Top 10 Times SNL Cast/Hosts Refused to Do Sketches
#10: Rob Reiner Almost Backs Out as Host
Top 10 Times SNL Cast Members Didn't Want To Work With Hosts
Rob Reiner was the third celebrity to host “SNL,” as well as the first to appear in sketches. Being uncharted territory for Reiner and the show, the week leading up to this episode was rough. Lorne Michaels frequently clashed with Reiner, who wanted to include a 13-minute film by Albert Brooks and play a Las Vegas nightclub singer in his opening. Still establishing himself as a showrunner, Michaels reluctantly agreed. Even then, Reiner was convinced that the show would bomb. According to Michaels’ cousin, Neil Levy, “Reiner refused to go on after dress rehearsal.” Although Reiner reportedly outright said, “I quit… I’m not doing it,” Michaels ultimately got him through it. However, the episode’s “Bees” sketch would reflect Reiner’s initial refusal to do the show.
#9: Laraine Newman Doesn’t Do Recurring Characters
Laraine Newman was among the first “SNL” cast members, although she never quite reached the same level of recognition as Gilda Radner or Jane Curtin. Part of that might’ve been because of her hesitance to repeat characters. Newman created a couple of familiar faces like Connie Conehead and Christie Christina. She also appeared on “Weekend Update” as a reporter named after herself. Yet, she otherwise didn’t want to play the same character more than once, despite Michaels urging her to do so. Newman reflected, “I refused to do it because I wanted to, you know, dazzle everybody with my versatility.” For the show’s 40th anniversary, Newman broke her rule during a “Californians” sketch, once again playing the original Valley girl, Sherry.
#8: Kenan Thompson Boycotts Drag Sketches
Top 10 Times Kenan Thompson Broke the SNL Cast
In 2013, “SNL” came under fire for its lack of diversity, specifically Black female cast members. The last Black female regular was Maya Rudolph, who departed from the show six years earlier. Before Rudolph, only three Black women had been featured or repertory players: Yvonne Hudson, Danitra Vance, and Ellen Cleghorne. Hudson and Vance were notably only on the show for a season each. After years of dressing up as Mo’Nique, Maya Angelou, and Whoopi Goldberg, among others, Kenan Thompson said he was done doing drag until “SNL” hired more Black comedians. “SNL” has since diversified the cast with members like Leslie Jones, Sasheer Zamata, and Ego Nwodim. Ten years after Kenan walked away from drag, though, there’s still room for progress.
#7: Louise Lasser Works Alone (& Occasionally With Chevy)
“SNL” is an ensemble piece, but Louise Lasser didn’t seem to understand this when she hosted Season 1’s penultimate episode. Lasser, who was dealing with various personal issues, insisted on flying solo in her sketches. She’d only make eye contact with Chevy Chase, who accused her of “solipsism,” and a dog. Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, and a shark also approached her door during the opening. Lasser refused to appear alongside Radner in a sketch about private parts, requiring Jane Curtin to fill in. Some say that Lasser was banned from “SNL” and Michaels wanted her episode pulled from repeats. Lasser claims she wasn’t banned and it was her manager who told Michaels to pull the episode. Either way, Lasser’s hosting stint went down in infamy.
#6: Paris Hilton’s 1 Night at “SNL”
Top 10 Cringiest Emily in Paris Moments
Some celebrities surprise us when they host “SNL,” although Paris Hilton met audiences’ low expectations in 2005. Many cast members have recounted how difficult Hilton was to work with. Apparently, she was so disinterested in the cast that Seth Meyers offered to give $100 to the first person Hilton asked a personal question. Hilton never asked. On “The Howard Stern Show,” Tina Fey said that Jim Downey wrote a sketch where somebody finds out that Hilton has a sex tape. They proceed to tell Hilton, “Oh well, you can’t host the show; we have standards here.” According to Fey, Hilton wouldn’t do the sketch and refused to come out of her dressing room. Hilton instead suggested a sketch mocking Jessica Simpson, who she allegedly hated.
