The 50 Best 'Saturday Night Live!' Sketches of All Time
What constitutes a great SNL sketch? The question is more complicated than it seems. Besides the obvious issue of subjectivity—I’m sorry, but I just don’t think Opera Man is funny—there are several SNL-specific issues we have to think through before we begin picking favorites. For instance, what’s the difference between great characters and great sketches, or are they synonymous? I love Tracy Morgan’s lip-glossed embodiment of the idiosyncratic zookeeper, Brian Fellows, as well as Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri’s Spartans Cheerleaders. But did either of those characters produce one of SNL’s best sketches? I’m not so sure.
And what about Weekend Update desk segments? Do those count as sketches? Well, as an official member of Esquire’s divisive Pete Davidson fan club, I am duty-bound to include them. I have also decided to include digital shorts, commercials, and all things pre-taped because, let’s be honest, if I didn’t, this list would end in 2003 and may as well be called 50 Times Eddie Murphy and Will Ferrell were Hilarious on Live Television on Saturday Night. Finally, are cold opens sketches? Sure, why the hell not?
Now that we’ve determined what a sketch is, let’s establish what makes one great. To be clear, funniness is not the only factor that matters. Legacy counts too. How well has the sketch held up over time? Do people still quote it? What about its impact? Did it change the culture of the show? The culture of America? The way we view a certain celebrity or politician? Here’s the other criteria I came up with:
Originality: The more out there, the less reliant on a game show format, the better, with the obvious exception being every Celebrity Jeopardy sketch ever.
Breaking: Everybody loves it when cast members break out laughing during a sketch. But just because Jimmy Fallon can’t keep his shit together doesn’t mean it’s a quality sketch. This is a serious list, which means sketches that produced cheap laughs elicited from mishaps, cast mistakes, or Christopher Walken’s insane way of reading cue cards, will be limited.
So let’s get on with the reason we are all gathered here today: Esquire’s definitive list of the 50 Best SNL sketches. Ours is the only list that matters. It’s the best SNL Best Sketches list of all the SNL’s Best Sketches lists. The “Matt Foley Motivational Speaker” of Best SNL Sketches listicles, if you will. And if you’ve got a problem with that reference, I look forward to not reading the opinion you shared with me in the comments section.
What constitutes a great Saturday Night Live! sketch? The question is more complicated than it seems. Besides the obvious issue of subjectivity—I’m sorry, but I just don’t think "Opera Man" is funny—there are several SNL-specific issues we have to think through before we pick favorites. For instance, what’s the difference between great characters and great sketches, or are they synonymous? I love Tracy Morgan’s lip-glossed embodiment of the idiosyncratic zookeeper, Brian Fellows, as well as Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri’s Spartan cheerleaders. But did either of those characters produce one of SNL’s best sketches? I’m not so sure.
And what about "Weekend Update" desk segments? Do those count as sketches? Well, as an official member of Esquire’s divisive Pete Davidson fan club, it's my duty to include them. Also, I've decided to include digital shorts, commercials, and all things pre-taped because. If I didn’t, this list would end in 2003 and Esquire would call it "50 Times Eddie Murphy and Will Ferrell were Hilarious on Live Television on Saturday Night." Finally, are cold opens sketches? Sure, why the hell not? Now that we’ve determined what a sketch is, let’s establish what makes one exceptional. To be clear, funniness is not the only factor that matters. Legacy counts, too. How well has the sketch held up over time? Do people still quote it? What about its impact? Did it change the culture of the show? The culture of America? The way we view a certain celebrity or politician? Here’s the other criteria I came up with:
Originality: The more out there a sketch is, the better. Translated: less reliance on game-show formats. The obvious exception is every "Celebrity Jeopardy" sketch ever.
Breaking: Everybody loves it when cast members break out laughing during a sketch. But just because Jimmy Fallon can’t keep his shit together doesn’t mean it’s a quality sketch. This is a serious list, which means sketches that produced cheap laughs from mishaps, cast mistakes, or Christopher Walken’s insane way of reading cue cards, will be limited.
