NBC's sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live has been on the air since 1975. Over the course of many decades, we have seen dozens of truly spectacular performers get their start on the show. Huge Hollywood names like Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, David Spade and Adam Sandler all have SNL to thank for their extremely lucrative careers. All of that being said, not everything that has happened on the set of the show has been as hilarious as their famous skits.
In today's article, we will be looking at 20 scandals we are sure SNL would rather we just forget about already. However, as NBC head honchos know by now, nothing in Hollywood ever stays hidden for long! Let's see which famous cast members managed to stir the pot the most during their time on the show. Who's ready to start scrolling and learn all about the BTS drama that has taken place on the set of SNL?
20 Damon Wayans Got Booted For Going Off Script
At this point in time, Damon Wayans is very much a household name. However, back in the 80s, he was still very much an up-and-coming comedian. After being hired as a featured performer, Wayans actually got fired for going off script. His character was written straight, but while performing live, Wayans made the decision to play him flamboyantly gay instead.
19 It'll Be Years Before Anyone Forgets About Ashlee Simpson's Lip Synching Debacle
Back in 2004, Ashlee Simpson appeared on a now-legendary episode of SNL as a musical guest. After successfully performing her hit song 'Pieces of Me" without issue, she was then supposed to sing a second number "Autobiography". However, when a prerecorded track (lyrics included) of her first song started playing again, not only did it reveal Simpson had been faking it, but it also forced her to run off stage in embarrassment.
18 Larry David Butted Heads With Fellow Writers And Heckled Performers
In the world of comedy, Larry David is truly one of the biggest names we've got. He is the creator of huge hit shows like Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. However, when it came to his work on SNL, not everyone was a huge fan. David was a staff writer for only 1 season, but in that time he managed to rub fellow writers the wrong way and heckle performers like Michael McKean from backstage.
17 David Spade Once Accidentally Stole A Joke
One of the quickest ways a comedian can end their career, is by stealing jokes. However, can we really blame them if this happens by accident? During David Spade's time as a sketch writer for the show, his buddy Chris Farley, pulled a risky prank. He suggested a funny line to Spade, which Spade went ahead and used in a sketch. Once the bit aired, Farley admitted that he'd taken the line from a movie.
16 Kanye West Had An Epic Meltdown Backstage
Since this kind of thing seems to happen frequently to Kanye West, this one is a little less surprings. Back in 2017, West appeared on the show as a musical guest. While his performance wound up being a success, we can't imagine showrunners were eager to invite him back after he had an explosive meltdown backstage before going on. Apparently, West was upset when SNL changed up his stage last minute. Take a listen here.
15 Chevy Chase's Bad Attitude Made Him The Least Popular Guy On Set
Chevy Chase was an original cast member. He left SNL after the very first season, making him the first ever cast member to leave the crew. While fans of SNL's Weekend Update were surely sad to see him go, we're thinking his fellow co-stars weren't all that upset about his decision to leave. Apparently, Chase was so miserable to work with that some of his co-stars even filed complaints.
14 Jenny Slate Learned About The Dangers Of Cursing On Live TV The Hard Way
Jenny Slate is a truly hilarious comedian and her SNL scandal was something that really could have happened to anyone. In 2009, she landed a recurring spot on the show. During her very first sketch, Slate accidently dropped the F word. Since this aired on live TV, it was obviously a pretty big deal. Needless to say, her contract was not renewed for a second season.
13 Rage Against The Machine Got Kicked Off Stage Mid-Performance
Rage Against the Machine is one band that we won't be seeing perform on SNL anytime soon. This is due to the fact that back in 1996, the famous rock band got banned from ever returning to the show. When the musical group decided to make a political statement by hanging an upside down flag during their first number, they upset Lorne Michaels so much that he refused to even let them finish their set.
12 Elvis Costello Spent Years On The Banned-List
Back in 1977, Elvis Costello was 23 and just starting to make a name for himself. When SNL contacted him for a last minute gig as a musical performer, Costello naturally jumped at the chance. However, after just a couple of lines into his scheduled song "Less Than Zero", Costello and his band stopped the performance and instead started playing the controversial song "Radio Radio". This move got him banned for almost 12 years.
11 Almost The Entire 1985 Cast Was Fired In One Fell Swoop
Fans who have followed SNL since the very beginning, usually all agree on that fact that the 1985 season was the worst of the bunch. New cast members like Robert Downey Jr. were brought on in the hopes that new, younger faces might be able to revamp the show. Well, that didn't work out at all. After the season wrapped, all but 3 cast members were let go.
