Not all comedy lands as intended... Join us as we explore the most controversial moments from Studio 8H that sparked major backlash! From uncomfortable impersonations to questionable host choices, these sketches crossed lines that left audiences, celebrities, and even cast members fuming. Which controversial SNL moment do you think went too far?
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most controversial
00:06moments in this long-running show that have caused major backlash.
00:10Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to sing and play and hang around.
00:17Number 10, Spade in America, Hollywood Minute.
00:20David Spade had been a long-time member of the show since 1990, but it didn't prevent
00:25him from being called out for this rude joke in 1995.
00:29I got a fan letter here from Indiana, and I'd like to read it to you.
00:33It says, Dear David, why are you such an idiot?
00:35During his Hollywood Minute sketch, Spade had called Eddie Murphy a falling star.
00:40Look, children, it's a falling star, make a wish.
00:45This reference to the actor's box office flop offended Murphy himself, who deemed it racist
00:50and a cheap shot.
00:52Murphy and Spade eventually reconciled, seeing each other during the 40th anniversary.
00:57Spade also came around to regretting the roast, calling it a stupid joke on his part.
01:02Still, ouch.
01:03You make a Hollywood Minute omit, he breaks some eggs.
01:06Number 9, Donald Trump as a host.
01:09Everything about this two-time president is controversial.
01:12SNL has been no slouch in its countless parodies and impersonations, so it raised a lot of eyebrows
01:19when SNL decided to let Trump host the show for the first time since 2004.
01:24It's wonderful to be here. I will tell you, this is going to be something special.
01:29Unlike that time, this came months after announcing his presidential candidacy in 2015.
01:35Coming from the wake of Trump's derisive comments about Mexican immigrants,
01:39this decision led to angry protests at NBC.
01:42Trump's a racist!
01:46It's Larry David. What are you doing, Larry?
01:53I heard if I yelled that they'd give me $5,000.
01:56In the wake of Trump winning the 2016 election, SNL's team worried they may have gone too soft with Trump,
02:03and his hosting may have been considered a tacit endorsement.
02:06This is far too much money.
02:08No, I insist. Consider it an apology for doubting you.
02:12As history shows us, nothing brings two countries together like a wall.
02:16You can cut the tension with a knife.
02:19We love you all. Thank you very much. What a great evening.
02:23Number 8, Canteen Boy.
02:25Adam Sandler's Canteen Boy is a naive and wholesome scout leader,
02:29the butt of many jokes and mockery from the cast.
02:32Canteen Boy, come over here.
02:35Hang on a sec, fellas. Fellas, I got a bit of a situation over here.
02:39You can relax, Canteen Boy. That thing's made of wood.
02:42So it is.
02:46One 1994 sketch involving him and Alec Baldwin's Scoutmaster character generated major controversy.
02:53All right, guys. Lay off, Canteen Boy.
02:57When Baldwin's character starts making advances towards the uneasy Canteen Boy, NBC was inundated with complaints about the sketch, some calling it homophobic.
03:07Even the Boy Scouts of America weighed in with its disapproval.
03:10The show has since confirmed that Canteen Boy was really an adult living with his mother and not a minor, which had been established in prior sketches.
03:17I wouldn't want to rush you, Canteen Boy, because you're one crazy wild man.
03:24Whatever.
03:25Still, it's best not to go there.
03:28Number 7, Andrew Dice Clay causes a boycott.
03:31This comedian and actor's turn as a host was the source of major outrage.
03:36His loudish persona, the Diceman, was known for his sexist and homophobic jokes, which led to Nora Dunn and Sinead O'Connor to boycott the show.
03:45Why's this happening to me? All this fuss over one stinking show, I never meant to hurt nobody. Look at me. I'm crying like a chick.
03:57Following the backlash, the SNL writers deliberately reined in the character, adding in self-referential digs at both the show and the Diceman.
04:05Unbelievable. I try to be a good guy. I know you do. How can't you?
04:11Apart from security guards removing protesters, Clay managed to get through his hosting in one piece.
04:17Who said that?
04:19I said that.
04:20NBC used a five-second delay to remove any objectionable content, just in case. Comedy is no joke.
04:28Alright, and I want to say Happy Mother's Day to my mother and every other mother out there. Take care.
04:34Take care.
04:356. Nude Beach
04:37The sketch that arguably received the most complaints must be this 1988 one.
04:42Come on. Is this great or what? Huh?
04:45I don't know. I feel a little self-conscious, Bob. I mean, I've never been to a nude beach before.
04:51Oh, come on. Will you stop with this? You have nothing to worry about.
04:54Nude beach about a group of men commenting on each other's junk was meant to prove a point about using clinical terms versus more vulgar language.
05:02The NBC censors did not agree that penis was part of clinical language.
05:07So, Doug, where are you from?
