And I told the driver, hey, hang a ride on Alhambra and drop me off on Sunset.
00:57:12By Cahuenga?
00:57:13That's right by his bungalow.
00:57:15How do you know where he lives?
00:57:17Number 1. The Lonely Island's Digital Shorts.
00:57:20Various.
00:57:21While pre-filmed shorts existed on SNL before, The Lonely Island changed the game with their digital shorts.
00:57:28These, often musical videos, were made for the fast-evolving digital world.
00:57:34Their second short, Lazy Sunday, went viral and is seen as a milestone in YouTube history.
00:57:44They kept releasing hits featuring big names like Rihanna, Akon, T-Pain, and Natalie Portman.
00:57:50Put my foot down your throat till you're s*** in my shoe.
00:57:53Leave you screaming.
00:57:55Pay for my dry-cleaning f***er, man.
00:57:57It's my name that he's screaming.
00:57:59I'm on a Boat even earned a Grammy nomination and went double platinum.
00:58:03Then there's the Dick in a Box series with Justin Timberlake, which became iconic.
00:58:07Wise enough to know when a gift needs living, and I can just go on.
00:58:14Something to show you that you are second to none.
00:58:18These shorts gave SNL a fresh way to connect online and stay relevant.
00:58:23More importantly, they opened the door to a new kind of comedy.
00:58:26Short, shareable, and built for the internet age.
00:58:29Everybody look at me, cause I'm sailing on a boat.
00:58:33I'm on a boat.
00:58:34I'm on a boat.
00:58:35It's a good heart loss.
00:58:37It's a good heart loss.
00:58:37It's a good heart loss.
00:58:38It's a good heart loss.
00:58:39What's your definitive sketch of this era?
00:58:41It means I love you.
00:58:43And we do.
00:58:46We're vocal checks.
00:58:48It's now time to fast forward to the generation of SNL, where many sketches went viral almost instantly.
00:58:56From David S. Pumpkins to Chad, SNL proved that even after all this airtime, they still knew how to deliver the comedy goods.
00:59:06It's your old pal, Mr. Robinson.
00:59:09So much has changed since we last spent some time together.
00:59:12Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:59:14And today, we're counting down our picks for the SNL sketches from seasons 41 to 50 that had us laughing so hard, we couldn't resist hitting replay over and over again.
00:59:24What kind of horrible game show is this?
00:59:27It's What's That Name?
00:59:30Number 10, Career Day, season 44.
00:59:33What is it about Adam Driver and career-based SNL sketches that never fail to kill?
00:59:38I have a newfound respect for what my employees do.
00:59:40Okay, now, can we rewire it, please? So I can go have my muffin. I haven't had my muffin yet, Matt.
00:59:47It's not as easy as I presume.
00:59:49Sometimes, literally. As unhinged as we imagine working for Kylo Ren might be, it's nothing compared to surviving a day with oil baron Abraham H. Parnassus.
00:59:59What does an oil baron do?
01:00:01The answer?
01:00:03Crush your enemies!
01:00:05Drain their bones into dirt!
01:00:08Make them regret they were ever born!
01:00:11Written by then-SNL newbie Eli Coyote Mandel in basically his first week, the sketch paints a hilariously bleak portrait of the oil baron's life.
01:00:19Some of that dialogue would make you wince if Driver didn't deliver it with such wild-eyed conviction.
01:00:24Oil is not for the weak. It is the Earth's milk, and only the strong may suckle at Mother's teat.
01:00:33Just when you think he can't spiral further, he whips out the bird.
01:00:36And now you return her to Earth!
01:00:40Naked and defeated!
01:00:42I have linked you into pigeons!
01:00:45I crushed you into the ground!
01:00:48Then comes the absurd revenge plot twist.
01:00:50The whole thing is deranged genius, and Driver deserves every award imaginable.
01:00:56I married your granddaughter!
01:00:58Filled her belly with my festering seed!
01:01:02And sired a boy!
01:01:04She is my final revenge agent!
01:01:08Number 9. Washington's Dream, Season 49
01:01:11From history buffs to Beavis and Butthead fans, Season 49 delivered a little something for everyone.
01:01:16I've heard rumblings that I look like someone from TV, but it's just, maybe it's this Beavis person, I don't know.
01:01:27I don't watch much television. I have an incredibly busy life.
01:01:31Yeah, I'm very busy too.
01:01:33What's kind of nuts is that the Washington's Dream sketch was on shaky ground all week.
01:01:38Yes, I dream of that. One day, our proud nation will measure weights in pounds, and that 2,000 pounds shall be called a ton.
