Top 30 Best and Worst SNL Fails

 BEST: “Jeffrey’s with Sean Hayes”

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At this designer clothing store, the employees are snooty and the boss has an interesting form of transportation. The breaks happen earlier with Horatio Sanz, but they become even bigger when Will Ferrell shows up. His boss character rides a scooter, cracking up Jimmy Fallon and host Sean Hayes. We don’t blame them either given the absurd sight. As Ferrell prepares to say his lines, his accessories only provide more chances for giggling. This fashion skit is chock full of some outrageous moments that break up the ensemble. Fallon almost guarantees that they keep happening, unable to keep a straight face for long.

WORST: “The White Lotus” Parody

A joke might seem harmless, but when you’re the target, it can hit pretty hard. In April 2025, “SNL” aired a political parody on HBO’s hit show “The White Lotus,” but one part didn’t sit right. In it, Sarah Sherman plays Aimee Lou Wood’s character, Chelsea, with ridiculously large fake teeth and an over-the-top British accent. Even for “SNL,” it felt like a cheap shot. Wood didn’t find it funny. She took to her Instagram story to call the skit mean and unfunny. Fans rallied behind her, and the backlash began. Eventually, “SNL” apologized, and Sherman sent flowers to Wood. But still, maybe next time, leave people’s features out of comedy, especially when they’ve openly shared how sensitive it is for them.

BEST: “Dr. Beaman’s Office: Test Results”

In any number of sketches, you might be asking yourself how an idea came about. This is especially true for this medical scene. Lines and insults come out of nowhere, with Tim Meadows showing up to do a comic dance. Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon both break after an amazing depiction of the robot. While the skit ends up being even funnier, we’re not sure if this could’ve ever been normal. The all-around train wreck certainly deserves a watch for how spectacular it is. Ferrell’s superb acting only enhances the experience, giving this chaotic premise another north star.

WORST: Alec Baldwin vs. the Scouts

Canteen Boy was a recurring “SNL” character in the 90s, played by Adam Sandler as a clueless man-child who never outgrows the Boy Scouts. During one Valentine’s Day episode hosted by Alec Baldwin, things got weird. Alec plays Mr. Armstrong, a scoutmaster who flirts and makes suggestive moves toward Canteen Boy - all played for laughs. Some viewers were creeped out by it, turning off the show mid-air. Even the Boy Scouts of America blasted it for making light of abuse. A disclaimer now appears in reruns of this sketch, clarifying that Canteen Boy is actually 27. But for some, it’s still a sour note. Even goofy jokes don’t sit well, especially when they seem to tiptoe into predatory territory.

BEST: “Extremely Stupid”

During the earlier years of “Saturday Night Live,” you might not see as many big character breaks. Five-timer host Candice Bergen helped give the show one of its first notable fails. Bergen is supposed to be the smart one in this sketch, with Gilda Radner playing stupid. The guest host ends up flubbing the name of Radner’s character. Things get even better when the dialogue continues, with the performers showing just how much the skit has gone wrong. You could easily argue that this made the sketch five times funnier. In the end, Bergen doubling-over with laughter gives this scene another iconic visual.

WORST: Charmin Bears

How wild is it that “SNL” dropped “Charmin Bears” just months after a YouTuber did almost the same thing? In July 2022, Joel Haver uploaded an animated video about a blue cartoon bear wanting to ditch the family’s toilet legacy to pursue theatre. Fast-forward to October, “SNL” aired a skit with a suspiciously similar premise with just minor differences. While others saw it as just another “SNL” skit, Haver’s fans were quick to call it out. The backlash grew, especially since “SNL” has a not-so-great track record with plagiarism claims. Haver took the high road, saying it could be just a coincidence or subconscious inspiration, not a malicious theft. Hard to believe, right? Some viewers probably still don’t buy it.

BEST: “The Barry Gibb Talk Show: Bee Gees Singers”

Back in the 2000s, Justin Timberlake showed up on “SNL” and helped to start a tradition. He and Jimmy Fallon play members of the Bee Gees in this skit. The sketch takes a hilarious turn as Timberlake struggles. Fallon is so dedicated with his falsetto, breaking his co-star in the process. Given the absurdity of this idea, the music and crazy dialogue are bound to trip up anybody. It’s incredible that the “Tonight Show” host doesn’t start the chain of laughter himself. It’s no wonder that the beloved sketch became a recurring bit for all its comedic tension.

