Some celebrity appearances haven't aged well... Join us as we examine Saturday Night Live cameos that feel uncomfortable in hindsight due to scandals, controversies, and revelations that emerged later. From legal troubles to personal struggles, these once-innocent appearances now carry a darker subtext that viewers couldn't have anticipated at the time.
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00:00It's indeed a pleasure to meet you.
00:02Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at surprise appearances on SNL that play differently in retrospect.
00:08You might break your record.
00:10Oh Reggie, you know, records on monuments, they're gold. They're made to be broken.
00:15Number 10, Lindsay Lohan.
00:16Thank you. Thanks, guys. This is so weird. I cannot believe I'm hosting Saturday Night Live. I'm only 17, so this is insane.
00:24After hosting for this time in May 2004, Lindsay Lohan dropped by the Weekend Update desk later that December.
00:31Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are concerned about their young mentee, fearing she isn't eating enough.
00:37Lohan argues that Fey and Poehler aren't the best mentors, claiming one sleeps around and the other one is drunk.
00:42Tina, you admitted to me that you used to have sex with the guy because you thought he would help get you into movies.
00:47Yes, but that was before Fandango made everything so easy.
00:54Okay, and Amy, you're drunk right now.
00:58How dare you? I am.
01:01Before partying, Lohan says that she's headed to a club. At the time, Lohan's career was virtually scandal-free.
01:07Within the following years, though, she'd dominate the headlines with reports of substance use and excessive partying, while also struggling with bulimia.
01:15Lohan has since made a comeback, even collaborating with Fey again.
01:18But this cameo now feels like an omen for one of the darkest chapters in her life.
01:22Yeah, it's a club, and actually, it's really fun.
01:25So you'll probably be dancing till 6 in the morning and making out with 25-year-old underwear models?
01:30I don't know, maybe.
01:32Take us with you!
01:33Take us with you!
01:33Please! Please! Please!
01:35Number 9, James Franco.
01:37Uh, Kowchewski?
01:39Desario?
01:41Didn't we take a test last week?
01:44Your point?
01:45Well, I just don't think you've taught us enough in the past week to give us another test.
01:49Freaks and geeks only lasted a season, but this series paved the way for future collaborations between James Franco and Seth Rogen.
01:56When Rogen hosted SNL for the third time in 2014, a few familiar faces dropped by, including his buddy Franco.
02:03Rogen claimed he pranked Franco by pretending to be a young woman on Instagram.
02:06So, to make myself feel better, I decided to prank James Franco.
02:11I posed as a girl on Instagram.
02:16Told him I was way young.
02:20He seemed unfazed.
02:22I have a date to meet him at the Ace Hotel.
02:25This referenced real-life allegations that Franco had been inappropriate with a minor.
02:29His SNL cameo made light of the incident, which the public seemingly forgot about until 2018, when more accusations arose with lawsuits following.
02:38Rogen, who some felt enabled Franco's alleged behavior, was doubtful he'd ever work with him again.
02:43Discussing Rogen in 2014, Franco said,
02:45We had 20 great years together, but I guess it's over.
02:49What he said is true.
02:51You know, we aren't working together right now, and we don't have any plans to work together.
02:54Of course it was hurtful, you know, in context, but I get it.
02:58You know, he had to answer for me, because I was silent.
03:02He had to answer for me, and I don't want that.
03:06Number 8, Britney Spears.
03:08I know how to settle this.
03:09Justin, can you come on here for a second?
03:15What's up?
03:18Hello, kid, fam.
03:19During her second hosting stint in February 2002,
03:22Britney Spears welcomed then-boyfriend Justin Timberlake on stage.
03:25The pop world's defining power couple ended things the following month.
03:28The public later learned of the relationship's dark side,
03:31which included an abortion that Spears had reservations about.
03:34Spears also made an SNL cameo in 2003,
03:37appearing alongside Will Ferrell on Weekend Update.
03:40Oh, yesterday, we were in the barn, right?
03:42Oh, you gotta hear this, this is great, tell it, tell it.
03:44Okay, and our cows walk in, right?
03:47Now, this poor cow, he's so sick, because we-me and Will, we know nothing about farming.
03:51Nothing, we're horrible farmers.
03:52Like, at all.
03:53All our animals are sick.
03:55All of them.
