Top 10 Times SNL Cast Members Who NEVER Break Broke
#10: Fred Armisen
“Short Term Memory Loss Theater”
During his 11-year tenure on “SNL,” Fred Armisen introduced several iconic characters that never failed to leave the audience, as well as his fellow cast members, in stitches. But despite the chaos that often surrounded him, Armisen somehow typically managed to keep his composure intact. That is, at least, until this season 38 sketch. Bill Hader plays a doctor who swears he’s found an unconventional method of treating short-term memory loss through theater, but the results are far from impressive. Hader barely keeps it together during the sketch and ultimately drags Armisen down with him when he tries feeding him his line. Perhaps Armisen forgot he was not supposed to break character. Common mistake.
#9: Mikey Day
“Try Guys”
On “SNL,” Mikey Day often plays the straight man, and it’s a role he fully commits to. He rarely breaks character, even when surrounded by others who are struggling to keep a straight face. However, parodying a group of YouTubers proved to be his kryptonite. In this sketch, Day plays one of the Try Guys reacting to their former member’s cheating scandal. All seems well, until Bowen Yang starts going off, which makes it difficult for Day to contain his laughter. He teeters on the verge of total collapse when Andrew Dismukes acknowledges his struggle with a pat on the shoulder. This experience is uncharted territory for Day, and the audience can’t seem to get enough of it.
#8: Kyle Mooney
“Neo-Confederate Meeting”
You’d have a hard time finding a sketch in which Kyle Mooney full on breaks into a fit of laughter. He was that good. Over his nine-season run, Mooney became known for his eccentric characters and his close partnership with fellow cast member Beck Bennett. When the two appeared together in this season 44 sketch, it was Bennett who achieved the rare feat of getting Mooney to break. We’re not sure if it’s the ridiculous mustache hanging on for dear life or Bennett’s Southern accent, but something somehow gets Mooney to crack a smile. Can’t say we blame him. If we were up against Beck Bennett and Adam Driver, we’d probably crack in the first 10 seconds.
#7: Beck Bennett
“Sexual Harassment Charlie”
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Throughout his tenure on “SNL,” Beck Bennett never quite got the recognition he fully deserved. While most performers tend to stick to a specific niche, Bennett proved his exceptional versatility, excelling at virtually everything. He adeptly played the straight man, the butt of the jokes, and a quirky wildcard, all while rarely ever breaking character. But unfortunately for him, and fortunately for us the audience, he slipped up in this season 43 sketch. Playing a corporate executive addressing workplace misconduct, Bennett falls victim to a case of the giggles when he confronts Kenan Thompson’s Charlie. Nonetheless, it’s still pretty impressive that this was his only notable slip-up in eight years.
#6: Melissa Villaseñor
“Girlfriends Game Night”
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There was simply no chance of anyone keeping their composure in this situation, not even stone cold performers like Melissa Villaseñor. In the sketch, Villaseñor plays one of the titular girlfriends whose fun night is ruined when one of her pals attempts to conceive with her elderly husband in full view of everyone. The elderly husband is portrayed by Bill Hader, complete with a bald cap, motorized scooter and his signature high tendency to break character. When Hader accidentally backs into Villaseñor, she is propelled across the stage and into a fit of laughter. Villaseñor certainly isn’t the only casualty here; however, since the others are regular culprits already, their reactions aren’t so surprising.
#5: Kenan Thompson
“The Muppet Show”
Top 10 Times Kenan Thompson Broke the SNL Cast
When you think of “SNL” cast members who rarely break, Kenan Thompson probably isn’t the first name that comes to mind. The long-tenured performer may slip-up sometimes, but he is skilled at concealing it, either by establishing that his character is naturally giggly or having the cameras cut away just in time. Neither of those factors came to Thompson’s aid in this season 46 sketch, in which he plays a bouncer at a live performance of “The Muppet Show.” When host Keegan-Michael Key refers to Kermit the Frog as a dragon, cracks begin to appear in Thompson’s usual composure. He later loses it completely while attempting to intervene in a chaotic situation involving one of the disruptive Muppets.
#4: Heidi Gardner
“Cast List”
Top 10 Hilarious Heidi Gardner SNL Moments
It’s a pretty impressive feat to have only broken character during a sketch that was cut for time. And that’s the case with Heidi Gardner. Gardner was notably the only person in the aforementioned “Girlfriends Game Night” scene who managed to maintain her composure despite the chaos going on around her. But that composure shattered during this dress rehearsal sketch about a group of drama students anxiously awaiting the cast list for their new production. Gardner almost makes it through the entire thing intact, but she crumbles towards the end when Kenan Thompson’s choreographer is introduced. At least, she can take pride in the fact that she’s never broken during a sketch that made it to air.
#3: Taran Killam
“Weekend Update: Jebidiah Atkinson on Holiday Movies”
Taran Killam was yet another versatile “SNL” performer whose skills were highly underrated during his tenure on the show. At a time when cast members like Bill Hader, Fred Armisen and Kate McKinnon intentionally tried to break their colleagues, Killam never succumbed to their antics. Interestingly, when he did break character, it was of his own doing. During a “Weekend Update” appearance as Jebidiah Atkinson, the cranky 1860s newspaper critic, Killam stumbled over one of his jokes, causing him to crack a smile. Shortly after, he broke character again, this time after a poorly-received quip about the virgin birth. It seems even the harshest critics deserve grace sometimes.
#2: Vanessa Bayer
“New Girlfriend”
Top 10 Hilarious Vanessa Bayer Moments on SNL
When it comes to staying in character during an “SNL” sketch, Vanessa Bayer was truly one of the greats. But she was no match for Fred Armisen. In this season 41 sketch, Bayer plays a woman meeting her friend’s eccentric new girlfriend Regine for the first time. Armisen plays Regine and his over-the-top antics prove to be too much for Bayer, who initially begins laughing but tries to hide behind Beck Bennett. However, she is put on the spotlight when she has to deliver a line and barely manages to get it out intact. Judging by the audience reaction, it’s clear everyone was excited to witness the typically unbreakable Vanessa Bayer finally break.
FAKEOUT #1: Jimmy Fallon
“Debbie Downer: Disney World”
Throughout his run on “SNL,” Jimmy Fallon was well-known for never, ever, ever breaking character during a sketch.
Okay, before the comments light up in flames, we’re just kidding. Our real #1 is…
#1: Chris Parnell
“Dr. Beaman's Office: Test Results”
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Now this is the “SNL” alum who was known for never breaking character. Chris Parnell was so good at maintaining his composure, even in the most absurd scenarios, that he earned the nickname “The Ice Man.” Surely, anyone who could survive the chaotic “More Cowbell” sketch without cracking deserves recognition. However, Parnell’s facade wavered ever so slightly in this ridiculous season 25 sketch set in a careless doctor’s office. After Tim Meadows breaks into the robot, Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon immediately lose it, yet Parnell seems unfazed. But upon closer inspection, you can see the actor crack a slight smile, then quickly look to the floor. It’s as close as he ever came to laughing on camera in eight years.
What other seemingly unbreakable “SNL” cast members have lost their composure in a sketch? Let us know in the comments below.