WORST: Temple Horses Plagiarism Controversy

In 2019, New York-based comedy duo Temple Horses - Nick Ruggia and Ryan Hoffman - accused “Saturday Night Live” of lifting ideas from their sketches. The first was their 2014 sketch featuring a pumpkin owner confronting customers about their inappropriate behavior with his pumpkins. Guess who rolled out a skit with a similar premise four years later? Yep, “SNL.” But that wasn’t all. The pair also claimed that “SNL’s” “Pound Puppy” sketch resembled their 2011 sketch. Both ideas present a fictional product that shields the eyes of pets during their owners’ intimate moments. When Ruggia and Hoffman’s lawyer sent a letter to NBC highlighting the similarities, NBC claimed the ideas had been independently developed by writers. Just another uncanny case of parallel thinking, right?

BEST: “Matt Foley: Van Down by the River”

In what might be his most iconic sketch, Chris Farley gets into his motivational speaker role. The character Matt Foley was never funnier than during his debut on “Saturday Night Live.” Not only was the audience laughing, the co-stars also got a kick out of it. Farley gets up close and personal with David Spade and Christina Applegate. The result is some smirks and giggles, with Spade trying to hide his face from the camera. Those kinds of reactions helped to make this an all-time moment for the show. With the lead performer going all-out, the wild antics make for extra laughter.

WORST: The Nude Beach

Way back in 1988, “SNL” aired a skit that pushed the boundary of what was acceptable on TV at the time. In this skit, Matthew Broderick plays Doug, a newcomer to a nudist beach who feels self-conscious about his body. Meanwhile, other characters casually and repeatedly comment on each other’s genitalia. The skit even ends with a humorous song, repeating the word over and over. It was bound to ruffle some feathers, and it did. “SNL” reportedly received 46,000 letters, largely driven by a Christian nonprofit group’s campaign. The fallout didn’t stop there. The uproar also cost “SNL” major advertisers, proving once again that pushing buttons comes with a price.

BEST: “Chris Farley as Bennett Brauer”

In this moment from “Weekend Update,” Chris Farley comes out with ready-to-use air quotes. His character Bennett Brauer delivers his commentary with lots of emphasis and self-deprecation. The key moment comes when Farley prepares to lift off, but his wires get caught. Kevin Nealon then has to help his co-star out of a bind. The lead performer improvises through it all, making this even funnier. Even Nealon has to laugh as he and the crew come to the rescue. All of the mistakes make this even more memorable, with Farley’s eventual flight packing even more of a punch after the buildup.

WORST: The Claudine Longet Invitational

“SNL” didn’t start pissing off people today- it’s been stirring the pot since 1976, barely a year after the show debuted. One of its earliest scandals came from a sketch poking fun at Claudine Longet, a French pop star accused of shooting her boyfriend, a ski legend. In this skit, skiers tumble down slopes while “Saturday Night Live” announcers jokingly blame each fall on Longet’s “accidental” shots. Around that time, Longet had just received a 30-day sentence for accidentally killing Spider Sabich. The public was outraged-and “SNL” dove right into the drama. Longet’s lawyer didn’t find it funny. He sent “SNL” a cease-and-desist letter, and the sketch show was forced to offer its first on-air apology.

BEST: “Inside the Beltway”

This skit features a mishap that rarely happens on “SNL.” In the middle of the sketch, a stagehand walks out before her cue. This gets cast members like Aidy Bryant laughing for the rest of the sketch. Even a well-oiled machine like “Saturday Night Live” runs into problems, with this one being a funny glimpse at the behind-the-scenes talent. The laughter is contagious as Cecily Strong also joins in the breaking. While this mistake might not happen again, we do appreciate the fact that it prompts such a huge response. The scene probably wouldn’t be remembered if not for this funny misstep.

WORST: Woody Harrelson Uses “SNL” As a Soapbox

The outspoken multiple Oscar nominee is no stranger to controversy. Once arrested in Kentucky for planting hemp seeds, it might not come as a total surprise that Harrelson found himself the subject of backlash following remarks made during his 2022 “SNL” monologue. The actor and former “Cheers” star quickly veered into conspiracy theory territory, metaphorically referring to the American government as a “cartel” forcing “drugs” (in this case, the COVID-19 vaccine) onto an unsuspecting public. Having previously been criticized for promoting such conspiracies on his social media accounts, Harrelson was roundly reprimanded for spreading disinformation.

