Top 20 Saturday Night Live Sketches That Went Terribly Wrong
#20: Adam Driver’s Bird Mishap “Career Day”
Top 10 Best Mayor Adam West Moments on Family Guy
The bird incident guaranteed this sketch immortality, but it was pretty amazing even before that point. Driver plays a curmudgeonly oil baron attending career day at his son’s high school. He ruthlessly attacks his son for his lack of strength, berating him in front of the entire class. While we could point to Pete Davidson breaking character (and honestly, who can blame him), things truly go off the rails when Driver produces a fake bird from a burlap sack and smashes it into the ground. He then slams his cane into the bird by accident, skewering it with a fury typically reserved for a bloody historical drama. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, Abraham H. Parnassus deserves his own film!
#19: The Hungry Dog “Massive Head Wound Harry”
Top 10 Saturday Night Live Sketches That Went Wrong
If you’re squeamish, you might want to look away now. Among Dana Carvey’s countless memorable characters during his “SNL” tenure was “Massive Headwound Harry”. While we don’t learn the gory details behind the injury, it’s bad enough that part of his brain is hanging out. The other party-goers are disgusted by the wound except one, a dog. As the dog feasts on the wound, Carvey has to keep one hand on the headpiece to keep it from coming off entirely. Eventually the dog manages to tear off some of the wig, and we don’t know whether to laugh or hurl... or both.
#18: Aidy Bryant’s Bungled Costume Change “Inside the Beltway”
Top 10 Best Aidy Bryant SNL Performances
When done correctly, a costume change can be a useful tool in a live broadcast, transporting characters across time and space by swapping out one or more articles of clothing. However, when done poorly, it can lead to embarrassment, character breaks, and “Saturday Night Live” infamy. Such is the case during this season 45 sketch featuring Aidy Bryant, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson, and host Woody Harrelson. The plan was to have the cast switch clothing between clips to give the impression of a news flashback, but an overzealous aid comes onstage and attempts to take Aidy Bryant’s coat while the cameras are still rolling. The flub is obvious to viewers as well as the studio audience and it causes all four actors to break character.
#17: Uncooperative Dogs “Dog Court”
Actor and comedian W.C. Fields once said, “Never work with animals or children” - possibly because both are unpredictable. Well, we doubt the writers at “SNL” had ever heard this quote before. How else can you explain their decision to use multiple dogs in the 2019 sketch “Dog Court?” Things actually get off to a pretty good start, despite the number of dogs present. However, things quickly go off the rails when Cecily Strong attempts to deliver a verdict while holding a pug. The pooch thrashes around violently in her arms, knocking around her glasses and generally being an adorable nuisance. The lesson: dogs and live TV don’t mix.
#16: An Almost Purrfect Escape “Whiskers R We”
Top 20 Most Controversial Saturday Night Live Sketches Ever
Here’s yet another occasion where the animals steal the spotlight. Kate McKinnon is joined by Tiffany Haddish for this iteration of a recurring — or is that re-purring — sketch, which features rescued cats up for adoption. Haddish acts fast when their feline friends try to jump out their box, even delivering an impromptu joke which makes McKinnon momentarily break character. Hilariously, for the duration of this sketch they have to keep one eye on the teleprompter and another on the box thanks to the exceptionally restless cats. One cat gives his human co-stars quite a fright, causing them both to break while Haddish demonstrates her own cat-like reflexes.
#15: Brauer’s Wires Get Crossed “Weekend Update: Bennett Brauer”
Chris Farley’s Bennett Brauer was a staple character on “Weekend Update” in the ‘90s. He was usually invited to provide commentary for the comedy news show but instead he’d go on a self-deprecating tirade, with an abundance of air quotes. In this episode, he is meant to lift off and fly mid-rant, but the wires get caught on the lights and he barely makes it off the ground. As “Update” host, Kevin Nealon and a stagehand try to help, Farley takes it all in his stride. However, rumor has it that his landing wasn’t so smooth sailing either, making this one of SNL’s most iconic bloopers.
#14: Larry David Can’t Stop Laughing “New Wife”
Top 10 Worst Things Larry David Has Done
You know those moments where something makes you laugh and you just can’t stop? In this sketch that supposedly spoofed “Real Housewives” star Erika Jayne, Larry David plays a lawyer who throws a party to introduce his colleagues to his new wife. It seems that this sketch was a tad too outlandish for the comedian, as he eventually reached breaking point, and simply couldn’t recover. It was an unexpected surprise for fans who are more used to his dry comedic delivery, but it’s a memorable moment all the same. We honestly don’t know how the rest of the cast didn’t break with him.