01:01:49And what will 1,000 pounds be called, sir?
01:01:52Nothing.
01:01:55Because we will have no word for that.
01:01:58However, host Nate Bargatze had as much faith in it as his Washington does in his vision for America's future.
01:02:03It turns out, all the sketch really needed was a live audience.
01:02:07One who could totally relate to the humor and Washington's devotion to weights and measures,
01:02:11while blissfully ignoring the more pressing issues he probably should be handling.
01:02:15The slaves, sir. One of them.
01:02:18You asked about the temperature.
01:02:20I did not.
01:02:21The concept is deceptively simple, yet brilliant.
01:02:24Reportedly crossing 4 million views in under two weeks.
01:02:27And even getting a sequel.
01:02:29The children will not have to go to school every day.
01:02:31We will have our own holidays, 4th of July Flag Day and President's Day.
01:02:37And what shall we do to honor our leaders on President's Day, sir?
01:02:42Buy a mattress, of course.
01:02:45Number 8.
01:02:46Haunted Elevator featuring David S. Pumpkins.
01:02:49First scene, season 42.
01:02:51Season 42 gave us some of our favorite sketches from this decade.
01:02:54From Wells for Boys to this Totino's commercial.
01:02:57But you know when a sketch is so outlandish, you don't even know why you're laughing?
01:03:08You just are.
01:03:09How's it hangin'?
01:03:10I'm David Pumpkins!
01:03:13And I'm gonna scare the hell out of you!
01:03:16That's exactly how it felt when we first met David S. Pumpkins,
01:03:33who inexplicably features on this scary ride with two dancing skeletons.
01:03:37Inspired by the viral Little Star video and, of course, Tower of Terror,
01:03:41the sketch was written in the wee hours with almost no sleep.
01:03:44Who are you?
01:03:46I'm David Pumpkins, man!
01:03:48Okay, yeah, yeah, and David Pumpkins is...
01:03:50His own thing!
01:03:52And the skeletons are...
01:03:55Part of it!
01:03:56Apparently, Hanks didn't want to do it at first.
01:03:59Little did he know it would become a sensation,
01:04:01SNL staple, and spawn a Halloween special.
01:04:04Any questions?
01:04:06Any questions?
01:04:07Number 7, Rap Roundtable, Season 46.
01:04:14This season served up some unforgettable sketches, but which pops into your head first?
01:04:19Bowen Yang's phenomenal characterization of the iceberg that sank the Titanic?
01:04:23And before I turn around and go, like, what?
01:04:26Half my ass is gone!
01:04:30Which was my best feature.
01:04:32The December to Remember commercial?
01:04:35Or, like us, Rap Roundtable?
01:04:37When she skirt her on you, you just got a yeet on her!
01:04:40Yeah, yeah, like yeet yeet!
01:04:44That's hip-hop, on God, that's hip-hop, on God!
01:04:47Who's at that table?
01:04:48Queen Latifah?
01:04:49Obviously.
01:04:50Questlove?
01:04:51Naturally.
01:04:52Two confident white boys?
01:04:54Yes?
01:04:54Well, they're there, even if we have no idea what they're saying.
01:04:58Pete Davidson and Timothee Chalamet throw themselves into the roles so fully that they totally earn their spot in the conversation.
01:05:05The sketch brilliantly riffs on social media-shaping art.
01:05:08And it's unexpectedly hilarious.
01:05:10Hey!
01:05:11Hey!
01:05:12You never loved me, Mom!
01:05:16But I needed you, whoa!
01:05:19Yeah!
01:05:20No!
01:05:21No!
01:05:22Smoke Cheddar the ass-getter returned for round two.
01:05:25But honestly, nothing tops the chaos, brilliance, and pure fun of their debut.
01:05:30You don't need to be sorry, it's okay.
01:05:32It's what we all wanted to do.
01:05:34Let's take a break.
01:05:35Are you guys alright?
01:05:37Hey, Dad, can you come get us?
01:05:39Everyone here is super mean.
01:05:41Number 6.
01:05:42Lisa from Temecula.
01:05:43First scene, season 48.
01:05:45Pedro Pascal quickly became a beloved host with iconic sketches like Waking Up and Protective Mom.
01:05:51Use your money to say Baroque architecture.
01:05:55Mama, por favor, no le importa el dinero, ella.
01:05:58You can imagine Van Gogh, Picasso, Britney with the vegan sliders.
01:06:02He's also at the table for the now iconic Lisa from Temecula.
01:06:06It's a birthday dinner, and Shana brings her sister Lisa,
01:06:09whose extra, extra well-done steak would make most chefs rage quit.
