SNL Hosts Who Clashed With The Cast In The Worst Ways

There's a reason "Saturday Night Live" has stayed on the air for an impressive fifty seasons. It's an honor to become a cast member on the series, which has included comedy greats like Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and Adam Sandler. Whether they got their start as writers, like Sarah Silverman did in the '90s. Or others, like Kate McKinnon, spent a decade bringing unforgettable characters to life. The core cast of the show is filled with talent year after year. 

Aside from putting them on the comedy map, being a cast member means you are also bound to cross paths with some of the biggest names of the current era. "Saturday Night Live" hosts have ranged from pop culture icons like Oprah Winfrey to global pop stars like Taylor Swift and Hollywood heartthrobs like George Clooney. Unfortunately, while most "Saturday Night Live" hosts come and go without any scandals, there are occasionally celebrities who really bring drama to 30 Rockefeller Plaza. We're taking a look back at hosts that really didn't get along with the show's ensemble cast. 

Billionaire businessman Elon Musk stopped by to host "Saturday Night Live" back in May 2021. The strange hosting choice was met with controversy before Musk hit the stage, including from the "Saturday Night Live" cast itself. Cast member Bowen Yang posted a tweet from Musk on his Instagram story, that read "Let's find out just how live Saturday Night Live really is," and questioned, "what the f— does this even mean?" Fellow cast member Andrew Dismukes also took to his Instagram to sound off on Musk hosting, writing, "Only CEO I want to do a sketch with is Cher-E Oteri" on top of a photo of former cast member Cheri Oteri.

With no background in acting or comedy, Musk's appearance drew underwhelmed reviews despite all the buzz surrounding it. Three years later, Bowen Yang appeared on "Watch What Happens Live" in August 2024 and opened up about a host who made multiple cast members cry on Wednesday during the table-read, because he hated the ideas." His co-star Chloe Fineman confirmed the host in question was Musk later that October, taking to TikTok in a since-deleted video to reveal, "I'm gonna come out and say, at long last, that I'm the cast member that he made cry and he's the host that made someone cry."

Justin Bieber was no stranger to "Saturday Night Live" when he hosted in February 2013. The singer had already served as the show's musical guest on a 2010 episode. This second appearance saw him pulling double duty as host and performer at just 18 years old. Five years after his hosting gig, cast members Bill Hader and Jay Pharaoh were asked about the worst-behaved musical performer or host during their time on the series on a March 2018 episode of "Watch What Happens Live." Hader and Pharaoh had the same answer — the Canadian pop star. Hader shared, "He just was in a bad place... Maybe he's in a better place, but back then he was in a very... it was rough." 

"Everybody's usually on great behavior," Hader noted, adding, "Bieber is the only one in my experience... he just seemed like exhausted or just at the end of a rope. I mean, he was just so huge." Despite being labeled the "worst-behaved" host, his behavior on set wasn't enough to get Bieber banned. He returned to the iconic late-night series as a musical guest not once, but twice in 2020. 

After 50 seasons, hundreds of stars stepped into the "Saturday Night Live" host role. If you're wondering who is considered to be the worst of all time, look no further than Steven Seagal. The star took on the gig in April 1991, and viewers saw him making mistakes during the episode. It was later revealed that Seagal was rude to the cast and nearly quit halfway through the show. 

David Spade talked about the appearance in the book "Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live," sharing (via Ultimate Classic Rock), "He didn't want to go along with what the plan was that week ... I think that was the first week that I heard talk about replacing the host and just doing a cast show." In that same book, Tim Meadows also weighed in, sharing, "He just wasn't funny, and he was very critical of the cast and the writing staff. He didn't realize that you can't tell somebody they're stupid on Wednesday and expect them to continue writing for you on Saturday."

Even Lorne Michaels called Seagal the worst host. One year after his disastrous appearance, Michaels appeared during actor Nicolas Cage's monologue. As Cage wonders if he'll be considered "the biggest jerk who's ever been on the show," Michaels replies, "No, no, that would be Steven Seagal." Michaels reportedly banned Seagal from ever appearing on the series again.

In 2005, socialite-turned-reality star Paris Hilton – no stranger to controversy – was a big enough name in the pop culture universe to land the coveted hosting gig at "Saturday Night Live." At the time, some of the most famous vets of the series were cast members, most of whom didn't have a nice thing to say about the "Simple Life" star. 