#13: Unsuppressed Smiles “The Californians: Stuart Has Cancer”
“The Californians” is one of the most popular recurring segments in recent “Saturday Night Live” history, thanks in part to its continuously star-studded roster and the countless character breaks it’s caused. Few would argue that the first iteration of the sketch was the funniest, and those same people would likely agree that it was also the most out of control. Kristen Wiig and Fred Armisen can barely make it through a sentence in their ridiculous Californian accents, stifling laughter at every turn. However, the worst offender is Bill Hader, who all but gives up on staying in character the moment Fred Armisen opens his mouth. We believe you can safely file this one away in the “it’s so bad it’s good” category.
#12: Candice Bergen’s Stupid Mistakes “Extremely Stupid”
This moment could not have worked out better if it actually had been scripted. It didn’t take much to make Candice Bergen break after her minor mistake, but the irony of her flub was not lost on anyone. In fact, it pretty much fuels Gilda Radner’s legendary quick wit, as she inserts her own quips that just make Bergen, and the audience, of course, laugh even harder. Sure, the original plan for the sketch might have gone out the window, but we think we can all agree that it couldn’t have beat this impromptu updated version anyway.
#11: Sean Hayes and Jimmy Fallon Break Character “Jeffrey’s”
Jimmy Fallon is quite well known — or is it infamous — for breaking character, so no surprises that this is just one of his appearances on our list. He is joined here by Sean Hayes to play retail workers in a high-end clothing store, who never miss a beat to make catty remarks to their customers. Jimmy struggles to suppress a smile before the sketch has even started, and it isn’t long before both are trying to contain their laughter. However, Will Ferrell entering on a scooter and answering a tiny cell phone proves too much, and they both just dissolve into fits of laughter.
#10: The Cast Losing It “Debby Downer: Disney World”
Top 30 Saturday Night Live Sketches That Went Horribly WRONG
Debbie Downer is one of the funniest characters that “SNL” has produced in its long history. She made her debut in 2004, flanked by host Lindsay Lohan and a handful of comedy legends. However, no amount of talent could have saved this sketch from devolving into one giant character break. Juxtaposing Debbie’s depressing facts and anecdotes with the innocence and happiness of a place like Disney World is pure comedic genius. Any chance Lohan and company had of making it through the sketch in one piece disappeared the moment Rachel Dratch broke during a slow zoom on her face. From that point on, the question wasn’t if everyone would break, but when?
#9: Frankenstein’s Monster Gets Fired Up “Succinctly Speaking”
In the late ‘80s, “SNL” brought together Tonto, Tarzan and Frankenstein’s Monster, due to their limited grasp of the English language. In fact, Frankenstein’s Monster pretty much speaks in a series of grunts and growls, other than occasionally informing us that “bread good” and “fire bad.” It’s hard to say what exactly about the then-current nuclear arms treaty causes the usually straight-faced Phil Hartman to break in this moment, but when he does break, he goes down hard. Due to the unexpected timing, and the fact that it specifically came from Hartman, this is easily one of SNL’s funniest character breaks of all time.
#8: Ryan Gosling’s Giggles “Close Encounter”
Top 10 Live With Kelly Co-Hosts We Would Rather See than Ryan Seacrest
You know you’ve penned an A+ sketch when you get Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling to break. The Canadian actor was unable to maintain his composure in the face of Kate McKinnon’s hilarious retelling of an alien abduction. McKinnon’s graphic story actually makes everyone on stage break at one point or another, and it’s clear she relishes her ability to make her peers crack up. Gosling was once again the victim of McKinnon’s superior comedic talent when he appeared in “Another Close Encounter” two years later. However, this time it was McKinnon’s, uh, handsy approach that had him in stitches.
#7: Bill Hader’s Mad Maneuvers “Girlfriends Game Night”
Top 10 Times Bill Hader Broke Character on SNL
Bill Hader hosted “SNL” for a second time in 2018, and while he had a number of hilarious sketches, nothing tops “Girlfriends Game Night” …though not for the reason you’d expect. Hader played Horace, a wheelchair bound senior citizen dating a much younger woman. The two attend a game night together, but Horace’s inability to control his electric wheelchair nearly causes him to flip the table. Later in the sketch, he puts it in reverse and nearly runs over Melissa Villasenor. Set breaks and character breaks ensue, and through it all Bill Hader looks like he’s having the time of his life.