03:57The singer mentioned being hounded by the paparazzi,
04:00who don't always get their facts straight.
04:02This was soon taken into overdrive, as Spears became the media's prime target.
04:06By the time more people seriously considered the negative impact the tabloids had on Spears' mental health,
04:12the damage was done.
04:13Spears tried playing along at first, but after a while, forcing a smile was too painful.
04:18Brady, there's been a lot of crazy rumors about you and the tabloids lately.
04:21I read yesterday that you're running a Colombian drug cartel, or what do you do?
04:25I mean, these tabloid papers are ridiculous, seriously.
04:27They follow you around, they take your pictures, they lie about every move you make.
04:31You know what it's like, Tina.
04:33No, no, I don't know.
04:34Number 7, Matt Damon
04:36Matt Damon is always a welcome presence.
04:53His cold-open cameo in September 2018 was no exception.
04:56Damon appeared as Brett Kavanaugh, who President Trump nominated to serve on the Supreme Court.
05:02His nomination was called into question when multiple women accused the circuit judge of sexual misconduct.
05:07Kavanaugh maintained his innocence before the Senate Judiciary Committee, although his disgruntled behavior didn't help.
05:13Damon's hilariously spot-on impression emphasized why some found it ridiculous that Kavanaugh was even being considered for the job.
05:32That said, the decision ultimately fell to the Senate, who confirmed Kavanaugh 50-48.
05:37While Kavanaugh was never formally charged, he remains a controversial figure.
05:41This SNL sketch is now a reminder that Kavanaugh is on the nation's highest court for the foreseeable future.
05:47So am I angry? You're damn right.
05:49But if you think I'm angry now, you just wait till I get on that Supreme Court, because then you're all going to pay.
05:56Give me a can of water.
06:00Number 6, Jennifer Garner.
06:01Speaking of Ben Affleck's greatest loves, we go from Matt Damon to Jennifer Garner.
06:06Our marriage is the work of love.
06:08What would you have called it in a speech?
06:10A gift. I would have said thank you to my wife. Our marriage is a gift.
06:14During his Oscar acceptance speech a few months earlier, Affleck described his marriage to Garner as work.
06:20With some questioning Affleck's word choice, Garner joined him on SNL to set the record straight.
06:24Although Garner wasn't thrilled with his word choice either, Affleck continued the monologue with a heartfelt declaration to his wife.
06:30I couldn't do any of the things I do without your support. You're my angel, my life, and my world.
06:37You're reading Matt.
06:40Granted, he said this from a cue card, but it gave us the impression these two could work through anything.
06:46Two years later, the couple announced they were separating, with their divorce finalized in 2018.
06:50Affleck rekindled his romance with Jennifer Lopez, but with that marriage ending, some have speculated if there's still hope for the other Bennifer.
06:58Good.
07:00Then this will be quick.
07:05Number 5. R. Kelly
07:06In 2013, Lady Gaga and R. Kelly collaborated on the song Do What You Want.
07:11I can't get my holy scars. You don't want my life, man.
07:16I can't get my holy scars.
07:18Some found the pairing insensitive, given Kelly's history of sexual misconduct accusations.
07:24Gaga also later revealed that she was a survivor of sexual assault.
07:27Since Kelly was acquitted of those past charges, most people didn't bat an eye when he made a surprise appearance on SNL, performing the song with host Gaga.
07:35Kelly resurfaced at the end of the show alongside Gaga, who thanked him.
07:38Hello. Thank you to R. Kelly. Thank you to Lauren and the cast. I'm so happy to be here. My album, R. Pop, is out now. But first, we're gonna go party.
07:47Fast forward several years, Kelly found himself at the center of more accusations, a documentary, an arrest, and a combined 31-year sentence.
07:56Amid Kelly's downfall, Gaga pushed to remove Do What You Want from circulation.
08:00She'd probably like to forget this SNL cameo, too.
08:03I'm so happy to be back at SNL. The last time I hosted was in 2013, and every aspect of my performance aged amazingly.
08:13So there's no need to Google SNL 2013. Lady Gaga featuring R. Kelly.
08:22We all won't.
08:23Number 4. P. Diddy
08:25When Robert De Niro hosted in 2010, P. Diddy was announced as a musical guest.
08:29While the audience expected Diddy to sing, they were surprised to see the rapper pop up in a sketch as well.
