Top 20 Chaotic SNL Sketches That Were NEVER Going to Go As Planned
#20: “Lisa from Temecula”
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Pedro Pascal sits down for dinner with an unexpectedly hilarious guest in this sketch. Ego Nwodim’s Lisa has opinions about almost everything, especially her well-done steak. She attempts to cut it and subsequently shakes the table. Pascal can’t help but laugh as the dining experience heads into extreme territory. Bowen Yang also breaks as Nwodim’s character reveals her absurd beliefs, finally succumbing to the ridiculous premise and set design. Just when you think that "SNL" doesn't make many mishaps anymore, this fantastic skit comes along to remind everyone of the wonders of a beautiful accident.
#19: “The Love-ahs with Barbara and Dave”
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Will Ferrell and Rachel Dratch are the most lovably bizarre couple in this recurring sketch. Jimmy Fallon plays the single guy Dave, a fellow hotel guest that just wants to enjoy the hot tub. Fallon instead finds himself at odds with the two swingers. His reputation for breaking character continues in this skit, which sees even Ferrell falling apart along with him. Drew Barrymore also steps in as a friend of the couple and barely escapes the scene without hiding a smile herself. With accents galore, this strange session only gets better with a few unplanned laughs.
#18: “Extremely Stupid”
Even back in the early days of “Saturday Night Live,” performers still ended up breaking on live TV. This famous sketch with Gilda Radner and Candice Bergen is one such example. Radner plays a somewhat inept person that can’t seem to get ahead. Bergen’s character functions as the brainy voice of reason, but she makes a mistake that says otherwise. The skit completely fumbles with the guest host’s gaffe and she responds by laughing. Radner carries on without any sign of stopping, while her scene partner can barely hold it together through the extended speech.
#17: “Fernando’s Hideaway with Hulk Hogan & Mr. T”
Billy Crystal always has fun with his guests in the recurring Fernando sketch. During this journey to his hideaway, wrestler Hulk Hogan and actor Mr. T stop by to flaunt their muscles and attitude. The latter pumps iron throughout and even gets a chance at a one-liner. Crystal’s constant barrage of jokes finally breaks through the guests’ tough exteriors. The duo chuckles as Fernando’s wild personality proves to be too chaotic for them. Recovering with some spectacular comebacks, the comedian goes toe to toe with giants and completely transforms them with a few well-timed lines.
#16: “Kissing Family: Brecken Brings His Boyfriend Home”
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The famous Vogelcheck family has their son and his boyfriend over, introducing the latter to their overly affectionate behavior. Each and every member seems to kiss each other with reckless abandon. By the time Fred Armisen’s father gives a speech, he accidentally hits Bill Hader and sends the skit into a spiral of laughter. The star-studded ensemble then tries to save Kate McKinnon with a daisy chain of life-saving kisses. Every passing maneuver is funnier than the next, making for a finale that nearly destroys the cast with the gleeful insanity of it all. Armisen and Hader in particular are never the same after the halfway point.
#15: “Massive Head Wound Harry”
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This party sketch receives an unlikely guest in the form of the injured Harry. All of the guests are reasonably alarmed by his massive head wound that causes many of them to run in fear. Dana Carvey lays down on the white couch, but a dog comes by to chew on him. Carvey holds on tight as the canine almost takes off his hairpiece. The actor tries to keep a straight face, while the audience loses it with laughter. It just goes to show that real animals with empty stomachs are always hard to control on live television.
#14: “Corksoakers”
On a tour of a vineyard, visitors receive a look at the bottling process in extreme detail. Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz are two workers speaking about the process of soaking corks, which sounds much different with their pronunciation. As a result, host Janet Jackson messes up her dialog as she tries to work through the absurd premise. Fallon and Sanz use their comedic accents to dish out more than a few double entendres, which only get raunchier as they keep flying by. Jackson seems to be having lots of fun reading the cue cards and enunciating the phrase in question.
#13: “More Cowbell”
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Often considered one of the best “SNL” sketches ever, “More Cowbell” has a following all its own. Will Ferrell plays cowbell player for Blue Öyster Cult as they record “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.” His enjoyable movements only intensify after some notes from the producer, played by Christopher Walken. The focus on all things cowbell, Ferrell’s moves, and Walken’s delivery only make things harder to stay focused. Jimmy Fallon and others try to maintain their composure and poorly hide their laughter through it all. We can’t blame them either, considering the comical intensity of the key performances.
#12: “Close Encounter”
Kate McKinnon plays her most outrageous character in the sketch "Close Encounter." She's one of three people who had contact with aliens, but the only one that had a much different experience. McKinnon's every phrase is absolutely hilarious with every subsequent detail of the extraterrestrials. Guest host Ryan Gosling quickly breaks down, sparking contagious fits of laughter from the other cast members. We couldn’t do much better considering the hysterically funny dialog. With the ill-fated journey well on its way, the ensemble barely recovers to say their lines and finish the scene. It also speaks to the skit's staying power that the actress reprised the role.
#11: “Debbie Downer: Disney World”
Debbie Downer is a showcase for Rachel Dratch’s buzzkill character to ruin everyone’s day. For this skit at Disney, the entire family has breakfast in an increasingly broken sketch. Nobody is safe as the various cast members break down one by one. Dratch struggles to land her punchlines while her co-stars hold back their giggling, eventually overcome by laughter herself. The chaos only makes the scene more enjoyable as the meal becomes bombarded by endless chuckling. By the time the lead actress has to say her big line, it’s much funnier knowing that she can’t even do it without cracking up.