So let’s get on with the reason we are all gathered here today: Esquire’s definitive list of the 50 Best SNL sketches of all time. It's the “Matt Foley Motivational Speaker” of Best SNL Sketches listicles, if you will. And if you’ve got a problem with that reference, I look forward to not reading the opinion you shared with me in the comments section.
Mary Katherine Gallagher Wants To Join A Gang
Youths of the nation take note: this is what it looks like to commit to the bit.
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White Like Me
Ever wonder where the idea for the underrated comedy White Chicks came from? Look no further than this 1984 pre-taped sketch from Eddie Murphy. Styled like a mock investigative documentary, “White Like Me” sees Eddie Murphy going undercover as a white person for a day—and discovering that everything is better when you’re white.
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Black Jeopardy with Tom Hanks
Michael Che and Bryan Tucker, the two writers behind "Black Jeopardy," knew they had to deliver a great sketch for legendary host Tom Hanks. Thankfully, they didn’t disappoint with this 2016 election-inspired bit. As the Trump-loving Doug, Hanks unexpectedly bonds with his fellow Black contestants over their shared grievances and manages to nail all the questions that the white contestants usually get wrong. The sketch was a huge hit at the time, with Oprah even calling Hanks to tell her how much she liked it.
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James Brown Celebrity Hot Tub Party
Many of Eddie Murphy’s best impressions relied on inversion. Gumby reimagined as an asshole, Mr. Rogers if he were homeless, etc. But in this legendary sketch, Murphy delivers a straightforward impression of James Brown—because sometimes the source material is so ludicrous, it shouldn’t be messed with. If James Brown ever vamped about getting in a hot tub in real life (and he probably did), this is what it looked like. I also suspect this sketch was the inspiration for Kenan Thompson’s iconic “What’s Up with That?” performances.
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Spelling Bee
To enjoy this dark horse of an SNL sketch, you have to really like Will Forte, whose absurdist sense of humor isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. But even if you can’t find the joke in this sketch about a man who seriously misspells the word “business” (hint: there isn’t one), you should at least be able to appreciate Forte’s commitment. It’s funny because it’s ridiculous.
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Totino's with Kristen Stewart
In an interview with Vulture, former SNL writers and The Other Two co-creators Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider revealed that the inspiration behind their string of Totino's commercials was how funny cast member Vanessa Bayer was when she was sad. “Smiling through pain is Vanessa Bayer’s sweet spot,” Kelly said. The Totino's commercials were an annual tradition for a while, appearing every year around the time of the Super Bowl, with Bayer playing the titular role of a desperate, dejected housewife who just wants to feed her “hungry guys.” But things begin looking up for Bayer in the final installment of the series, when Kristen Stewart—hot off the heels of her official coming-out—finally gives Bayer the attention she craves. “I’ve never had one” should go down in history as the funniest response to the question: “What’s your name?”
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The French Chef
When it comes to gory sketches about food prep starring Dan Akroyd, most people will point to the legendary “Bass-o-Matic” as the obvious, if not only, choice. But early SNL got a kick out of disgusting, kitchen-themed sketches, and the lesser-known "French Chef" sketch is simply funnier than the infamous blender infomercial. Akroyd’s impression of an injured and bloody Julia Child trying to fasten a tourniquet out of an old cheesecloth and a chicken bone is a pure *chef’s kiss* moment.
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Jeffrey's with Sean Hayes
"Jeffrey’s" was a recurring sketch from the early ‘00s about snooty department store employees. It was based on a real store in New York City...and the owner wasn’t thrilled about the sketch. But even he had to admit that this installment with Sean Hayes, which instantly became a fan-favorite, was good for business, telling The Advocate in 2008, “All my friends thought it was the most incredible, wonderful thing in the whole world and that I should be thrilled.”
