Since its inception on October 11, 1975, Saturday Night Live (SNL) has welcomed numerous performers as hosts or musical artists. Created by Lorne Michaels for NBC, the late-night live sketch comedy variety show is one of the longest-running network television programs in the world. As a live show, SNL operates within specific guidelines, often using rehearsed sketches.
However, several celebrity guests have been banned from performing on Saturday Night Live, whether due to offensive behavior or breaking show rules. Their actions ranged from political protests to wild, unscripted moments that shocked producers and audiences. While some bans remain permanent, others eventually have theirs lifted. Here are celebrity guests who were banned from performing on Saturday Night Live and the reason for the ban.
Frank Zappa
The late American musician, composer, and former bandleader Frank Zappa became the first performer to be banned from performing on Saturday Night Live. Zappa performed on SNL in season 4, episode 3, which originally aired on October 21, 1978. He was the host and musical guest for the night. The night wasn’t Frank Zappa’s first time on Saturday Night Live, as he had been invited as a musical guest on December 11, 1976, in an episode hosted by actress Candice Bergen.
However, he reportedly had a sarcastic and detached attitude throughout the show, going as far as openly admitting to audiences that he was reading from the cue cards. Most notably, he kept mugging for the camera and frequently broke the fourth wall against his scripted delivery. In addition, as host and musical performer the night, he was included in several sketches for the night, which he reportedly didn’t take seriously. Ultimately, this frustrated the cast and crew, with Lorne Michaels deciding to ban him from ever appearing on the show.
Milton Berle
The following year, actor-comedian Milton Berle joined Frank Zappa in receiving a permanent ban from Saturday Night Live. On April 14, 1979, Berle hosted the 83rd episode of the show (season 4, episode 17) alongside Ornette Coleman as musical guest. Milton Berle already had a reputation for dominating production. However, neither the cast nor the crew prepared for Berle’s behavior before and during the show. He notably delivered an over-the-top performance and was generally difficult to work with.
Berle clashed with the cast and crew, ignoring SNL’s collaborative style while attempting to dominate rehearsals. Besides delivering jokes that felt outdated, he reportedly forced laughter by instructing the audience to react. By the end of the night, it was no surprise that Milton Berle was never allowed to perform on Saturday Night Live. The episode was so bad that Lorne Michaels never allowed it to rerun until 2003. Even as SNL celebrates its 50th anniversary, the Milton Berle episode is still considered one of the show’s worst.
Robert Blake
Actor Robert Blake hosted Saturday Night Live on November 13, 1982. By this time, Lorne Michaels had briefly left the show as producer (he returned in 1985). Robert Blake’s SNL ban stemmed from his difficult and aggressive behavior during rehearsals and behind the scenes. Cast and crew members described Blake as rude and unprofessional, with some accounts stating he insulted writers. He reportedly crumpled a script and threw it into the face of writer and cast member Gary Kroeger. Robert Blake’s hostile attitude generally made for a tense working environment. The episode was Blake’s first and only time on Saturday Night Live, with producers blacklisting him from ever returning.
The Replacements
The Replacements were banned from Saturday Night Live after their January 18, 1986 performance. American actor Harry Dean Stanton had hosted the show that night. The Replacements, known for their wild and unpredictable behavior, were reportedly intoxicated during the live broadcast. To make things worse, lead singer Paul Westerberg accidentally used on-air profanity, violating FCC regulations. Although most audiences didn’t notice the profanity, Lorne Michaels, who was back to SNL as executive producer, didn’t take it lightly. Michaels banned The Replacements from the show. However, Paul Westerberg later performed as a solo artist on the show on December 4, 1993.
Steven Seagal
One of the most famous Saturday Night Live bans was for actor and martial artist Steven Seagal. Seagal was one of Hollywood’s action stars in the early 1990s. He was invited to host the 308th episode of the show (season 16, episode 18) on April 20, 1991, with Michael Bolton performing as the musical guest. This decision quickly became one of SNL’s worst, as Steven Seagal was reportedly difficult to work with. The actor rejected sketches and refused to take part in jokes at his expense. Cast members and writers found him humorless and unwilling to collaborate, making the episode difficult to produce. Lorne Michaels later called Steven Seagal the “worst host ever.” After the Herculean task of producing that episode, Steven Seagal was never invited back to SNL.
Martin Lawrence
One of the famous segments on Saturday Night Live is the monologue performed by the celebrity host for the night. In the February 19, 1994 episode, Martin Lawrence was the host, with Canadian rock band Crash Test Dummies as the musical guest. During Lawrence’s opening monologue, the actor-comedian made explicit and crude remarks about female hygiene and personal topics that NBC deemed inappropriate for broadcast. The controversial monologue earned Martin Lawrence his SNL ban, with the actor-comedian never returning to the show in any capacity. NBC later censored the monologue in reruns and issued an apology.
Chevy Chase
American comedian, actor, and writer Chevy Chase had a long history with Saturday Night Live before he was “banned” from the show. Chase was a cast member from 1975 to 1976, returning to host the show for the first time on February 18, 1978. Subsequently, Chevy Chase hosted SNL eight additional times. However, his behavior during rehearsals for the February 15, 1997 episode earned him a ban.
Chevy Chase had reportedly been verbally abusive to Robert Downey Jr. and Terry Sweeney and fought Bill Murray in the past. However, while rehearsing for his last hosted episode of the show in 1997, he hit SNL cast member Cheri Oteri on the back of the head. This behavior, alongside his difficult attitude working with other cast members, led to Lorne Michaels banning him from hosting SNL. Unlike others banned from the show, Chevy’s ban is restricted to never being able to host the show. Since 1997, he has appeared in cameos and was notably present for the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special.
Adrien Brody
When Adrien Brody hosted Saturday Night Live on May 10, 2003, he had just won his first Oscar, a few months before, for his performance in The Pianist (2002). His SNL ban came as a shock to everyone, especially because the episode generally went well. Brody’s ban came from his controversial introduction of the musical guest, Sean Paul. Instead of following the scripted cue cards, Brody improvised by wearing a fake dreadlock wig and speaking in a stereotypical Jamaican accent. The unscripted moment was reportedly not approved by Lorne Michaels, who has always had a strict policy against off-script performances. As a result of that 45-second act, Adrien Brody was never invited back to the show.
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