01:06:13But it's also extra, extra hilarious.
01:06:15I didn't tell you guys, but a few nights back, this dog, this dog followed me home.
01:06:22I'm about to tear this thing up.
01:06:23Lisa's just here to have a good time, and even her frantic sawing that practically creates a mini earthquake at the table won't stop her.
01:06:30And Ego Wodum plays that to perfection.
01:06:33Antonio Banderas over here, trying to get some butt while he got Cujo living in his basement.
01:06:41Hey everyone, just want to check in on you. Is everything going all right? We've been getting some complaints.
01:06:45Oh, because we black?
01:06:47Apparently even her full-out table read performance had everyone in stitches, and that energy translates on screen.
01:06:53No wonder it's become one of SNL's funniest modern classics.
01:06:56She's the only sister I've got.
01:06:58Bitch, we the youngest of six girls.
01:06:59Okay, okay, but at the end of the day, no matter what of the flaws, she's my family.
01:07:05And it better not be a damn red speck on that damn plate.
01:07:09Cook mommy.
01:07:10Number five, John Mulaney's SNL musicals, various.
01:07:14Considering Diner Lobster kicked off the whole Mulaney musical run, it's almost unbelievable it took this long to get greenlit.
01:07:20In that time, there's been no one to order any crustaceans.
01:07:28Mulaney and Colin Jost reportedly wrote it while Mulaney was still a writer on the show,
01:07:32but it wasn't until he returned as host in season 43 that he finally got it on the air.
01:07:38Who knew a lobster-fueled Les Mis was exactly what SNL had been missing all these years?
01:07:43When they're churning in your mouth, splashes the burning of his shell,
01:07:48You know why not, Susie the Diner never said.
01:07:53The response was electric.
01:07:54From then on, every time he hosted, he continued to outdo himself.
01:07:58From Bodega Bathroom to New York Musical to Subway Churro to Airport Sushi.
01:08:03Today is about to take on.
01:08:07That is a lie.
01:08:11Sure, it will start to taxi.
01:08:14Then, just when we thought he couldn't top those,
01:08:21he hit us with arguably the biggest showstopper of all for SNL's 50th.
01:08:25One more time.
01:08:28One more day.
01:08:33One day more.
01:08:36Sometimes SNL's biggest successes come from the most unexpected places, like this sketch.
01:08:48I forgot about it for years, but then I remembered that Avatar, the giant international blockbuster,
01:08:55used the Papyrus font as its logo.
01:08:58Ryan Gosling plays Steven, who's tormented by the chosen font for the Avatar movie title.
01:09:03What makes it so brilliant isn't just the absurd premise, but how sincerely Gosling sells it.
01:09:09Maybe that was the starting point, but they clearly modified this.
01:09:11But whatever they did, it wasn't enough!
01:09:15We've all been there.
01:09:16One tiny, seemingly insignificant detail that lodges in your brain and keeps you up at night,
01:09:21even though no one else seems to care.
01:09:23James Cameron even voiced surprise at how they'd milked this one teeny detail to, quote,
01:09:28hilarious results.
01:09:29Do you remember the Avatar logo?
01:09:32Uh, yeah.
01:09:33It was tribal yet futuristic.
01:09:36Papyrus!
01:09:37Oh, sure.
01:09:43I know what you did.
01:09:46I know what you did!
01:09:50And we've chosen to believe that the film's graphics team had their say on the matter
01:09:53when they revealed the title artwork for the sequel.
01:09:56He just put it in bold.
01:10:00He just put it in bold.
01:10:04All the money in the world, and he just put it in bold.
01:10:09It's him.
01:10:11It's the same designer.
01:10:12He just put it in bold.
01:10:15God damn it!
01:10:17It took him seconds.
01:10:19A minute tops.
01:10:21Number three, Bridesmaid Speech, season 50.
01:10:24Ariana Grande is so funny that in another life, we're sure she could have been a repertory
01:10:29player.
01:10:29She also proved she understood the assignment in the now viral Bridesmaid Speech sketch,
01:10:34reportedly inspired by a real speech the writer stumbled upon online.
01:10:38Third location, fully straight, fully touching Domingo.
01:10:42I can't wait to be his wife.
01:10:45She's pointing to Domingo.
01:10:47At first, they nearly scrapped it, like several other sketches we've mentioned.
01:10:51But Grande pushed for it.
01:10:53And what a call that was.
01:10:55To say it blew up would be a massive understatement.
01:10:57She says, I'm just so tired.
01:10:59We say, take a nap.
01:11:02She says, I'm not that kind of tired.