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Two Wild and Crazy Guys: Computer Dates
The Czech-born Festrunk Brothers, AKA two wild and crazy guys, were some of SNL’s first beloved staple characters. Plus, they're the clear inspiration for Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell’s Roxbury guys two decades later. First introduced in the season 3 premiere in 1977, these Soviet Union refugees (played by Akroyd and Steve Martin) constantly strike out with women, thanks to their heavy-handed but harmless approach. In this sketch, the perpetually cool Garret Morris, SNL’s first Black cast member, tries to explain to the perpetually overconfident nimrods that they’ve been stood up by the supermodels they’re expecting. The joke, though, is on Morris. The supermodels, AKA Gilda Radner and Jane Curtain, actually show up—and, for once, the creepy guys get the girls. The sketch was a huge hit when it first aired, but nearly 50 years later, what remains funny aren’t the dated jokes about romance. It’s the giant portable vacuum with the Czech word “Pozor!” on it. (Translated: "Warning!") That’s a Cold War relic if I ever saw one, and more evidence that SNL’s prop department is the secret ingredient to the show’s longstanding success.
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Colonel Angus
Many of SNL’s head writers have been major word nerds, and as such, they love a joke based on pronunciation. Take, for example, 2003's Tina Fey-written sketch about a Colonel visiting women at “Shady Thicket” grove and the many women who are, well…excited …to greet him. Say the name of this sketch out loud in a Gone with the Wind-style Southern accent, and you’ll immediately understand the premise.
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NPR’s Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls
For as many iconic cultural moments SNL has produced, very few of them have been tied to the holidays. Name a famous holiday-themed SNL sketch other than Adam Sandler’s "The Chanukah Song." If you thought of anything, it was the Schweddy Balls sketch. Sure, all the double entendres are funny, but it’s really Ana Gesteyer and Molly Shannon’s spot-on impressions of quaint NPR hosts that get me.
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Meet Your Second Wife
You know how whenever you hear about a couple with a crazy age gap, you can’t help but think, She wasn’t even born when he was 20! This is the exact thought that sprung to life, and it is so disturbing.
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Super Showcase Spokesmodels Sketch
Now class, what did we learn from the "Super Showcase Spokesmodels" sketch? That’s correct: that Studio 6H’s soundstages are too small for a golf cart.
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Close Encounter
No one plays a weirdo like Kate McKinnon. Writers Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell created the perfect role for her in this sketch, which is about three people who were abducted by aliens and the one lady (McKinnon) whose experience isn’t like the others. What made everyone on stage break? Probably McKinnon’s impression of the aliens “gently batting” around her knockers.
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CBS Evening News: Katie Couric Interviews Sarah Palin
All of Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin sketches are now legendary, but this one deserves special recognition due to how closely it resembles its source material. Watch the interview this sketch is attempting to satirize, and you’ll appreciate how little Fey and Couric are actually doing here. Restraint doesn’t come naturally to sketch comedians.
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Star Wars Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base
The premise of this digital short—the evil Star Wars character Kylo Ren is upset that his underlings on the Starkiller Base don’t like him—is so absurd that all Adam Driver had to do to make it successful was be his usual super-intense self. Thankfully, he did just that—and the sketch was a hit.
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Evil Boss
It’s so hard to pick a favorite “Will Ferrell flying off the handle” sketch because there are so damn many of them. The curly-haired Californian excelled at playing characters with anger issues. Many of his most beloved sketches—“Evil Boss,” “Dysfunctional Family Dinner,” “Dissing Your Dog”—feature the same character, just in different clothing and seething at different volumes. In “Evil Boss,” Ferrell goes full-throttle. Honestly, watching him act completely unhinged in a sketch that would not be allowed on air today is exhilarating. But if you prefer your Ferrell freakouts a little more mellow, maybe watch “Dysfunctional Family Dinner” and work your way up to “Evil Boss.”
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Weekend Update: Stefon on Halloween's Hottest Tips
Stefon, the legendary nightlife correspondent of "Weekend Update," was less of a character and more of a cruel joke on Bill Hader. Every week, John Mulaney, who wrote the Steffon segments with Hader, would change the lines at the last minute, amping up the ridiculousness to try and get Hader to break. Watch this sketch closely and you’ll see Hader staring at the cue cards in disbelief over what he is about to say. That’s why Hader always tents his mouth, too. It’s not a character quirk he came up with for Stefon. Really, he’s trying not to visibly lose it before (in this sketch) explaining that a human pinata is, “that thing when a Mexican midget eats a lot of candy and then dances until he throws up.”