On a 2018 episode of "Late Night with Seth Meyers," host Meyers' former co-stars, Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen, reunited and reminisced about their time with Hilton. Rudolph revealed that Meyers started a bet during her time on set, sharing, "So no one could really get Paris Hilton, our host, to engage in any personal conversations. We realized she hadn't asked any of us a personal question and [Meyers] said, 'The first person she asks a personal question, I'll give a hundred bucks ... Didn't ask one person."

Tina Fey unleashed on Hilton during a 2005 episode of the Howard Stern show. The former cast member called Hilton "a piece of s—," sharing, "She took herself super seriously. She's so dumb, and she's so proud of how dumb she is." Fey revealed that the socialite would refuse to do skits, and was somewhat of a mean girl, explaining, "She would make fun of all the girls she hates. She'd said, 'I wanna play Jessica Simpson because I hate her. You should write a sketch about Jessica Simpson; she's so fat.'"

It takes a lot to get banned from "Saturday Night Live," but actor Milton Berle managed to make it happen. Despite being considered "Mr. Television" in the '40s, the late-night series refused to let Berle return after his horrendous behavior. The actor was tapped to host the show in 1979, decades after he rose to fame hosting "Texaco Star Theater," but he forgot to check his ego at the door. According to the book, "Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live," one writer revealed, "He came in with the attitude 'I am TV.' Not 'I used to be TV,' but 'I am TV.'" Berle also reportedly would say, "Now this might be over your heads," before pitching ideas, rubbing the cast and crew the wrong way. 

If his rude behavior wasn't bad enough, Berle also caused a stir during his opening monologue. The star made jokes that were racist and homophobic, which got him banned for good from the series. Things didn't get much better from there, culminating with Berle closing the show with an odd choice — the sentimental tune "September Song." According to the book, Berle had told creator Lorne Michaels, "Don't worry about a thing, the standing ovation is all arranged." In the book, Michaels revealed he planted the applause, sharing, "I swear to God there were 10 people, which was the number of seats he had, who stood up in the balcony."

In November 2015, just a few months after launching his bid for the presidency, and a year before he would eventually be elected, future president Donald Trump was tapped to host "Saturday Night Live." During his appearance, Trump answered the question on many people's minds during his monologue — why him? The businessman explained, "Part of the reason I'm here is that I know how to take a joke," before sharing the stage with two of his impersonators, cast members Taran Killam and Darrell Hammond.

Killam would later dish behind-the-scenes fodder, revealing that show creator Lorne Michaels pushed the cast and crew to paint the presidential hopeful in a favorable light, telling the "I Was There Too" podcast in October 2018 that Michaels told them, "He's like any New York taxi driver ... He just says whatever it is he's thinking. You have to find a way in that makes him likable." 

Susan Morrison's book "Lorne," which included interviews with both Michaels and "Saturday Night Live" cast and crew members, revealed even more information, including that Michaels wanted writers to go softer on Trump in the episode. The book also uncovered that at one point, writer and performer Tim Robinson exploded at a story meeting, allegedly stating, "Lorne has lost his ... mind, and someone needs to shoot him in the back of the head" over the Trump hosting gig (via USA Today).

You would assume that finding fame on "Saturday Night Live" would mean you would be on your best behavior returning as a host, but that wasn't the case with Chevy Chase. The comedian was a series regular on the show's inaugural 1975 season and was actually the first person ever to utter the show's iconic phrase, "Live from New York, it's Saturday night." Originally hired as a writer, Chase's comedic talent was undeniable, and he also starred on the show for one and a half seasons, originating and starring as the show's first "Weekend Update" host. 

 After his departure, Chase returned to host an episode in February 1978 and butted heads with former co-stars and newcomers to the "Saturday Night Life," cast, including Bill Murray. In Nick de Semlyen's book, "Wild and Crazy Guys: How the Comedy Mavericks of the '80s Changed Hollywood Forever," director John Landis recalled a fistfight between Chase and Murray backstage, telling the author, "It was a huge altercation. They were big guys and really going at it. They were slapping at each other, screaming at each other, calling each other terrible names. The best insult, which made a huge impression on me, was by Bill. In the heat of anger, he pointed at Chevy and yelled, 'medium talent!'"

