23 Funniest SNL Skits Ever

“Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” The famous phrase closes the first skit of the night and announces the start of the show is the Saturday Night Live “cold open.” It’s been one of the rallying cries of television for decades. Some famous and hysterical skits have echoed through the ages, and these have often mixed daring satire with political commentary and offensive language.

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Saturday Night Live has been on television since 1975 and remade the “comedy skit” into a genre all its own. Back then, however, the show was called NBC’s Saturday Night and the host was none other than notorious comedian George Carlin. It’s almost impossible to choose only a few as the best SNL skits in that long and distinguished history, but it’s fun to try.

Updated April 21, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose:Some things have changed about SNL since the old days, but the framework of a celebrity host, a musical guest, and a rotating staff of comedy writers and actors, has remained the same. Just when the public seems to lose interest in the antics of late-night sketch comedy, something happens in the pop culture zeitgeist to bring new life to the show. As such, there is an endless supply of great SNL skits, as more will just keep coming. Here are a few more of the funniest SNL skits, added to this list in its latest update for a healthy laugh.

23 Career Day

Original Air Date: Jan 25, 2020

• Starring: Pete Davidson, Adam Driver, Aidy Bryant, Ego Nwodim, Melissa Villaseñor
• Written by: Eli Coyote Mandel

This was the second time Adam Driver had appeared as the celebrity guest host on SNL, and he crushed the role of Abraham H. Parnassus in the skit “Career Day.” Driver was playing a parody of a crusty old oil baron, the most obvious example being the main character from the film There Will Be Blood.

The debut from writer Eli Coyote Mandel was an instant hit, with Driver burying fellow actors who were just trying to hold it in. Pete Davidson, who plays the hapless son Mortecai, just has to deal with daddy’s archaic tantrum along with the derision of his peers and try not to burst into laughter.

22 Cobras & Panthers

Original Air Date: September 28, 1996

• Starring: Norm Macdonald, Will Farrell, Morten Downey Jr.,
• Written by: Robert Carlock, Tim Herlihy, Adam McKay, Stephen Colbert, et al

This choice for the funniest SNL skit wouldn’t be the same without the deadpan of the great Norm Macdonald, who can’t figure out why his hardened gang buddies, the Cobras, keep breaking into song. It makes fun of musicals, but specifically, the kind that takes place in what would normally be a gritty and terrifying world where there’s very little singing.

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Part of this satire is a reference to the popularity of musicals like West Side Story, and the absurdity carries on until the rival gang shows up. It seems like they’re tough guys at first, but then they also break into song, complete with choreography. By the time the skit ends, nobody is mad anymore, with the exception being the frustrated gang leader who already bailed in frustration.

21 The 2016 Election Night Special

Original Air Date: November 13th, 2016

• Starring: Vanessa Bayer, Aidy Bryant, Beck Bennett, Cecily Strong, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock
• Written by: Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider, et al

As the first show after a stunning election that saw Donald Trump elected as the President of the United States, this episode of SNL was more focused than others. Even the cold open had a somber tone, but by the time this skit came along, the laughs had returned, even if they were on the bitter side.

The scene is an upper-middle-class apartment with a few friends, obviously Hilary supporters, smugly predicting the outcome just as the official reporting is getting underway. Only one of them, played by Dave Chapelle, expresses some skepticism. As the night wears on, however, his “I told you so” starts to shine through just as Chris Rock arrives.

20 HBO Mario Kart Trailer

Original Air Date: Saturday, Feb. 4

• Starring: Pedro Pascal, Chloe Fineman, Kenan Thompson, Bowen Yang, Mikey Day
• Written by: Kent Sublette, Alison Gates, Streeter Seidell, and others, with characters by Nintendo

The HBO release of The Last Of Us received a lot of positive attention, and it appears that the Golden Age of video games to live-action adaptation has arrived. With that in mind, it doesn’t mean that every video game can make a good movie. Pedro Pascal recently hosted SNL and starred in several skits, including this mock trailer for a series based on a popular video game, and the combination hilariously doesn’t work.

