13 Classic SNL Characters That Wouldn't Be Created Today

      Saturday Night Live boasts five decades of remarkable characters and sketches.

      However, the characters on this list are unlikely to make a comeback, and we can almost assure you of that.

      Let's dive in.

      First Up

      The original SNL cast. NBC – Credit: NBC

      It's a common notion to suggest that SNL characters have softened over time. Comedy evolves continually, becoming both more and less sensitive: Some previously daring topics, like poking fun at the president, no longer elicit surprise. Conversely, certain jokes, particularly broad stereotypes, seem less amusing once you encounter more people who are the subjects of mockery, rather than viewing them as a distant "other."

      The evolution of SNL characters also reflects the changing landscape of viewer complaints. During the first three or four decades of Saturday Night Live, grievances about SNL characters or sketches were primarily funneled through NBC switchboards and letters largely ignored by the public.

      Today, complaints spread rapidly across social media, with people tagging advertisers, leading to a ripple effect that many comedians—especially those on major corporate shows—prefer to sidestep. Hence, the SNL characters below likely wouldn't be acceptable in today's climate, even if some remain humorous.

      Chico Escuela

      Credit: NBC

      “Weekend Update” frequently serves as a platform for cast members to present SNL characters that don't quite fit into traditional sketches. It was a format where Gilda Radner particularly excelled.

      Garrett Morris, like Radner, was an original cast member. One of his notable SNL characters was Chico Escuela, a Dominican baseball player who spoke with a thick Latin accent and had a limited command of English.

      And that was the punchline. While he remains a cherished character among early fans of the show, envisioning him making an appearance today feels unlikely.

      Uncle Roy

      Credit: NBC

      Before Christopher Walken and Alec Baldwin, there was Buck Henry. Although primarily known as a writer (and an Oscar winner), Henry acted a bit and hosted Saturday Night Live ten times between 1976 and 1980. He was so involved that he even created some recurring SNL characters.

      One such character was Uncle Roy. He undoubtedly emerged from the anything-goes style of National Lampoon comedy, with Anne Beatts, a contributor for Uncle Roy sketches, being an alum of the magazine. The Lampoon ethos accepted that nothing was too dark.

      Thus, the entire premise of the Uncle Roy sketches centers around him being a pedophile babysitter. Even back then, the sketches were pushing boundaries, but today's more sensitive audiences would likely reject the Uncle Roy jokes. Today's SNL writers would also shy away from such material.

      Garrett Morris, Headmaster of the New York School for the Hard of Hearing

      Credit: NBC

      Garrett Morris presented “News for the Hard of Hearing” by vocally repeating what Weekend Update anchor Chevy Chase stated, but at a much louder volume.

      One might argue he isn’t technically a “character,” as he shares a name with the SNL cast member Garrett Morris. However, Chase would introduce him as the “headmaster of the New York School for the Hard of Hearing,” a title Morris did not hold, so we'll label him a character.

      Also Read: SNL Gone Wild: 12 Behind the Scenes Stories of Saturday Night Live

      The Samurai

      Credit: NBC

      Modern SNL is more likely to critique cultural appropriation than to participate in it. John Belushi’s Samurai character drew humor from how closely he mimicked Toshiro Mifune’s character in Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo—while humorously placing him in absurd situations, such as working as a hotel clerk, at a deli, or in a dry cleaner.

      Interestingly, the Samurai is never the subject of mockery—he remains serious and competent, thereby creating a comedic contrast between his skills and the mundane jobs he undertakes. Our personal favorite is the surreal Samurai Night Fever, where Belushi blends the Samurai character with John Travolta while O.J. Simpson plays his brother.

      Could this once-loved character still appear on SNL? No, according to SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels.

      “Almost nothing we did in the seventies would work now,” Michaels stated in Susan Morrison’s excellent biography, Lorne. “We couldn’t do ‘News for the Hard of Hearing,’ the Samurai, Uncle Roy.”

      The Bel-Airabs

      Credit: NBC

      “The Bel-Airabs” returned only once, partly because all the cast members involved departed after the 1979-80 season when both sketches were aired. This sketch parodying The Beverly Hillbillies tapped into a nostalgia likely shared by the SNL audience, who may have watched the show as children or during reruns. This connection explains the trend of turning older sitcoms into sharp, meta movies in the 1990s.

      The premise of “The Bel-Airabs” revolves around California transplants of Arabic descent—characterized as