01:11:04Much like Kelsey, the world instantly fell for Domingo and their antics, hilariously narrated
01:11:09by the Kel Squad.
01:11:11A man came out this way, had to explain, direct from Domingo.
01:11:16Kelsey's a friend, she's like my sis, but we did hook up, though.
01:11:21Other hosts wanted in on that magic, and Domingo even wandered out of Studio 8H.
01:11:25Don't worry, though, he made it back for the 50th anniversary episode.
01:11:29Came out this way, had to explain, direct from Domingo.
01:11:34Word to the wise, since you got Hawaii.
01:11:36Hide them from the tree, bro.
01:11:40Number 2, Close Encounters.
01:11:43First scene, season 41.
01:11:45Season 41 was already in its stride when Close Encounters landed.
01:11:48By the time Meet Your Second Wife came along, the bar for brilliance was well in place.
01:11:53What's going to happen is, Stacy will apply for an internship at your company,
01:11:57which she will hear about from a college roommate, who is also, you guessed it, your daughter.
01:12:03By now, we were used to Kate McKinnon's penchant for weird and wacky characters.
01:12:08Meanwhile, I'm starting phase two, which is me sitting on a stool,
01:12:12while 40 gray aliens take turns gently batting my knockers at you.
01:12:19Did y'all get the knocker stuff?
01:12:21Uh, no. No knocker stuff. Sorry.
01:12:24Still, with Miss Colleen Rafferty, it felt like her personal mission was breaking every single castmate,
01:12:30especially Ryan Gosling.
01:12:32Word is he was already giggling during rehearsals,
01:12:34and thankfully he couldn't hold it together live.
01:12:37Who could blame him?
01:12:38So I had to just chill up there with my damn coot-coot and prune shoe
01:12:42until the place opened up.
01:12:52Man.
01:12:54Man, you got screwed.
01:12:56Colleen's alien abduction stories are just unhinged.
01:12:59Naturally, this sketch became much more than a one-off,
01:13:02thanks to McKinnon throwing herself into every detail,
01:13:05and her determination to make everyone laugh.
01:13:07No crumbs left.
01:13:09And I was like, hey, last guy who did that got double-barreled pink eye.
01:13:20Thanks, Todd. You can sit down.
01:13:22Number one.
01:13:24Black Jeopardy with Tom Hanks.
01:13:26Season 42.
01:13:27SNL has always had an interesting approach to politics,
01:13:30sometimes tackling it head-on,
01:13:32other times weaving it into classic sketch formats.
01:13:35Before we get into that, though,
01:13:36we have to shout out Chadwick Boseman's brilliant turn on Black Jeopardy.
01:13:40I sense that this white woman does not season her food.
01:13:43That's right.
01:13:47And if she does,
01:13:49it is only with a tiny bit of salt.
01:13:51That's exactly right.
01:13:52And no paprika.
01:13:53Still, our pick here is the Tom Hanks segment.
01:13:56Oh, Doug again.
01:13:57What is, come on,
01:13:58they already decided who wins the report happens.
01:14:00Yes! Yes!
01:14:04Yes!
01:14:05At a time when America couldn't feel more divided,
01:14:08SNL found a way to highlight small glimmers of reaching across the aisle.
01:14:12Hanks plays a mega-supporter who sticks out like a sore thumb at first,
01:14:15but soon discovers surprising common ground with the other contestants.
01:14:19Doug!
01:14:19Well, what is, you better go to that dude in my neighborhood and fix anything for $40.
01:14:23Why, well, you know Cecil?
01:14:24Yeah, well, my Cecil's name is Jimmy,
01:14:26and it fixed my refrigerator, my air conditioner, and my cat.
01:14:29It felt like SNL read the room
01:14:31and responded with something timely, thoughtful, and hilarious.
01:14:34Naturally, Doug returned for their 50th.
01:14:37You're welcome to Black Jeopardy anytime.
01:14:38Oh, well, all right.
01:14:39Well, thank you, my brother.
01:14:42You know, maybe I'll start a show for you to come on,
01:14:45and we'll call it What Jeopardy?
01:14:47No.
01:14:48Well, I hope you enjoyed this special look at the funniest and most re-watched sketches
01:14:55from the first five decades of Saturday Night Live.
01:14:58I definitely did.
01:15:00I've been Matt from Miss Mojo,
01:15:02and I'll see you next time.
01:15:03Bye.
01:15:04Bye.
01:15:05Bye.
01:15:06Bye.
01:15:07Bye.
01:15:08Bye.
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11:05
13:48
15:37
9:45
12:00
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