11 Classic SNL Sketches That Wouldn't Make It Today

      Here are 12 SNL sketches that likely wouldn't be performed today due to evolving comedic standards. As the show celebrates its 50th anniversary, we reflect on what was funny in the past but may not be considered acceptable now.

      First

      NBC – Credit: NBC

      Some SNL sketches and characters—like Dana Carvey's Church Lady—remain timeless. In fact, SNL revived her character just this past weekend.

      However, not every Saturday Night Live sketch endures, as societal views on what is appropriate continuously shift. With the rise of technology, where audiences can voice their complaints on platforms like X instead of through traditional letters or calls to NBC, objections to jokes can quickly gain traction, making the show's creators more cautious about potentially offending viewers.

      Let’s revisit some SNL sketches that some might prefer to forget.

      Pat

      NBC

      One of the most notorious SNL characters is Pat. The "It’s Pat" sketches revolve around a single joke: no one can determine if Pat is a man or a woman. Characters would attempt to uncover the answer, but they never succeeded.

      It's easy to see why Julia Sweeney's Pat is absent from today’s SNL sketches.

      Interestingly, there was even a Pat movie, arguably one of the poorest films derived from an SNL character—quite a feat.

      Uncle Roy

      NBC

      Buck Henry gained recognition as an accomplished comedy writer with works like The Graduate and Get Smart. He also frequently hosted early seasons of Saturday Night Live, appearing 10 times between 1976 and 1980.

      He created recurring characters, including Uncle Roy—a predatory babysitter. The sketches are quite unsettling.

      Anne Beatts contributed to the Uncle Roy sketches. A seasoned writer from National Lampoon, she was known for her boldness—essential for a female comedy writer in the 1970s.

      Ching Chang

      NBC

      Dana Carvey has created memorable SNL sketches and numerous beloved recurring characters, such as Garth and Church Lady.

      Then there’s Ching Chang, a character we prefer not to name.

      While Dana Carvey's Ching Chang character wasn't intended to be malicious, it’s difficult to watch today. This is likely why there isn't a Best of Dana Carvey compilation. Let's instead celebrate Carvey's more positive characters, like Church Lady.

      Lyle, the Effeminate Heterosexual

      NBC

      Dana Carvey makes another appearance! This character is somewhat less controversial but still feels like something that would probably be avoided today due to potential backlash. Like many SNL characters, it operates on a one-note premise, evident in the character's name.

      Carvey portrays Lyle, whose mannerisms lead everyone to assume he is gay. However, the twist is that all who assume he’s gay—including his wife—are completely accepting of it.

      Much of the comedy arises from Lyle's astonishment that anyone would think he’s gay.

      John Belushi’s Samurai

      NBC

      A white person can portray a samurai—Tom Cruise did! However, John Belushi wasn't merely playing a white samurai. In his SNL sketches, he presented a Japanese samurai.

      In addition to traditional samurai attire, Belushi spoke gibberish Japanese. He starred in numerous sketches, mostly alongside Buck Henry, who frequently requested samurai sketches during his hosting stints, even after an incident where Belushi accidentally cut Henry's head open with his sword.

      Robert Goulet

      NBC

      Will Ferrell impersonated the renowned crooner Goulet on several occasions, portraying him in a distinctly Ferrell style. While there was nothing inherently wrong with Ferrell’s Goulet impression overall, one particular instance wouldn’t be acceptable today.

      In one Goulet sketch, he sang well-known rap songs like “Thong Song,” some of which included the N-word. And Ferrell said it—live on air.

      While Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor famously performed a sketch that also used that term in 1975 —with Pryor being central to the sketch and the theme addressing racial prejudice—it would not be received similarly in modern context.

      Canteen Boy

      NBC

      Despite its infamous reputation, we argue that the Canteen Boy sketches aren't inherently problematic, though they could be seen as somewhat lazy and hit-or-miss. Adam Sandler played Canteen Boy multiple times; however, one sketch caused significant controversy—so much so that it was addressed by Alec Baldwin in his monologue during his next hosting gig.

      Canteen Boy represents a typical Sandler character, being an odd scoutmaster assistant with a canteen. In one sketch, Baldwin portrayed a scoutmaster making sexual advances toward Canteen Boy, who is aware of the situation and summons animals to defend himself.

      Nonetheless, the portrayal of a predatory scoutmaster disturbed many. Contemporary SNL sketches tend to avoid themes of this nature.

      Jazz Man

      NBC

      Billy Crystal was only part of Saturday Night Live for one season, infamous for the