Every host banned from ‘Saturday Night Live’
Saturday Night Live has been a staple of late-night television since its debut in 1975, created by Lorne Michaels. Over the decades, the show has welcomed countless comedians, musicians, actors, and public figures to its stage, often launching or solidifying careers in the entertainment industry. However, not every guest has been invited back.
Despite what Micahels may protest, claiming that nobody has ever truly been banned from the show, some hosts have found themselves permanently barred from SNL due to controversial actions, inappropriate behaviour, or on-air incidents that pushed the limits too far. The names on this list all share one thing in common—they have all, so far, never been invited back to host the legendary show.
The list of banned Saturday Night Live hosts includes some major names who have clashed with the notoriously strict Lorne Michaels. Most who fell out of favour never returned. Crossing Michaels often meant a permanent exile from Studio 8H, with little chance of redemption.
Hosts have been banned for a variety of reasons—some for chaotic or inappropriate performances, others for on-stage antics like smoking weed, insulting cast members behind the scenes, or simply delivering a lacklustre show. Whether justified or not, one thing is clear: upsetting Lorne Michaels can cost you a spot on SNL forever.
The hosts that Lorne Michaels banned from SNL:
Steven Seagal
A recurring theme among SNL‘s banned hosts is a bad attitude, and Steven Seagal’s 1991 appearance as guest host is a prime example. Known for his tough-guy persona, Seagal struggled with the show’s comedic energy, delivering stiff performances and offering unfunny suggestions for sketches.
“He just wasn’t funny and he was very critical of the cast and the writing staff,” recalled former cast member Tim Meadows. “He didn’t realise that you can’t tell somebody they’re stupid on Wednesday and expect them to continue writing for you on Saturday.”
Seagal may be capable of taking down a terrorist organisation, but hosting SNL? Not so much.
Milton Berle
Milton Berle, a TV legend, learned the hard way that while confidence is key, respect is essential when working with SNL. When he hosted in 1979, he made it clear just how much of a big deal he thought he was, even pitching jokes with the line, “now this might be over your heads.”
This attitude irritated the cast, but they continued to work professionally. However, things took a turn when Berle hit the stage, repeatedly missing his cues, plugging his autobiography, and having a member of his team lead a standing ovation for him. He never returned to SNL.
Charles Grodin
Charles Grodin, though an acclaimed actor, struggled to fit in with the SNL cast in 1977. Despite his success in films like Rosemary’s Baby, Grodin failed to bring his A-game. He skipped rehearsals and tried ad-libbing lines after arriving late—both major missteps on SNL.
The real issue, however, was his inability to connect with the cast. John Belushi summed it up: “He doesn’t smoke dope,” confirming, “He’s not one of us.” Grodin’s lack of chemistry with the group ultimately led to his place on the show’s no-fly list.
Louise Lasser
Louise Lasser’s SNL hosting debut in 1976 ended in disaster, leading to her being banned. The ex-wife of Woody Allen, Lasser struggled with the pressure of the live show, even locking herself in her dressing room before the broadcast.
The cast had to step in and perform her scenes until she reluctantly emerged. She managed just one sketch, with Chevy Chase, but it was a painful performance, overshadowed by her behind-the-scenes struggles. The incident earned her a spot on SNL‘s no-fly list.
Martin Lawrence
Known for his unpredictable behaviour, Martin Lawrence hosted Saturday Night Live in 1994 but went completely off-script during his monologue. His controversial comments, described as “grotesque” by some, resulted in over 200 complaints and reportedly upset several SNL sponsors, leading to his permanent ban.
He began with a discussion about Lorena Bobbitt, already pushing boundaries, before launching into a rant about female hygiene. “Um… some of you are not washing your ass properly,” he said, before adding, “I’m watching douche commercials on television, and I’m wondering if some of you are reading the instructions. I don’t think so. Y’know, ’cause I’m getting with some of the ladies, smelling odours, going ‘Wait a minute. Girl, smell this! This you! Smell yourself, girl.’”
He continued, “Smell yourself! I tell a woman in a minute, douche! Douche! Some women don’t like it when you tell them that, when you straightforward with them. ‘Douche!’”
As the audience pulled back, Lawrence pressed on: “I’m sorry, y’all. You got to wash properly… I like to kiss all over their bodies, you know. But if you’re not clean in your proper areas, I can’t.” SNL has since released a censored version of the monologue, but the full footage remains buried.
Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa’s SNL hosting stint on October 21st, 1978, was a disaster. Invited as both the musical guest and host, the counterculture icon clashed with the show from the start, avoiding interaction with the cast and crew during rehearsals.
On air, Zappa made it clear he wasn’t taking the role seriously, opening by reminding the audience he was reading from cue cards. His ironic detachment fell flat, frustrating both viewers and SNL staff. By the end of the show, some cast members refused to join him for the traditional “goodnight” segment.
SNL later stated he was banned for doing a “disastrous job of hosting the show.”
Robert Blake
Robert Blake, star of In Cold Blood, took his role as SNL host in 1982 a bit too seriously—by berating nearly the entire cast.
Writer David Sheffield recalled: “My vote for worst host is Robert Blake. He was sitting in a room, and a sketch was handed to him by Gary Kroeger… a one-premise sketch about a lofty teacher who’s kind of a biker tough guy, talking about Kierkegaard.”
Blake’s response was brutal: “I hope you got a tough asshole, pal, ‘cause you’re going to have to wipe your ass with that one.” He then crumpled the script and threw it at Kroeger’s face. With that attitude, Blake was never invited back.
Adrien Brody
Adrien Brody, the Oscar-winning star of The Pianist, made history in 2002 as the youngest actor to win ‘Best Actor.’ While his film career soared, his television ventures have been less successful.
On May 10th, 2003, Brody hosted Saturday Night Live and made a crucial misstep. Ignoring the pre-planned script, he took the stage wearing faux dreadlocks and speaking in a Jamaican accent to introduce musical guest Sean Paul.
“Ya, ya, ya, ya, you know, man. We got original rude boy Sean Paul here,” he began, as the audience fell silent. He continued, “Respect all respect. My auntie. Respect all aspects, respect me neck, respect me knees. Big up Jamaica massive! Big up Kingston Massive! We got the whole family now, ya here! Big respect to my man Sean Paul the dance floor killer!”
The unscripted bit, widely criticized as racially offensive, lasted less than a minute but left a lasting impact. The clip has since been largely scrubbed from the internet, but Brody’s ban from SNL remains.