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Beavis and Butthead
I know, I know. Including a sketch from the most recent SNL season on a “Best of” list is ballsy. Not enough time has passed to properly consider its legacy! But this simple, borderline stupid sketch, in which two audience members are unaware of their striking resemblance to the animated TV show characters Beavis and Butthead, has already racked up 17 million views on YouTube. It’s also the funniest live sketch SNL has produced in at least five years. It’s not because Heidi Gardner breaks not once, but twice after turning around to see Mikey Day dressed as Butthead, exposed gums and all. Performers breaking isn’t inherently funny! What’s hilarious is Mikey Day staying in character as a clueless Butthead-lookalike, responding to Gardner’s comment about his distracting looks with a dumbfounded expression and: “I’m sorry, me?” Yes, you!
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Brenda the Waitress
"Brenda the Waitress" is an incredible sketch that isn’t so much funny as it is…sexy. Alec Baldwin and cast member Jan Hooks play a mysterious cowboy and a waitress whose flirty back and forth about pie ends in bizarre heartbreak. There’s so much chemistry between these two in this sketch that you’ll wonder what went on at the cast party later that evening.
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Massive Head Wound Harry
Lorne Michaels probably wakes up every day and thanks God for Dana Carvey. Or, if he doesn’t, he should. SNL was at its lowest point when Michaels returned to try and save his sinking ship in 1986. He hired an entire new cast, including Dana Carvey, who ended up being the most essential player during SNL’s comeback era. A comedy chameleon who was as good in one-off sketches as he was at recurring characters (Church Lady! Hans and Franz! Derek Stevens!) and political impressions (only Carvey could pull humor out of George Bush Sr.), Carvey deserved all five of his Emmy nominations and probably should’ve won more than one. If Carvey suffered from anything, it was overexposure. He loved the camera, and the camera loved him. He appeared in more recurring character sketches than any other cast member in the decade ('85-'95) that included his six-season run. It’s hard to watch Church Lady today without groaning. The same can’t be said about the “Massive Headwound Harry” sketch, though. This underappreciated gem features Carvey in an original role and, equally important, in a sketch that doesn’t rely entirely on Carvery for laughs. Don’t get me wrong: “He probably smells my dog!” is the best line in the sketch. But Phil Hartman and Chris Farley’s disgusted reactions are also hilarious, helping make this sketch a full cast effort, which it should’ve been given the megawatt talent on the roster during this era. Fun fact: “Massive Headwound Harry” is Mikey Day’s favorite sketch!
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Beyoncé Hot Ones
Some sketches you just know are going to be funny based on their title alone. Obviously, pop culture icons like Beyonce have no business being on “janky-ass” YouTube shows like “Hot Ones” (or at least they didn’t use to). But this sketch dares to imagine what it would look like if they did and everything went horribly wrong. Kudos to the supporting cast members in this sketch, Mikey Day and Kenan Thompson, who somehow manage to mine their minor roles for almost as many laughs as Maya Rudolph gets for her hilarious impression of a gassy Beyoncé.
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Weekend Update: The Iceberg on the Sinking of the Titanic
In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, Bowen Yang revealed that he was worried no one would get his portrayal of the iceberg that sank The Titanic. But his fears didn’t come true. People loved his wounded diva take on the iceberg, especially when he rightfully pointed out that the Titanic ran into HIM. “It was midnight, I was chilling!” Yang said. Yang’s Iceberg appearance ushered in a new wave of non-human "Weekend Update" guests, including Flaco the Owl (RIP), cicadas, and Kristen Noem’s other dog.
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Rap Roundtable
If this sketch made you cringe and mourn for the modern state of hip-hop, good. That was the point. “Rap Roundtable” will also go down in memory as the only sketch that Pete Davidson was ever good in. For once, our guy understood the assignment.
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Protective Mom
If there’s one thing SNL has never excelled at, it’s diversity. I think the entire nation would like to forget that Fred Armisen briefly played Barack Obama in 2008. This hilarious and critically adored bilingual sketch featuring SNL breakout star Marcello Hernández and Emmy-nominated host Pedro Pascal marks a highwater moment in the show’s history. In it, a protective Hispanic mother, based on Marcello’s own mom, takes issue with a young son’s white girlfriend and her “unisex apparel.” The sketch went viral, leading them to do another equally hilarious rendition of it when Bad Bunny hosted in Season 49. Lorne, if you’re reading, more of this and less of Fred Armisen in blackface, please.