BEST: “Hollywood Dish with Scarlett Johansson”

This movie star tries to survive an interview with two crazy journalists. The questions keep coming until the interviewers do a spit-take, resulting in a huge splash. Kristen Wiig ends up covered in slushie as Bill Hader tries to keep a straight face. Scarlett Johansson even breaks after watching Hader help wipe Wiig off. It’s not hard to imagine why the laughs keep coming. Making the sketch even better, the three look like they’re enjoying themselves the entire time. The drink definitely makes this skit even more hilarious, letting the wild physical comedy take over.

WORST: ISIS Recruitment Sketch

Did anyone see where this one was going when they first saw it? Host Dakota Johnson and “SNL” cast member Taran Killam play a dad-daughter duo; Killam is seemingly dropping Johnson’s character off at college in a parody of a 2015 Super Bowl ad for Toyota. When a truck full of arms-toting ISIS militants pulls up, it’s pretty clear that Johnson’s not going to college. “SNL” audiences didn’t quite warm up to this absurd, heightened spoof that leans heavily into dark comedy. The sketch was roundly criticized by social media users, with one person writing on Twitter (now X): “I say this as a life long #SNL fan. The ISIS commercial was in poor taste. Scratch that. Horrible taste.”

BEST: “Court Show”

Providing chaos to this premise, dogs don’t always do what they’re supposed to do. Cecily Strong’s judge tries to keep order despite one unruly co-star. She holds a puppy while delivering lines, but laughs as the pet loses it. This enjoyable and off-script moment gives this skit the edge it needs. There’s already a legion of canines here, but one in particular provides this scene with an entertaining mistake. It’s honestly surprising that there isn’t another problem given all of the other four-legged stars. In the final minutes, Strong breaks once more after all of the initial craziness. We kind of wish they’d bring back more animals just to try this again.

WORST: When Down Syndrome Was the Punchline

Humor works best when it is at the expense of someone else. So, over the years, “Saturday Night Live” has poked fun at nearly everyone. Still, why Down Syndrome? The Danny's Song skit centers around a group of friends sitting at a bar fondly reminiscing about a few unsavory memories. Jon Colman, the CEO of the National Down Syndrome Society, wrote a scathing letter to Lorne Michaels; criticizing the sketch as insensitive and derogatory. NBC replied with an apology and thanked Colman for sharing his concerns with them.

BEST: “Massive Head Wound Harry”

Dana Carvey’s character walks into this sketch with a bad injury. He has a prosthetic on to mimic the wound, but then a pet gets hold of it. The canine almost rips off part of the headpiece as Carvey tries to keep it. With the audience losing it, this happy accident is just plain fun to watch. We also love to see a dog there to liven things up. The lead actor also manages to work through the mistake while staying in character. Teetering between professional and unprofessional, this skit is exactly what you need to cheer yourself up.

WORST: Tiger Woods Sketch Mocking Domestic Violence

Mocking Tiger Woods is perfectly fine – “Saturday Night Live” would have been crazy to not write a skit after the infidelity scandal broke out. During 2009's Thanksgiving weekend, Elin Nordegren chased her husband with a golf club before Woods crashed his car and was temporarily knocked out. While Florida Highway Patrol found no evidence of domestic violence, “SNL” turned it into the punchline, with Kenan Thompson's Tiger Woods trying to excuse his progressively worsening injuries. The sketch was criticized for suggesting that domestic violence is funny when the husband is the victim.

BEST: “Super Showcase Spokesmodels”

When you let Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig do crazy accents, you open the door for skits like this one. The actresses also do some fantastic physical comedy here. Once they start to break, both performers just go with the flow. Bill Hader also laughs at the many fumbles throughout this skit. Rudolph and Wiig crack each other up as they show off prizes, making every second that much better. These all-stars steer the scene to a close with golf cart crashes and hilarious surprises. Regardless of the mistakes, this still ranks among the performers' finest sketches.

WORST: David Spade Mocks Eddie Murphy’s Career

Celebrities and politicians are fair game, but you should never throw one of your own under the bus. David Spade and Lorne Michaels learned that the hard way when a brief “Hollywood Minute” segment ruined the show's relationship with Eddie Murphy. “SNL” owes a lot to the legendary comedian, which explains why Murphy was shocked and hurt when Spade joked that his career was on the downturn. After two commercial misses, the last thing Eddie Murphy needed was for his ex-employer to kick him while he was down. 20 years later, they finally put their bad blood to bed.