#5: Donald Trump Won’t Endorse “Rosetta Stone Mexican”
Top 10 Crazy Donald Trump Moments
Many protested outside 30 Rock when “SNL” handed hosting duties to Donald Trump in November 2015, several months before he attained the Republican nomination and a year before becoming commander-in-chief. People were especially offended by Trump’s controversial comments regarding the Latino community. That’s probably why Trump rejected a sketch where he would’ve portrayed a “Rosetta Stone Mexican” spokesman. The idea was pitched by Colin Jost, who said the sketch would’ve involved Trump sharing phrases to say in Mexican. Despite turning this sketch down, Trump appeared in several others taking shots at his image. One featuring adult film stars was even ahead of the curve. “SNL” clearly wanted to make Trump look as silly as possible, although that didn’t stop him from claiming the presidency… once!
#4: Eddie Murphy Rejects Bill Cosby Impression
Saturday Night Live: Best of Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy avoided returning to “SNL” after David Spade insulted his career in a “Hollywood Minute” sketch. After almost 30 years away, Murphy returned for the 40th anniversary, although he nixed the opportunity to impersonate Bill Cosby in a “Celebrity Jeopardy!” sketch. Murphy’s Cosby impression has been prominently featured in films like “Raw.” With Cosby being accused of sexual assault in 2015, though, Murphy didn’t want to “kick a man when he is down,” as Norm Macdonald put it. The job thus went to another seasoned Cosby impersonator, Kenan Thompson. Murphy seemingly got past his hesitancy eight months later during his Mark Twain Prize acceptance speech. Putting on his Cosby voice, Murphy joked about how the disgraced comedian was forced to give his award back.
#3: John Belushi Doesn’t Do “Girls’ Scenes”
Top 10 Times John Krasinski Couldn't Keep a Straight Face on The Office
John Belushi was a comedy legend we lost far too soon, but he wasn’t perfect. While he respected Gilda Radner, Belushi often refused to do sketches written by women and allegedly went out of his way to sabotage female-scribed bits. When Lily Tomlin hosted in 1975, Belushi didn’t want to appear in a sketch by Rosie Shuster and Anne Beatts. The sketch revolved around sexual harassment and construction workers. In a twist, the construction workers are all women and Belushi was to play a scantily clad male. Belushi wasn’t a fan of Tomlin and didn’t want to wear a revealing outfit. Dan Aykroyd stepped up, although he felt uncomfortable in the role. As Shuster pointed out, that’s how women feel when objectified on the street.
#2: Steven Seagal, Worst Host Ever?
Top 10 Best Steven Universe Episodes
For Michaels’ money, Steven Seagal was “the biggest jerk” ever to host “SNL,” being banned from the show after his only stint in 1991. Norm Macdonald said that Seagal “didn’t want to be on sketches” while David Spade recalled him wanting to preserve his image. Seagal was especially skeptical of a sketch involving Hans and Franz, Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon’s Austrian bodybuilders. The sketch would’ve seen Hans and Franz listing the ways Arnold Schwarzenegger could beat up Seagal. During rehearsal, Seagal walked off, wishing Arnold was around so he could rip him a new one. The sketch was modified to accommodate Seagal’s ego. Seagal also changed his monologue at the eleventh hour, opting not to do a physical bit, despite his martial arts background.
#1: Nora Dunn Disses The Diceman
For a period, Andrew Dice Clay was the most notorious name in comedy with many finding his standup sexist. The Diceman booked “SNL” in 1990, much to the frustration of cast member Nora Dunn and musical guest Sinéad O’Connor. Both boycotted in response to Dice hosting. While O'Connor appeared on “SNL” two years later for an even more controversial episode, Dunn’s contract expired shortly after Clay hosted and it wasn’t renewed. While some felt the other female cast members should’ve protested as well, Dunn was surprised to receive little support from her colleagues. This wasn’t the last time a host nearly sparked a walkout. Aidy Bryant, Andrew Dismukes, and Bowen Yang considered boycotting when Elon Musk hosted in 2021, although they eventually fell in line.