#6: Jimmy Fallon Tries Not to Laugh “The Love-ahs with Barbara and Dave”
As we’ve already noted, it doesn’t take much to make Jimmy Fallon break, so putting him in this sketch was really just asking for trouble. The “Love-ahs” is a recurring sketch featuring an eccentric, overtly sexual couple who have no concept of boundaries. No matter how hard he tries, Jimmy just can’t keep a straight face. In Jimmy’s defence, however, Will Ferrell has since explained that these characters were created with the actual intention of causing his co-star to break. It certainly does the trick, even perhaps too well, as the rest of the actors end up in a fit of giggles too.
#5: John Belushi’s Wild Swing “Samurai Stockbroker”
Top 10 Times John Oliver Said What We Were All Thinking
Few “SNL” sketches illustrate just how far live television has come quite like this one. The scene in question involved John Belushi playing one of his most popular recurring characters, a modern-day samurai. Every appearance of the character saw him in a different profession, from "Samurai Tailor" to "Samurai Psychiatrist." However, the one we’re here to talk about is the "Samurai Stockbroker" episode. In it, Belushi is sporting his trademark samurai look, which includes a katana. At one point he starts to attack a wall with the blade, but in his fever accidently hits Buck Henry in the head. You can clearly see Henry stumble backwards, and for the rest of the episode he had a band aid on his head. So yeah, live TV and swords don’t mix.
#4: The Sketch That Ruined Christopher Walken’s Life “More Cowbell”
Top 20 Funniest Saturday Night Live Sketches
This wildly weird premise, combined with everyone involved constantly breaking, made this sketch an instant fan favorite and cultural phenomenon. Ferrell created his character after hearing a faint cowbell in Blue Öyster Cult’s 1970s classic “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” and wondering about the man behind the instrument. Between Walken’s deadpan delivery, and Ferrell’s eccentric character and tiny shirt, this sketch is so ripe for someone to break character, and it doesn’t take long before everyone does. Although Walken can be seen laughing, we’re not sure it was still as funny for him when fans would continue to quote “More Cowbell” at him long after the season ended.
#3: Chris Farley’s Full Moon “UFO Mission”
Top 10 Best Chris Farley SNL Sketches
There is very little Chris Farley wouldn’t do for a laugh, which makes it impossible to decipher if this moment was actually intentional or not. In this sketch about commandos investigating a spaceship that’s landed on earth, Farley takes the “commando” part quite literally. Despite this being a space-themed sketch, none of us were quite prepared to see a full moon. According to his co-star Jay Mohr, as Farley wrestled with his pants, he also bumped his head and almost cursed. Needless to say, no matter what else happened during that show, this is the moment everyone remembers.
#2: Stefon at All Times Various
Top 10 Hilarious Stefon SNL Moments
Arguably Bill Hader’s most memorable “Saturday Night Live” character, Stefon never failed to bring the laughs during his visits to the Weekend Update news desk. The character was the brainchild of Hader and then-“SNL” writer John Mulaney, and he became a hit thanks to his off-the-wall New York City party recommendations and sassy attitude. However, Bill Hader simply could not make it through a Stefon appearance without breaking character. He’d constantly cover his mouth to hide his laughter, something that was often due to him not seeing the jokes for the first time until he was on air. While Hader’s character breaks may have constituted a sketch “going wrong” when Stefon first debuted, nowadays they’re considered part of the act. And we wouldn’t have it any other way! Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Jimmy Fallon Thrown Off by the Teleprompter “Weekend Update” Kate McKinnon Breaks Character “Weekend Update: Smokery Farms” Can You Spell ‘Character Break’? “Spelling Bee”
#1: “Down by the River” “Matt Foley: Van Down by the River”
Another Top 10 Saturday Night Live Sketches
The amazing Chris Farley clearly had the magical touch that could make anyone break. And nowhere was that more apparent than with his most iconic character: Matt Foley, the antithesis of an effective motivational speaker. In Foley’s “SNL” debut, he had host Christina Applegate and cast member David Spade breaking almost instantly, thanks to his wild, erratic demeanor. His hilarious delivery is only matched by the physical comedy, which included lifting Spade and breaking a table. Everything about this character almost seems like it was created with the intention of causing his co-stars to break. Soon after, Matt Foley became a “SNL” regular and to that we say, “Well, la de frickin’ da”.