08:34Don't worry about it. I got this guy that's coming in that's crazy. He's the hottest hook guy in the business.
08:40Oh yeah, who's that? Trey Songz?
08:42Better.
08:43Bruno Mars?
08:45No. Blizzard Man.
08:47Playing himself, Diddy introduces Blizzard Man, played by Andy Samberg.
08:51Although the others in the room are skeptical of Blizzard Man, Diddy compares him to the likes of R. Kelly.
08:56My man is like R. Kelly, Erykah Badu, Kate Hudson all rolled into one.
09:02In reality, Diddy is the one who has drawn more parallels to Kelly as of late.
09:06Seeing Diddy get close to a twerking De Niro in drag only makes a sketch more uncomfortable looking back.
09:12Diddy proclaims that a Blizzard Man is taking him to the top, but sometimes the higher one climbs, the further they fall.
09:18Well, congratulations Diddy, I think you got yourself another hit.
09:22As I told you, we're going straight to the top with this one, baby.
09:25Yeah!
09:27Number 3. John Belushi
09:28One of the original SNL cast members, John Belushi, officially left the show in 1979.
09:40Although he never hosted, Belushi returned for a couple of cameos, including one on Halloween 1981.
09:47Owing the punk rock band Fear a favour, Belushi booked them as a musical guest.
09:52There was some disagreement about the performance, which involved slam dancers.
09:56One of the people, one of the people!
10:01Since Belushi agreed to make a silent cameo during the Cold Open, though, the band played and partied on.
10:09Fear's rowdy performance made this one of the most notorious episodes ever.
10:13Adding to the infamy, Belushi died from an overdose less than a year later.
10:17Nobody knew it then, but as Belushi emerged from a bathroom stall and looked in the mirror, it'd be his farewell to Saturday night.
10:24Number 2. Jared Fogel
10:36Why so many people like the taste of Subway sandwiches? It's simple. They only put on what you like the taste of.
10:41The 2000s were a simpler time, when we could watch a Jared from Subway commercial without cringing.
10:46Before he was a convicted predator and registered sex offender, Fogel was everywhere during the early 21st century.
10:54Even TV Funhouse.
10:56Bambi, if I can lose weight, you can get those terrorists.
10:59Was the only thing more unsettling than hearing Fogel voice an animated version of himself?
11:04Seeing the former Subway spokesman in the flash.
11:07On the heels of winning multiple gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics, Michael Phelps hosted the SNL season premiere.
11:13Phelps portrays himself in a sketch, promoting a diet that allows people to eat whatever they want.
11:18While several individuals endorse the Michael Phelps diet, Fogel isn't one of them.
11:23I know a little something about weight loss, and I can honestly say, this diet sucks a foot long.
11:28Let's just say, we never want to hear Jared mention a foot long again.
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11:48Number 1. OJ Simpson
11:49Between his NFL career and the murder trial that would define the rest of his life, OJ Simpson entered the acting world.
11:56How long do you think you'll continue to play the game?
11:59Well, Jane, I'm in the rain. I'm not quite ready to quit now.
12:03I really plan on having about a 10 to 12 year career.
12:07That's odd. I would have guessed more about 11 to 12.
12:11SNL provided a platform for Simpson to test his comedic chops when he hosted in 1978.
12:17Leaving an impression, Simpson returned for a brief appearance during the show's 15th anniversary special.
12:23Simpson presented an SNL moment when he shared an intimate exchange with Bill Murray and Garrett Morris.
12:29Of course, he claims this was actually fellow Hall of Famer Walter Payton, who broke Simpson's rushing record.
12:35It was November 18th, 1977. For the first time ever, a black man kissed a white man on national TV.
12:43The white man, Bill Murray. The black man, Walter Payton.
12:47Watching this now, all we can think about is Norm Macdonald sitting behind the Weekend Update desk a few years later,
12:53relentlessly making fun of Simpson's legal troubles and enraging the higher-ups at NBC.
12:58Well, in a questionable move by the defense team this week, OJ Simpson demonstrated how to stab two people at the same time.
13:06Which SNL cameo do you find the most disturbing? Let us know in the comments.
13:10Shut up, you ass!
13:12Oh my god, Ben Affleck just yelled at that mentally challenged guy!
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