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It looks like The Last of Us, but it’s not. There’s a lot of drama that surrounds Mario Kart, as it’s the kind of game that can ruin friendships, but this trailer makes it look more like Mad Max: Fury Road. How Pascal keeps a straight face as the Stoic Mario, especially after he’s joined by a trash-talking shot-gun-wielding Luigi, is anyone’s guess. Although this is a recent addition, it’ll go down in history as one of the funniest SNL skits of all time.

19 Black Jeopardy With Tom Hanks

Original Air Date: October 22, 2016

• Starring: Sasheer Zamata, Leslie Jones, Tom Hanks, Kenan Thompson
• Written by: Bryan Tucker, Michael Che

SNL has always been around to make political commentary whether the viewers like it or not. In this case, they used the recurring skit “Black Jeopardy” to take an interesting look at the phenomenon of Trump voters. It was October 2016 when the skit aired, and the upcoming election promised to be a fierce and bitter one, from this conflict, rose one of the funniest SNL skits of all time.

Amid this chaos, which had only just begun, Tom Hanks returned as a celebrity guest and took on the character of Doug, a devoted follower of the MAGA philosophy who found his way on Black Jeopardy to “win some money.” In the course of his adventure, he learns that he has more things in common with his neighbors than he previously thought.

18 Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood: Nutrition

Original Air Date: November 12, 1983

• Starring: Eddie Murphy
• Written by: John Belushi, Andy Breckman, Robin Duke, Eddie Murphy, and others

One of the more daring earlier sketches that featured the up-and-coming Eddie Murphy, “Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood” was a parody of the popular children’s television show, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. This version was set in the part of town that used to be known as “the ghetto” in which the main character recounted his daily experiences, which often included running from the law.

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In this particular episode, Mr. Robinson had stolen a bag of groceries. This naturally led to a hysterical conversation about proper dietary needs and food security, especially given the context. Eddie Murphy recently returned to host SNL, and he reprised his role as Mr. Robinson in a new sketch that dealt with the way inner cities had changed. Or ways that they hadn’t.

17 MacGruber With Betty White

Original Air Date: May 8, 2010

• Starring: Betty White, Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig
• Written by: Will Forte, John Solomon, Jorma Taccone

MacGruber was a parody based on the popular 1980s drama MacGyver. It followed the exploits of the main character, MacGruber, played by Will Forte, and other recurring characters. It had been running since 2007, but the episode in 2010, in which Betty White appears as MacGruber’s grandmother, is one of the funniest SNL skits of the lot.

The skit follows the usual template. MacGruber tries to focus on defusing a bomb, but something distracts him, and the bomb goes off. This time is slightly different with Nana around, who has plenty of embarrassing stories to tell about MacGruber’s childhood before he blows them all to smithereens.

16 White Like Me

Original Air Date: December 15, 1984

• Starring: Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal
• Written by: Eddie Murphy, John Belushi, and others

In a skit eerily reminiscent of what Dave Chappelle would have made in his earlier days, Eddie Murphy put together this short mockumentary of how white people behave when they’re “alone together.” It’s funny, but there’s an undertone about it that’s also serious, and for the early 1980s it was a bold move.

Murphy puts on a “white face” and goes to various places in New York, gauging the different reactions of shopkeepers, bankers, and customer service agents to him now that he’s “white.” It’s equally funny watching Murphy change his voice and overall demeanor to be more Caucasian, which just adds to the satirical effect.

15 Wayne’s World: Aerosmith

Original Air Date: February 17, 1990

• Starring: Mike Myers, Tom Hanks, Dana Carvey
• Written by: A. Whitney Brown, Greg Daniels, Tom Davis

This wasn’t just a hilarious skit featuring two of Saturday Night Live’s most iconic and popular characters, it officially made SNL one of the coolest shows on TV. Wayne’s World would eventually become a cultural icon and would be featured in a hit film that revitalized 1970s rock bands like Queen.

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The skit isn’t just hilarious and one of the best skits of all time, it also features regular visiting star Tom Hanks and other big names in media in the early 1990s. It’s easy to forget that Hanks started his career as a comedian, but his talent still shines through. The fan service is part of what makes it so satisfying.