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Mom Jeans
"Mom Jeans" is another ace from Tina Fey, whose historical term as head writer officially marked the end of the show’s reputation as a boy’s club. Fun fact: Mom jeans are back in style, so if you’re a member of Gen Z and you don’t get why this sketch is funny, ask your parents.
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Papyrus
“Papyrus” first appeared in the premiere episode of SNL’s 43rd season, but it's clear from its polished execution and fully developed plot that its creator, Julio Torres, had been haunted by the idea long before that week’s writers’ meetings. Starring Ryan Gosling, “Papyrus” skewers the movie Avatar for its laughable font choice. Papyrus, really? Gosling’s character spirals into madness over the crime, unable to get over the inscrutable decision to use a Microsoft Office stock font on a multibillion-dollar movie. The sketch was so sharp it prompted a response from the font’s designer, a redesign of the Avatar logo, and an expended, seven-minute follow-up digital short from Gosling when he hosted in 2024.
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Haunted Elevator (ft. David S. Pumpkins)
What more can be said about the “Haunted Elevator” sketch? You love it. I love it. America loves it.
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Sean Spicer Press Conference
Melissa McCarthy is a master of physical comedy, and she put her unique talent to unexpected, but brilliant work in her impression of former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer. Once again, kudos to SNL’s prop team, who outfitted McCarthy with a motorized podium—which she used to ram into reporters during her equally hilarious follow-up performance.
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Blues Brothers: Soul Man
I know it’s not a sketch, nor is it meant to be funny, but this live Blues Brothers performance of “Soul Man” is too charming not to include. Who knew Jim Belushi could do a cartwheel?
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Buckwheat Dead and America Mourns
Eddie Murphy introduced his take on Buckwheat, the Little Rascals character, in 1981 with a sketch that famously advertised a “Buh-Wheat Sings” record. That’s a great sketch. But this one is better. It’s part one of a multi-sketch series that depicts Murphy, who had grown sick of playing the character, killing off Buckwheat while simultaneously spoofing the way the news covered was covering the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan at the time.
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The Shooting AKA Dear Sister
“Dear Sister” is an homage to television’s most dramatic scene ever: The season 2 finale of The O.C. So if you didn’t watch The O.C., or you’ve never heard Imogen Heap’s early aughts classic, “Hide and Seek,” you may not get this Lonely Island fan favorite. But it influenced an entire generation of YouTube comedians and spawned countless parodies that, combined, have netted tens of millions of YouTube views. Quite the legacy for a Lonely Island production that isn’t “D*** in a Box.”
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Debbie Downer Disney World
Cast member Rachel Dratch and veteran SNL writer Paula Pell unleashed Debbie Downer in a 2004 Disney World sketch, sparking seven iconic appearances. The debut was legendary, causing epic crack-ups—including guest host Lindsay Lohan, 16 at the time, who feared she’d be fired for breaking character. According to Dratch’s memoir, Debbie Downer was inspired by a morbid encounter she had with a stranger in Europe the previous summer. Upon telling them she was from New York, the stranger responded: So you were there for 9/11. What? Too soon?
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Space, The Infinite Frontier: Dr. Kent Wahler
"Hey! Would you eat the moon if it were made of spare ribs?” Only Will Ferrell—pretending to be legendary cuckoo baseball announcer Harry Caray hosting a show about space—could make Jeff Goldblum seem normal.
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Landshark
Technically, “Landshark” is a satire of the film Jaws, which came out the same year SNL debuted and became the highest-grossing film of all time. But mostly, “Landshark” is proof that SNL’s writers were truly just throwing things at the wall and seeing what stuck in the first season.
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Weekend Update: Jane, You Ignorant Slut
Is it sexist? It sure is! But “Jane, you ignorant slut!” is still a perfect, vicious comeback.
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The Californians: Stuart Has Cancer
To this day, I cannot believe it took a show that is famously based in New York City 37 seasons to properly roast southern Californians. Better late than never, I guess. Random piece of trivia: Fred Armisen went to great lengths to ensure that the characters’ elaborate driving directions were actually accurate. So next time you’re in LA, see if getting back on San Vicente, taking it to the 10, and switching over to 405 North, actually dumps you onto Mulholland.