Despite the physical altercation, Chase would go on to host "Saturday Night Live" seven more times. 

Kanye West has never officially hosted "Saturday Night Live" (he's been a musical guest seven times), the rapper earns an honorable mention for his bad behavior during his last appearance on the series. While appearing as the musical guest for his seventh time in September 2018, West donned a "Make America Great Again" hat during his last song, "Ghost Town." It was a preview of what was to come, as the star took the opportunity to speak in front of the live audience after the credits rolled on the episode. 

West launched into a pro-Donald Trump rant that didn't air on television, but made the rounds on social media. Cast members spoke out about the odd behavior, with star Kenan Thompson appearing on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" to talk about what he referred to as a "circus." "He voiced his opinion, very loudly, for a long time," Thompson explained, "We're all entitled to our opinion, but you know, I don't know if that's the moment, necessarily, to hold people hostage like that." In 2022, West was reportedly banned from SNL after his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, was linked to cast member Pete Davidson.

In 1990, comedian Andrew Dice Clay landed the coveted "Saturday Night Live" hosting gig amid a controversy. At the time, Clay was known for his racy comedy. The network seemed concerned, reportedly insisting on a five-to-seven-second delay that night to make sure Clay didn't improvise anything inappropriate. And it wasn't just the network that had concerns about Clay's jokes, but the show's cast members as well.

Star Nora Dunn did not support the hosting choice and refused to appear on the episode. It's the first and last time a cast member has done so in the show's history, and it led to that episode's musical guest, Sinéad O'Connor, dropping out too. Dunn spoke to Cracked in 2025 about her decision, revealing that she was the reason O'Connor boycotted, too. "... leading up to the show, her manager called my home and said, 'Sinéad doesn't really know who Andrew Dice Clay is, and she wondered if she could talk to you.' I had this CD, and I said, 'You know what? Have a courier take this over to her hotel and let her listen to it and give me a call.' And she did. She called me and she said, 'I'm not going to do the show.' I just about burst into tears," Dunn revealed.

Actor Louise Lasser starred on the popular series "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" when she took on "Saturday Night Live" hosting duties in July 1976. It was the show's first season, which also means she has the dubious distinction of being the first host to ever reportedly be banned from the series. It all started with her opening monologue, during which Lasser referenced her character, Mary Hartman, being in the middle of a nervous breakdown and likening it to herself appearing live on television. The bizarre start led to Lasser running off stage crying and hiding in her dressing room, with cast members, including Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, and Chevy Chase, begging her to come out. Ultimately, Chase is the only one who is successful, getting Lasser to leave the dressing room. 

Unfortunately, the rest of the episode didn't fare much better, but Lasser later claimed it was all intentional. She opened up about her time hosting to The Toast in 2013, revealing she was upset about the types of sketches they wanted her to do. "They wrote sketches for me and I didn't want to do them, because they were salacious — you know how 'Saturday Night Live' is," Lasser revealed, explaining one included talking about sex while playing a teenager. "I just couldn't imagine performing it in front of my parents," Lasser explained. In that same interview, the actor denied being banned from the show. 

There is getting banned from "Saturday Night Live," and then there is getting banned from an entire network. That's reportedly what happened to comedian Martin Lawrence following his 1994 hosting gig on the series, after he allegedly went off script and offended people with his opening monologue. Among the unsavory bits of his opening? Lawrence launched into sexist jokes and discussed feminine hygiene, which was considered so scandalous that in subsequent reruns the show airs a disclaimer that states in part that "network policy prevents us from re-broadcasting this portion of his remarks." 

The actor opened up to the Los Angeles Times following the controversy, explaining, "People know I can be clean every Sunday at 8. On 'Saturday Night Live,' it's 11:30, and things get a little more risque. In my monologue, I made sure to ask if people had their kids in bed yet. Maybe I misjudged my material, but the people at the show said, 'You're the host. Do what you do and have a good time.' That's what I did." Following the scandal, Lawrence's scheduled appearance on "The Tonight Show" was canceled. 

The actor didn't seem to harbor any hard feelings, telling the outlet, "What I said wasn't any harsher than what you'd hear on a douche commercial. But I'm not mad at NBC. I laugh and take my lumps. They made the decision they thought they had to, and I'll live with it."