SNL's Problematic Sketches, Ranked

Year:1991

Mike Myers's"Simon" sketchMyers played a young British lad who showed his drawings in the bathtub. He showed this bit five times from 1990 to 1994.

Macaulay Culkin hosted the most controversial bit in 1991. The then 11-year-old joined Myers in the tub; both men were shirtless. Watching this bit is uncomfortable; it looks like an adult and a child are nude together in a bathtub.

Year:1994

Adam Sandlerplayed Canteen BoySandler played an awkward boy scout several times on SNL.SNLThe sketch ran. Alec Baldwin hosted the most famous bit in 1994. Baldwin played a creepy, predatory scoutmaster who tried to seduce Sandler's naive boy scout.

Thenext time Baldwinreturned to host, he claimed 300,000 people called to complain about the sketch and NBC lost seven affiliates.SNLSNL later added a disclaimer stating that people who missed the joke knew Canteen Boy (Sandler) was 27 years old.

Year:2003

Adrien Brody hostedSNLBrody hosted only once because Lorne Michaels allegedly banned him.Brody denies being banned.The Academy Award winner put on a dreadlock wig and used a Jamaican accent when he introduced reggae singer Sean Paul. The “In Memorium” filed the intro under the disclaimer “ethnic stereotypes”; this is clearly racist.

The host usually gives a simple intro to the musical guest. Instead, Brody’s off-book act lasted about 40 seconds. Brody explained his intentions:

Everyone stared at me pitching. Lorne [Michaels] was not happy I added details to a bit, but they let me. I saw that as a safe place to do that, strangely.

Year:1975

PerhapsSNLSNL’s most controversial sketch aired during the first season. Chevy Chase and host Richard Pryor played characters participating in a job interview.play charactersparticipating in a job interview.

Chase, the interviewer, asked Pryor to play a word association game that quickly got heated. The character's associations became more racist until Chase said the n-word. Pryor replied, “Dead honky.”

Year:2004

This sketch features Lindsay Lohan playing Hermione Granger, Emma Watson’s role from the Harry Potter movies.Harry PotterTeenage Hermione returned to Hogwarts after summer break with noticeably different womanly features. Her classmates stared and gawked at Hermione’s new look.

The sketch aimed to reference Watson's growth spurt between films. The controversy stems from Lohan being only 17 during the sketch, and the sketch clearly sexualized a teenager.

The "In Memoriam" segment labeled the sketch "underage sexual harassment."

Years:2008-2013

Fred Armisenplayed formerArmisen played New York Governor David Paterson multiple times on SNL during the “Weekend Update” segment. Paterson is legally blind, and Armisen acted up his sight disability by stumbling onto the “Weekend Update” set, often interrupting the news anchors.SNLPaterson was legally blind. Armisen played his sight disability by stumbling onto the "Weekend Update" set, often interrupting the news anchors during the "Weekend Update" segment.

Paterson showed a good sense of humor on “Weekend Update” in 2010.Address Governor Paterson.Armisen’s impersonation:

I have a good sense of humor. Jokes that degrade people for their disabilities are stupid and sophomoric. You poked fun at me for being blind so much I forgot I was Black!

Years:2002-2015

Tracy MorganHe debuted his Astronaut Jones.The character appeared in a 2002 episode with host Britney Spears. The pop singer played a female alien in the bit. Astronaut Jones focused on seductive pick-up lines and hitting on lady aliens, not space exploration. Morgan's line, insisting Spears's alien remove her jumpsuit and “show me that fat a**,” drew attention because of it.

Years:1976-1979

Original cast memberJohn Belushi playedJohn Belushi played a samurai in fourteen sketches. The bits showed the katana-wielding character, who spoke gibberish, working in unexpected jobs like a delicatessen or as a tailor.

This comedy plays off outdated Japanese stereotypes. The “In Memoriam” segment filed it under “ethnic stereotypes.”

Year:1977

During a “Weekend Update” segment called “Point/Counterpoint,” Dan Aykroyd said to Jane Curtin, “Jane, you ignorant slut.” This happened during a mock debate about a court case between Lee Marvin and his live-in partner Michelle Triola Marvin. The quip became one of the most famous in SNL history.SNLhistory.

The “In Memoriam” labeled the line “slut shaming.”

Year:1991

In the “Il Cantore Restaurant” sketch, host Kirstie Alley and Kevin Nealon ate at a nice Italian restaurant. Waiters, played by Dana Carvey, Rob Schneider, Mike Myers, and Adam Sandler, became overly affectionate with female patrons. They kissed Alley, licked her face, and stripped down to their skivvies.

TheSNLThe “In Memorium” clip package sorted this sketch under “sexual harassment.” This absurd bit plays on Italian ethnic and cultural stereotypes. The modern consent issue also comes into play.

Despite the controversy,Alley tweetedthat it was the “most fun that I’ve ever had acting.”

Year:1990

The“Chippendale's Audition” sketchis one of the most famous in SNL history.SNLhistory. Patrick Swayze and Chris Farley play rival dancers hoping to get hired as the next Chippendale. The sketch creates laughs because of the contrasting body types ofFarley and Swayze. The judges faced a tough choice. Farley’s energetic dance moves in “Working for the Weekend” impressed them.

The bit was panned for body-shaming the late comedian, despite its popularity.