10 SNL Hosts Who Were a Complete Disaster

#10: Justin Bieber

People like Bill Hader have mentioned this singer among a list of their least favorites hosts. Justin Bieber was likely too young for “SNL,” but his pop stardom proved undeniable in the 2000s. The comedy show invited him to an episode that’s largely a cautionary tale. Thanks to cast members such as Taran Killam, Bieber’s appearance goes down a bit easier. There were even absurd musical sketches that didn’t air. This included one failed skit where the set almost collapsed, making this even more dangerous. Maybe Kate McKinnon’s impression was a little more accurate than we first imagined.

#9: Paris Hilton

In the 2000s, this hotel heiress became one of the defining celebrities of her time. This led to an “SNL” episode that probably doesn’t rank too highly for longtime fans. Paris Hilton was best known for a personality that was either a great put-on or a shocking indictment of her own character. Either way, you should track down as many of these awkward scenes as you can. There’s even a Barbie-themed skit to make it all worse. Maya Rudolph and other cast members mentioned Hilton’s diva behavior after the fact. Without much-needed comedic skills, this socialite sleepwalks through a must-see time capsule from 2005.

#8: Charles Barkley

It’s not that he’s so bad, but he’s certainly an unusual pick for “Saturday Night Live.” Charles Barkley has a special ability to find the funny when it’s not even there. The former athlete does butt heads with the scripts, but he can also be the bright spot in sketches. His attempt at a Shaq impression is great for all the wrong reasons, falling short in entertaining fashion. Barkley even makes for a playful co-star to Paul Brittain’s quirky lord. The show throws a lot at this NBA hall-of-famer, but shockingly the misfires end up being even funnier.

#7: Steve Forbes

Maybe “SNL” was just being opportunistic, but there’s no real reason Steve Forbes should’ve ever hosted the show. His brief political aspirations fell flat and so did this appearance. Forbes is a wealthy businessman associated with the magazine of the same name, but not a comedian by any stretch. He didn’t even have the charisma to be a politician in the 1990s. The monologue immediately makes us laugh for how out of touch it is. If that isn’t enough, the guy shared an episode with the outspoken band Rage Against the Machine. This might be one of the strangest pairings in the program’s history.

#6: Tom Green

If you hire a trickster, you should expect to get tricked. Tom Green’s chaotic TV persona could only be contained on his own show. When he hosted “Saturday Night Live,” he was riding a cultural high that included his relationship with Drew Barrymore. This episode feels like a bizarro vision of the early 2000s where you start to question everything. It’s an incredible glimpse into a world that doesn’t exist anymore with one wacky guy to guide us through it all. Green appears wide-eyed and goofy throughout his scenes, drawing laughs for his amazingly-weird performances. Any fans of the movie “Freddy Got Fingered” will be right at home.

#5: Sydney Sweeney

Starring in successful TV shows like “Euphoria,” Sydney Sweeney is much more suited to playing Cassie. Her stint as an “SNL” host seemed focused on her looks. With a sketch set at Hooter’s, the material has some tired tropes and thin ideas. She does talk to a dog in one zany skit paying tribute to “Air Bud.” The ideas could’ve used a bit more polish, but then again some of them are weird enough to warrant multiple viewings. Sweeney’s more subdued demeanor competes with the stranger concepts. Like oil and vinegar, the guest star and comedic scripts find themselves at odds.

#4: Michael Phelps

You can be a record-breaking Olympian, but that doesn’t always translate to the “SNL” stage. Michael Phelps mostly delivers his lines like he’s doing advertisements. This works during a few select sketches, but makes other ones fall flat. Phelps does have the potential for more deadpan moments, but most of the comedy feels like a false start. He shows up in another version of Will Forte’s amazing locker room skits, making for one high point. We never thought we’d get a chance to see this gold medalist dance around like that. For a glimpse into the late 2000s, you might enjoy this odd throwback.

#3: Quentin Tarantino

It seems especially rare to have a director host “Saturday Night Live.” Quentin Tarantino appeared in the show after the success of “Pulp Fiction,” but his episode revealed his weaknesses as a performer. You need to see his monologue to believe it. After making a reference to “Bewitched,” the filmmaker decides to sing a song. We have to hand it to him for going all out. In other sketches where he references movies and celebrity, Tarantino seems to overdo it with his delivery. You realize throughout the appearance that he’s much more skilled behind the camera. At a certain point, we just appreciate his upbeat energy in the face of lackluster skits.

#2: Wayne Gretzky

“The Great One” is perhaps the best hockey player of all time, but his appearance on “SNL” doesn’t work. The show has a history of inviting athletes to try comedy for the first time. Along with having Gretzky in a musical number, the host feels completely out of his depth. It’s as if he’s given a different sport to play and he’s been thrown into the middle of the championship game. There’s also a fishing skit that puts his skills to the test. Whether he’s doing the monologue or working opposite Phil Hartman, the star player couldn’t quite figure his way out of this one. To paraphrase the legend, you miss one-hundred percent of the jokes you don’t tell.

#1: Steven Seagal

If you asked various cast members from the early 1990s, you might learn that their least favorite host was Steven Seagal. The uber-serious man sounds like he was a bad sport. Seemingly unable to poke fun at himself, the actor helmed an unforgettable episode for all the wrong reasons. This included a sketch that even Chris Farley couldn’t save. The performer plays a father talking to his girlfriend’s date, but he has no real timing or charisma in this disaster. There was even a skit about environmentalism, featuring the “Above the Law” star attacking Exxon executives and addressing the camera. It’s no wonder that writers, cast members, and even Lorne Michaels single out Seagal as a low point.

Did we forget another awful, but hilarious “SNL” host? Let us know in the comments below.