14 Total Bastard Airlines

Original Air Date: March 19, 1994

• Starring: David Spade, Helen Hunt, Mike Myers, Chris Farley, Adam Sandler
• Written by: Dave Attell, Tom Davis, Tony De Sena, and others

It’s funny because it’s true and timeless. Here’s an SNL skit that looks old, but sounds like it could have been made yesterday and it’s still one of the best SNL skits of all time. David Spade is at the top of his game and Helen Hunt, who was the celebrity host for the week and plays an equally rude airline employee, plays off his character perfectly. Mike Myers, Chris Farley, and Adam Sandler also make appearances.

It’s interesting to see how the public’s attitude about airline travel has remained unchanged for so many decades. The dismissive “buh-bye” that’s still part of colloquial English came from this skit, which was so popular that it was reprised with another, recurring episode in a later season with Steve Martin as the celebrity host instead.

13 The Sarah Palin-Katie Couric Interview

Original Air Date: September 13, 2008

• Starring: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler
• Written by: Tina Fey, Seth Meyers

Although this sketch isn’t Tina Fey’s first portrayal of Sarah Palin, this interview is what made her impression famous. Earlier in this same year, Fey and fellow SNL alumni Amy Poehler appeared as Sarah Palin and Hilary Clinton in another sketch, which was also brilliantly funny.

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This one, however, gets recognition not only for the amazing show Fey puts on but for the hysterically stoic expressions on Poehler’s face as she listens to Palin’s nonsensical answers. The actual dialogue isn’t even that different from the actual interview this is supposed to be making fun of, which makes it all the more cathartic to laugh at it.

12 Colonel Angus Comes Home

Original Air Date: February 22, 2003

• Starring: Christopher Walken, Any Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Chris Parnell
• Written by: Tina Fey

There are a few standout celebrity hosts, and Christopher Walken is one of them. Few other stars could keep a straight face while reading this script, written by fellow star Tina Fey and perfectly executed by Amy Poehler, which is one of the funniest SNL skits of all time.

Normally, a skit based on puns and double entendres wears out its welcome pretty fast, but this one takes it to a whole other level instead. The jokes come hard and fast, so to speak, and most viewers need a moment to understand them before bursting into peals of nervous laughter when it comes to the ecstatic return of Colonel Angus.

11 Diner Lobster

Original Air Date: April 14th, 2018

• Starring: Pete Davidson, John Mulaney, Keenan Thompson, Kate McKinnon, and Chris Redd
• Written by: John Mulaney

Human society understands the simplicity of a diner and the kind of very basic dishes they generally serve. So when Pete Davidson walks in and orders the lobster, which technically is on the menu, it prompts a musical rendition that parodies the Broadway musical Les Miserables in scope and volume.

In the end, Davidson relents and decides to eat veal, and in response, the restaurant staff gleefully returns to the kitchen to slaughter a baby cow instead. What makes this skit even wackier is that it’s part of a trilogy that includes the sequel “Bodega Bathroom” and the third part and thrilling conclusion, “Airport Sushi.”

10 Olympia Cafe

Original Air Date: January 28, 1978

• Starring: Robert Klein, Dan Akroyd, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray
• Written by: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Anne Beatts, Tom Davis, and others

The comedy team that was made up of John Belushi, Dan Ackroyd, and Bill Murray was lightning in a bottle, and the world will not see its equal ever again. At least it’s on video in the form of the “Olympia Cafe” skit. Every town has one, and that’s part of the joke in what could be one of the best SNL skits of all time in one of the best SNL episodes of all time.

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The basic premise revolves around a wacky neighborhood café that only has one menu item. This simple but effective system is thrown into disarray when a customer arrives and tries to order eggs and sausage much to the chagrin of the already agitated owner.

9 More Cowbell

Original Air Date: April 8, 2000

• Starring: Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Chris Parnell, Horatio Sanz
• Written by: Will Ferrell, Donnell Campbell

Once upon a time, there were only a few people who noticed this popular song from the band Blue Oyster Cult had a cowbell in the background. Now, though, a whole generation will always insist on needing more of it because of this SNL skit.

Christopher Walken was famous for keeping a straight face, even in the most absurd circumstances, and all the skits he’s in are famous for their wacky premises, even if they aren’t that funny. This skit does both, plus the comedy talents of Will Farrell, making it one of SNL‘s funniest and most memorable skits.