05:09Montpelier, Vermont.
05:10Ooh, cold up there. Must be tough on your penis, huh?
05:13The show and the network argued about it until the latter finally gave a green light to the skit.
05:19Conservatives were not persuaded, however, retaliating with petitions and boycotts.
05:25SNL lost sponsors as well. The skit is tamed by our standards, but it goes to show SNL's role in pushing boundaries is a productive one.
05:34So, to those of you who missed the point, grow up. Really. Come on.
05:41Even with competition that includes Donald Trump and Andrew Dice Clay, most fans would agree this American film actor was the worst SNL host.
05:50Mr. Seagal! Mr. Seagal! Mr. Seagal, I didn't see you!
05:53I couldn't help overhearing what you guys were saying.
05:56Seagal's turn as a host was so bad that his episode was removed from syndication for a period.
06:02Come here. Come here. I just wanna show you what I'm thinking.
06:08What was so bad about Seagal? There were his own awful sketch ideas for one thing.
06:14But Seagal was no comedy actor, playing and taking everything straight.
06:19It was excruciating for the writers and the audience as well.
06:22Man, your daughter sure does take her time.
06:25What? Does that bother you? No. No.
06:32For all these reasons, the actor was banned from the show. It was perhaps for the best.
06:37This is what happens when you pollute the planets.
06:40Number 4. Kanye West's Rant
06:43This famous rapper was unsurprisingly the subject of much backlash.
06:47West had appeared on the show many times before, but it was this 2018 appearance that was the most problematic.
06:59After his performance of Ghost Town, West went into a pro-Trump speech that prompted some applause and many boos from the audience.
07:06You see they laughing at me. You heard them scream at me.
07:10The rant was left unaired, but this segment was filmed and posted by Chris Rock on his Instagram.
07:16Add in West's feud with cast member Pete Davidson and his relationship with SNL is strained to say the least.
07:22Davidson wittily addressed the rant in the next week's episode, calling it one of the worst things he'd ever seen on the show.
07:29I'm like on the left. I'm like, oh God. And then I'm like, I want a career, so I leave.
07:35Number 3. Dave Chappelle's Monologue
07:38Comedians behaving badly seems to be a trend on the show.
07:41This comedian's 2016 turn as a host won him the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
07:48When he returned in 2022, however, things were not as rosy.
07:53Kanye's gotten into some scrapes before and normally when he's in trouble I pull up immediately.
07:58But this time I was like, you know what, let me see what's gonna happen first.
08:02In his opening monologue, Chappelle played fast and loose with his racial comedy, mentioning a lot of Jews in Hollywood and qualifying it.
08:10There's a lot of black people in Ferguson, Missouri. Doesn't even run the place.
08:13His speech was met with backlash. The director of the Anti-Defamation League even spoke up on Twitter, expressing disappointment.
08:21Chappelle's lack of denunciation of Kanye West's anti-Semitism was also criticized.
08:26I saw one news pundit screaming about Kanye. She said, mental health is no excuse for that type of language. Yes, it is, bitch.
08:36Number 2. Word Association
08:39The show's controversy goes back to the very first season.
08:43We got one more kind of psychological test we always do here. It's just a word association. I'll throw you out a few words. Anything that comes to your mind, just throw it back at me, okay?
08:53Word association, featuring Richard Pryor and Chevy Chase, is famous for its language.
08:58In the sketch, Chase's character gives Pryor's character a word association test. Chase includes increasingly offensive racial slurs.
09:06What'd you say?
09:07Pryor retorts with anti-white slurs. This battle of wills ends with Chase using an especially shocking word and Pryor giving this fitting answer.
09:15Dead hunter.
09:16It's a bold sketch, reportedly based on writer Paul Mooney's own experience dealing with racist interviews.
09:23Whether it has aged well or is largely a product of its time, it is undoubtedly one of the show's more controversial skits.
09:30You'll be the highest paid janitor in America. Just don't hurt me, please.
09:34Okay.
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09:511. Regis Auditions
09:55Alas, the show does have a dark history of having white actors portray people of color.
10:00Chris Rock, now we're talking.
10:02This might be the worst instance of all. In 2000, Jimmy Fallon impersonated Chris Rock, voice and all, cracking a joke about substance use in this now infamous episode.
10:13Chris, you're terrific. Would you consider teaming up with me?
10:17When a clip of the episode went viral, it prompted calls for Fallon's firing, as well as the host's sincere apology.
10:24I want to move forward and going forward. I want to work on being a better ally.
10:30Chris Rock eventually spoke out, offering grace to Fallon and forgiving him for the sketch.
10:35It was definitely an infamous moment for SNL, but at least Fallon was contrite.
10:40Which other SNL moments went beyond the pale? Let us know in the comments down below.
10:50Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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11:10We'll see you next time.
11:11We'll see you next time.