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Mister Robinson's Neighborhood: Nutrition
Debuting on February 21, 1981, Eddie Murphy’s brilliant parody of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood flipped the script on the classic children’s TV show. Murphy’s Mr. Robinson taught kids about the gritty realities of inner-city life in America—drug deals, theft, unpaid bills, and looming violence—instead of manners and kindness. The sketch, which Murphy wrote himself, offered a sharp commentary on racial injustice and still resonates today.
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The Olympia Restaurant
This beloved sketch from SNL’s Belushi era is based on the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago, IL, an old-school Greek diner that opened in the 1930s and moved to its famous location under a bridge on the lower level of Michigan Avenue in the ‘60s. It is still open in the same location today, and having eaten there several times between the hours of 11 P.M. and 3 A.M., I can say with limited authority that this sketch is an accurate representation of the tavern it is based on.
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The Lawrence Welk Show: Introducing The Maharelle Sisters
Kristen Wiig’s penchant for playing zany misfits was on full display in this 2008 sketch about a trio of beautiful, singing sisters and their awkward sister, Denise (Wiig). Wiig is a master of tiny, humorous gestures (think of Target lady’s celebratory arms-above-her-head pose), and as a result, she knew exactly what to do with Denise’s signature tiny hands.
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Weekend Update: Roseanne Roseannadanna on Smoking
Gilda Radner’s famous SNL character, the brash consumer affairs correspondent Roseanne Roseannadanna, was co-created by her and her close friend, Alan Zweibel, and quickly became one of SNL’s most beloved recurring characters. In this sketch, she reads a letter from Mr. Richard Feder of Fort Lee, New Jersey (the real name and location of Zweibel’s brother-in-law) about quitting smoking, but quickly veers off into a series of bizarre and unrelated personal anecdotes. Jane Curtain, being the impatient WASP she was, tries to cut her off, but no one can stop Roseannadanna once she gets started.
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Cobras and Panthers
Norm Macdonald was never an SNL song-and-dance guy. The role came naturally to people like Dana Carvey, Chris Kattan, and Jimmy Fallon. Even Will Ferrell could muster up the musicality for a choreographed number every so often. But not Macdonald, no fucking way. The insubordinate eccentric from Quebec wouldn’t be caught dead dancing. To prove it, he wrote this hilarious sketch spoofing West Side Story and asking the very important question: Since when was choreography part of a street fight?
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D*** in a Box
My personal favorite Lonely Island sketch is “Natalie’s Rap,” but I respect the impact and originality of “D*** in a Box” and have thus included it on this list…begrudgingly. You just can’t deny how iconic this performance was, especially considering how beloved JT was at the time. Things have obviously since changed, but just like other SNL legends, “D*** in a Box” will never die.
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Sarah Palin and Hillary Address the Nation
Tina Fey’s guest appearances as Sarah Palin in 2008 gave SNL its highest ratings since 1994, and every one of them was iconic. But seeing Fey reunite with her best friend Amy Poehler—in a sketch that brilliantly satirized sexism in politics—takes the cake.
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Wayne's World: Aerosmith
Fresh out of rehab and angling for a comeback, Aerosmith made a legendary appearance on Wayne’s World in 1990 courtesy of Garth‘s cousin, Barry (played by Tom Hanks). Barry is an Aerosmith roadie, and he brings the band downstairs to perform the “Wayne's World Theme” twith Wayne and Garth. See that guy playing the tambourine? That’s Aerosmith’s actual drummer, Joey Kramer.
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Celebrity Jeopardy French Stewart, Burt Reynolds, & Sean Connery
It’s a true testament to the creator of “Celebrity Jeopardy,” Steve Higgins, that every single installment of the sketch is great. Or maybe the credit belongs to Darrell Hammond for his hilarious impression of a mercilessly crude Sean Connery. The only reason we picked this “Celebrity Jeopardy” over numerous worthy contenders is that it features Norm McDonald’s immortal insistence that he's called “Turd Ferguson” and Connery’s famous final Jeopardy response: “Suck it, Trebek.”