8 Van Down By The River

Original Air Date: May 8, 1993

• Starring: Chris Farley, David Spade, Christina Applegate, Phil Hartman, Julia Sweeney
• Written by: Bob Odenkirk, Chris Farley

Another iconic role that defined the decade, it’s hard to tell what’s funnier about this SNL skit. Is it Chris Farley, flailing and twitching, or David Spade and Christina Applegate’s faces as they struggle not to laugh at him?

It’s funny on so many levels, from mocking the “motivational speaker” trend to the ridiculous lengths the “just say no” culture went to when it came to touching certain plants. Ironically, Matt Foley, the character that Farley is playing throughout the sketch, succeeds in getting the kids to change their ways and brings the whole family closer together.

7 Djesus Uncrossed, Director’s Cut

Original Air Date: February 16, 2013

• Starring: Christoph Waltz, Taran Killam, Jay Pharoah, Fred Armisen
• Written by: Zach Kanin, Colin Jost

Fake movie trailers are one of many forms that modern skit comedy takes. In this case, it’s Quentin Tarantino and his style, along with his familiar choices when it comes to character archetypes and certain dialogue choices. The jokes are everywhere, and they lampoon Tarantino, old-school Bible movies, and the trend of shock value in media at the time.

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Christoph Waltz is such a badass anyway, why couldn’t he be the risen Lord and Saviour? And who else could deadpan their way through scene after scene of bloody revenge on a new New Testament scale? This satirical take on what a Biblical epic would look like if Tarantino directed it offended a variety of religious groups, but that’s how you know it’s on point, and that’s also what makes it one of SNL‘s funniest skits.

6 Chippendales

Original Air Date: October 27, 1990

• Starring: Chris Farley, Patrick Swayze, Jan Hooks, Kevin Nealon, Mike Myers
• Written by: Jim Downey

This was a historic SNL episode for several reasons. Rob Schneider made his first appearance, and Patrick Swayze, one of the greatest heartthrobs of the 20th century, was the show’s celebrity guest host. He had finished filming Point Break literally days before and still had the same haircut.

The skit has a simple concept, but it’s the visuals that do the trick, and who better for a visual gag than Chris Farley? He stole the show from Swayze as they gyrated to “Working for the Weekend” by Loverboy, and only missed the cut because of his body type. There was never a question as to his talent or enthusiasm in what is one of the funniest SNL skits of all time.

5 The Sean Spicer Press Conference

Original Air Date: February 4, 2017

• Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Bobby Moynihan, Kristen Stewart, Cecily Strong, Vanessa Bayer, Alex Moffat, Mikey Day
• Written by: Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider, Bryan H. Tucker, and others

There were all kinds of low points in the Trump presidency, courtesy of the press, opposing politicians, and the long arm of the law, but few were more humiliating than Melissa McCarthy’s on-point portrayal of Sean Spicer, the administration’s press secretary.

The skit not only roasted Spicer’s treatment of journalists, in particular his habit of speaking in a manner that was as condescending as possible, but also his devotion to defending Trump and praising anything and everything the President did despite any public backlash.

Spicer’s penchant for gum chewing also gets some attention, along with his general incompetence, and when Kate McKinnon makes an appearance as Jeff Sessions the room almost falls apart, only to be outdone by Spicer’s moving podium. The hysteria is defused by Spicer’s declaration “Live, from New York, it’s Saturday night!”

4 Papyrus

Original Air Date: September 30, 2017

• Starring: Ryan Gosling, Kate McKinnon
• Written by: Julio Torres

Ryan Gosling shows his talent for comedy in this movie trailer parody, which pokes fun at the movie Avatar and its use of a certain font called Papyrus. In the spirit of other font-related pet peeves, like the way the public turned against the goofy and overused Comic Sans, the parody focuses on a character who is so horrified by the design choice that it consumes his whole life.

The use of the font was chosen without a lot of consideration, and this lack of professionalism drives Gosling’s character into an obsessive frenzy. His obsession only intensifies when he hears about the upcoming sequel. It’s anyone’s guess how Gosling kept a straight face at certain points in this melodramatic sequence, but his deadpan performance is flawless.