#10: “Weekend Update: Smokery Farms”
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Aidy Bryant and Kate McKinnon sometimes break during their shared “SNL” sketches. Selling cuts of meat from “bad animals,” the performers look like they’re ready to lose it in this “Weekend Update” feature. Colin Jost plays along as the duo continues to push through their skit. Avoiding eye contact with each other, both actresses barely make it through the crazy script without breaking character. Their prop basket of raw meat also throws them for a loop as its pungent scent floods the set. Building off of the chaotic premise, the comedians have a field day with the writing and stumble through their remaining dialogue.
#9: “Whiskers R We with Tiffany Haddish”
This sketch is what happens when live animals feature heavily on the show. With this idea about a cat adoption center, “Whiskers R We” forces Kate McKinnon and guest host Tiffany Haddish to handle multiple felines at once. The animals soon rebel as the cast attempts to keep the skit on track. Playing referee to a basket of feisty cats, the actresses introduce more and more pets that don’t want to be there. McKinnon has her work cut out for her as she holds a hairless cat that’s ready to fight. Despite the distractions, the two performers complete the piece without any injuries or major catastrophes.
#8: “The Californians: Stuart Has Cancer”
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Among the more famous recurring sketches of its era, “The Californians” has taken on a life of its own with its parody of soap operas and the SoCal lifestyle. The direction-obsessed characters discover dramatic revelations about each other that prompt ridiculous reactions. Fred Armisen’s wild delivery throws off Bill Hader almost instantly, with the latter unable to contain himself as Armisen and Kristen Wiig play their parts with complete gusto. By the time the “Portlandia” lead makes a toast, his onscreen friend almost breaks once more. You can only imagine getting through a scene like this with some of the most brilliant comedic minds at the top of their game.
#7: “Dr. Beaman’s Office: Test Results”
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Will Ferrell leads this sketch as a doctor with questionable methods and a habit of taking long phone calls. As absurd as they come, this scene features several characters that seem eager to sabotage it at any point. The appearance of Tim Meadows only makes things crazier as he dances. While the couple awaits their child’s test results, the doctor frequently says dialogue that's hilariously misplaced. Even Ferrell ends up laughing along with scene partner Molly Shannon in this meandering skit. You can tell the writers hit a dead end with the final product, but the performers manage to carry it to the finish line with a knowing wink.
#6: “Locker Room Pep Talk”
Quarterback and guest host Peyton Manning joins a losing basketball team for this sketch. Hoping to rally his team in the locker room, coach Will Forte dances to a supposedly inspiring track. Various cast members try to keep a straight face and hold towels over their mouths to stop themselves from laughing. After some stellar moves, Manning joins Forte to dance along with him. The ironic track and Forte's flourishes are so ridiculous that everyone is seconds away from chuckling. Through it all, you can tell that the lead performer really goes for it in a skit that almost destroys the cast.
#5: “Girlfriends Game Night”
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In this sketch, Bill Hader plays an elderly man named Horace that joins his partner for a game night. The awkward gathering seems to be going well until Cecily Strong has to sit on Horace's lap. Considering the wacky script and direction, it's only a matter of time before somebody loses control. Hader later backs up and is unable to see as he begins pushing the table behind him. Taking half of the set with him, the performer stifles a laugh as he tries to deliver his lines. Melissa Villaseñor in particular hides her face as she giggles through the mistake. Thankfully for everyone, nobody was injured and the set didn't completely collapse.
#4: “Dress Rehearsal: Renaldo and Alexi”
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This sketch might've been an excuse for two friends to try out their best comedic accents. As two talkative doormen, Bill Hader and Fred Armisen greet the people who exit their building with tales about Christmas. They also try to maintain their composure through the lengthy stories. As performers like Vanessa Bayer and Bobby Moynihan stop by, the main duo crack each other up with their zany personalities. Both actors crumble as they can't seem to get through their dialogue without laughing. Even Jamie Foxx spots them and tries to hold himself together. In a failed attempt to salvage the skit, the main players make it all the more hilarious with their fumbled efforts.
#3: “Super Showcase Spokesmodels”
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With two of the funniest performers in "SNL" history leading the way, this sketch is one of the best moments of both Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph's time on the show. Their two models reveal a list of game show prizes in a string of visual gags. Doing poses and using accents, the comedians can't help but giggle during their presentation. Bill Hader also tries to mask his laughter as the piece goes off the rails. Showing off golf packages and chickens, there's no way any of the comedians could stay professional through this wacky scene. Along with fantastically funny stars at the helm, this skit is so silly that it was bound to break down.
#2: “Matt Foley: Van Down By the River”
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There are few "SNL" characters as iconic as Chris Farley's Matt Foley. In one of the show's finest moments, Farley exits a family’s basement to wreak havoc on them. The entire scene works as a performance showcase that is so gloriously unhinged that nobody is completely ready for it. Getting up-close-and-personal with co-stars David Spade and Christina Applegate, the loud motivational speaker is so crazy that it's impossible for them to keep a straight face. The comedian even caps off the sketch by falling into a coffee table, showing the lengths he'll go for a laugh. With the feeling that the entire cast could have broken down at any minute, there's an added layer of comedic tension in this classic skit.
#1: Every Stefon
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Stefon is one of the most popular recurring characters in “Weekend Update” history with every skit revolving around a ridiculous list of New York clubs. Each explanation involves increasingly bizarre venues that Bill Hader already has a tough time delivering, but co-writer John Mulaney makes it harder by changing the script at the last minute. This ensures that Hader trips up during the live show because he has to read several lines for the first time. With that knowledge in mind, it's amazing that the performer can get through any of his performances. It's also easy to see why he chooses to keep covering his face throughout his appearances.