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Word Association
In this famous sketch from SNL’s first season, host Richard Pryor does the lord’s work and puts that tall cocky bastard Chevy Chase in his place for once. Fun fact: This sketch wasn’t even written by an SNL writer. It was written by Pryor’s friend Paul Mooney, whom Pryor insisted Lorne Michaels temporarily hire to work on the episode. According to Mooney’s memoir, the sketch—in which Chase interviews Pryor for a janitor job—is based on his experience interviewing with racist NBC executives.
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More Cowbell
Every time I rewatch the iconic “More Cowbell” sketch, I find another small funny detail to appreciate, like the light pink color of Christopher Walken’s shades (once again, shoutout to SNL’s incredible costume department!) or how Horatio Sanz bobs his head back and forth like a young Paul McCartney. I figured I’d find another detail when I rewatched the sketch for the umpteenth time to make this list, but instead, I made a startling discovery. The real star of the “More Cowbell” sketch isn’t Christopher Walken, or Chris Parnell, or even Will Ferrell. It’s Will Ferrell’s gyrating gut, specifically the portion jutting out from his too-small, wide-collared shirt. Evidently, that’s what made Ferrell’s fellow cast member Jimmy Fallon break character (not that it’s hard or anything). This sketch is still every bit as funny today, and I think Will Ferrell’s gut should win an Emmy retroactively for its performance.
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Matt Foley: Van Down by the River
Chris Farley’s portrayal of Matt Foley wasn’t just funny; it was unforgettable. The thrice-divorced motivational speaker, who lived in a van down by the river, was actually Bob Odenkirk’s creation. He came up with the character when he and Farley worked at Second City together. “It may be one of the strangest sketches I ever wrote,” said Odenkirk in an interview with the Chicago Reader, “because it’s not really funny.” It’s true. In anyone’s hands other than Farley’s, Matt Foley probably would’ve been bummer. But Farley’s manic energy, heartfelt kindness, and knack for physical comedy transformed Foley into a hilarious tragicomic hero. And his well-known goal of trying to make fellow cast member David Spade break during live shows added a bit of spontaneity to the sketch. That famous moment when Farley grabs his belts and adjusts his pants was totally improvised. Chris Farley’s raw depiction of a man at the end of his rope is pure SNL magic and, upon reflection, a poignant encapsulation of Farley’s no-holds-barred approach to comedy and life.
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Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer
A lot of sketch comedy is topical and therefore has a short shelf life. But every so often, a sketch comes along that is so rooted in pathos and universal human behavior that it transcends the cultural zeitgeist and becomes timeless. Enter "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer." This genius sketch starring SNL GOAT, Phil Hartman, was the brainchild of SNL’s most humble writer, Jack Handey, a real person who also memorably created the “Deep Thoughts” series. In the sketch, which appeared in the show’s 17th season in 1991, Hartman plays Keerok, a caveman who fell into an icy crevasse and centuries later was unfrozen by scientists. Now, Keerok is a lawyer who weaponizes his naïveté—“I’m just a caveman!”—to win big on behalf of his clients. He eventually rides his everyman, populist persona straight to elected office—where, in the last line of the sketch—he promises to “lower the capital gains tax.” Okay, Mitt Romney! What makes "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer" so memorable among comedy nerds is how it takes an already absurd idea (unfrozen caveman) one step further (he becomes a lawyer), and then darkens it (he’s a smarmy defense attorney). Hartman’s performance is legendary for all of the small details he injected into the bizarre character: how he checks his gold watch right before he starts spouting nonsense to the jury; his hand gestures when he says, “your world frightens and confuses me;” his whispering into the cell phone at the end of the sketch. It’s Hartman at his very best, playing a version of the smug corporate weasel that he would later recreate in the hit show News Radio. "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer" is a brilliant idea executed to perfection by one of SNL’s very best cast members. But the same could be said for a lot of the sketches on this list. What separates it from #16, #37, and even #2 is how chillingly relevant it still is. It’s a political sketch that isn’t about politics. It’s a story about populism, capitalism, America, and the assholes who run it. It will never get old because, let’s face it, there’s a little bit of unfrozen caveman lawyer in all of us.
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