BEST: “Lisa from Temecula”

Some people really love their steak well done. The character Lisa orders one and cuts into it, shaking the table throughout this wild sketch. Talk about a bold move for a scene on live television. Thankfully for us, the destruction prompts some hilarious breaks. Pedro Pascal looks to be having the time of his life. As the table settings shake, the ensemble leans into the absurd premise. Bowen Yang also loses it in a funny outburst near the end. Everything that goes wrong helps to make this yet another shining example of a beautiful disaster.

WORST: Laughing at a New York Governor with a Visual Disability

Over the decades, “Saturday Night Live” has supplied great satire on America's political system, but their Governor Paterson sketch is not one of them. Since the politician is legally blind, Paterson does require assistance with some tasks, but is otherwise self-sufficient. “SNL”’s portrayed the Governor as a Mr. Magoo type character, stumbling into and ruining a few different skits. The Governor was not pleased with the gag, explaining that it perpetuates the stereotype that the visually impaired cannot carry out even the most basic of functions.

BEST: “Close Encounter”

This sketch features Ryan Gosling doing what he does best on “SNL.” He loves to laugh and “Close Encounter” puts him to the test. The actor listens to Kate McKinnon’s character give absurd speeches, eventually losing it. You can see the other cast members all distracted by their fellow performer. It makes the script more difficult to get through, but it also gives the skit massive replay value. McKinnon’s dialogue is so crazy that it’s surprising nobody fell over laughing. By the end, Gosling can barely get his lines out as he tries to stop giggling.

WORST: The Rise & Fall of Shane Gillis

The standup comedian and podcaster definitely wasn’t the first “SNL” cast member to be fired from the show, even before ever appearing in an episode, but it’s safe to say that he’s the most prominent. Slated to appear alongside Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman ahead of “SNL’s” 45th season premiere in 2019, Gillis was quickly ejected from the cast following accusations of making racist remarks on a podcast appearance a few years earlier. Gillis’ comedy career didn’t suffer permanent damage, and he was even invited to host “SNL” during its 49th season in 2024.

BEST: “Girlfriends Game Night”

Bill Hader enters this scene funny and leaves it in shambles. We couldn’t ask for anything more, gasping for breath after laughing so hard at his character. Hader also has to laugh after running into the set and his co-stars. The actor even has to hide his face behind Cecily Strong, having shifted the furniture with his motorized scooter. It’s a ridiculous premise to begin with, but the result couldn’t have been more hilarious. You couldn’t have written a better way to throw this scene a curveball. Luckily for the audience, standards and practices didn’t shut this down before it got to air.

WORST: Martin Lawrence

Nowadays, it might be hard to believe, but there was a time when Martin Lawrence owned Hollywood. The “Martin” series was hugely popular, and he even made the jump to the big screen with “Bad Boys” and “Nothing to Lose.” Despite being one of the hottest comedians of the ‘90s, Lawrence was banned from SNL due to an offensive monologue delivered while hosting a 1994 episode. The rambling intro spends an absurd amount of time lambasting women for not taking proper care of themselves, prompting “SNL” to ban the comedian.

BEST: “Debbie Downer: Disney World”

“Debbie Downer” is a recurring skit, but most people remember this particular version. It’s easy to see why because this is a straight-up catastrophe. You couldn’t ask for more of a chaotic fail than this one, prompting some of the most laughter by an ensemble ever. Rachel Dratch can barely say her lines at one point, giggling through a historical breakdown in “SNL” history. It’s so much fun that you can never watch it too many times. This whole sketch feels like lightning in a bottle, making it unlikely that it could ever be duplicated.

WORST: Adrien Brody Goes Jamaican

After winning an Oscar for his fantastic turn in Roman Polanski's “The Pianist,” Adrien Brody seemed to try everything in his power to squander that momentum. Besides giving Halle Berry an impromptu kiss at the Oscars, the talented actor's improv skills were put to question on “Saturday Night Live.” While hosting a 2003 episode, Brody dawned fake dreadlocks and tried out a Jamaican accent before introducing reggae musician Sean Paul. Brody has yet to re-host “SNL,” suggesting that Lorne Michaels was far from impressed.

Do you have a favorite SNL host of all time? Let us know in the comments!

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