SNL Hosts Who Broke Character In The Funniest Ways
Late-night television stalwart "Saturday Night Live" has dispensed plenty of laughs over its decades-long run on NBC. Since 1975, the show has become a television institution and has given many talented performers their first glimmers of comedic stardom. "SNL" is also known for its rotating roster of celebrity hosts. Notable names from film, TV, and music have tried their hand at starring in an "SNL" episode or two (or perhaps they've joined the venerable "SNL" Five-Timers Club). After spending nearly a week crafting their episode, the hosts — supported by regular cast members — get their chance to shine in the comedy spotlight.
Most of the time, hosts can keep up with their "SNL" counterparts, but sometimes, they can't help but break character. "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels might not like it when cast members break character, but hosts do it, too. Sure, comedic novices like singers Adele and Billie Eilish have cracked unscripted smiles in sketches, but returning "SNL" veterans such as Bill Hader and Maya Rudolph have also had to stifle their spontaneous chuckles with hilarious results. Try as they might to disguise their laughter, a celebrity host character break can be the best part of their appearance. From muted snickers to full guffaws, let's celebrate some "SNL" hosts who broke character in the funniest ways and remember why these unscripted mistakes are comedy gold.
Christina Applegate giggles through Matt Foley: Van Down By The River
Christina Applegate literally didn't know what she was getting herself into when she co-starred in "Matt Foley: Van Down By The River." In the now-classic 1993 sketch, Applegate plays an apathetic teen whose parents (Phil Hartman, Julia Sweeney) hire "motivational speaker" Matt Foley (Chris Farley) to give her and her wayward brother (David Spade) some direction. All is calm in the family living room until Foley lurches up from the basement to dispense his manic wisdom. When Foley tells the teens that he "lives in a van down by the river," Applegate noticeably turns her head away from the camera, puts her hands in her face, and lets her hair loose, tactics that seemingly stifle her laughter at Farley's preposterous character.
Apparently, Applegate didn't quite know what she was getting herself into by co-starring in the "Matt Foley" sketch. In the documentary "I am Chris Farley" (via People), she recalled, "I remember Lorne Michaels saying to me, apologetic in a way, like, 'He has this character he's really been wanting to do on this show, we're not sure what it is.'" Turns out, Applegate inadvertently found herself in one of the show's greatest sketches of all time. One assumes that Applegate's character is not currently living in a van down by the river.
Brittany Murphy doesn't miss a beat in The Leather Man
Brittany Murphy's effervescent, bubbly on-screen presence camouflaged her laughter during the sketch "The Leather Man." Co-starring notorious "SNL" character-breakers Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz, "The Leather Man" takes place in a store of the same name. Murphy plays a flirtatious customer shopping for a pair of snakeskin pants, while Fallon plays the titular Leather Man, and Sanz portrays his bumbling assistant, Choo Choo. Much of the humor is derived from the squeaky sound the characters' leather ensembles make, and it doesn't take long for Fallon and Sanz to break into laughter.
Murphy, however, does her best to keep her composure. Murphy gamely slides into a pair of rattlesnake pants and shimmies her way through the store, but maybe because she can't feel her legs while wearing them, she has second thoughts. When she declares leather is not for her, Murphy throws her head back and laughs. While Murphy seamlessly integrates her break into the scene, Fallon and Sanz can't help but chuckle through the rest of the sketch.
Lindsay Lohan thought she'd be in trouble for laughing in Debbie Downer: Disney World
In 2004, Lindsay Lohan hosted "SNL" to support her new movie "Mean Girls," written and co-starring "SNL" cast member Tina Fey. Although Lohan had a powerful ally in Fey, she was still afraid of getting in trouble for breaking character in the sketch "Debbie Downer: Disney World." Cast member Rachel Dratch plays Debbie Downer, a sad trombone of a woman who travels to The Happiest Place on Earth for a family reunion. She kills every moment of joy by sharing increasingly bleak stories. Dratch's deadpan delivery cracked up the "SNL" cast members, so it's no surprise that Lohan eventually broke character, too.
Perhaps as a way to remain in control, Lohan dug into her Mickey Mouse waffles. However, the laughter proved too contagious, and Lohan covered her mouth to hide her smile. She actually had a strategy to stay in character, but it didn't exactly go as planned. Remembering her "Debbie Downer" experience, she told Vogue, "I just remember thinking, 'If I just don't look at Jimmy Fallon, I'll be fine.' And all I kept doing in the live was looking at him." Lohan was worried about the consequences of breaking character. She added, "I actually got so nervous at the end, and I couldn't stop laughing that I just burst and I walked off because I didn't want to get in trouble."
Adele cracks up during Africa Tourism
Adele might have been a music superstar when she hosted "SNL" in 2020, but she was a relative novice as a comedic performer, breaking character during the controversial sketch "Africa Tourism." She wasn't the night's musical guest — H.E.R. took the reins as the night's musical guest — freeing up Adele to focus on acting. In an Instagram post prior to her hosting gig, Adele wrote, "I'm so excited about this!! And also absolutely terrified! My first ever hosting gig and for SNL of all things!!!! I've always wanted to do it as a stand-alone moment so that I could roll up my sleeves and fully throw myself into it."
Adele was definitely up to the challenges of being an "SNL" host, but in "Africa Tourism," she couldn't help but burst into laughter while standing next to cast members Kate McKinnon and Heidi Gardner. The trio portrayed caftan-wearing divorcées touting the wonders of the continent in a fictional tourism advertisement. McKinnon's deadpan delivery quickly cracks up Adele, who quickly turns her pained face away to giggle. When Gardner joins the duo and shares sexual double entendres, Adele can't keep it together, blowing her lips together and putting her hands in her face.
Billie Eilish breaks her deadpan delivery in Hotel Ad
Known for her moody pop ballads, Billie Eilish cracked an unscripted smile during the "SNL" sketch "Hotel Ad." Eilish appeared alongside cast member Kate McKinnon in this fictional ad for a midrange business hotel chain, the Business Garden Inn & Suites & Hotel Room Inn. As Desk Ladies Kathlyn and Kathreen, played by Eilish and McKinnon, they rattle off a list of their hotel's amenities, like "short glass wearing a little hat" and "small stain in place you have to touch." As the list grows more absurd, Eilish begins to break character with a crack in her voice and a smile on her face.
Eilish's smile looks like that of a hospitable hotel employee, but it's clear she's trying to keep her composure. For her part, McKinnon doesn't help her co-star from getting the giggles as she leans in and gingerly touches Eilish. Apparently, Eilish was extremely nervous about hosting "SNL," so much so that she told Howard Stern on "The Howard Stern Show" that she cried every day during rehearsal week. Of her "SNL" hosting anxiety, she added, "It's not my world and I'm so petrified of people thinking I suck." Even when she broke character, Eilish's glimmers of laughter proved to be quite charming and definitely did not suck.
Jamie Foxx can't keep order in the court during Maine Justice
Multi-talented performer Jamie Foxx is no stranger to sketch comedy, but the former "In Living Color" star couldn't keep it together during the "SNL" sketch "Maine Justice." Foxx plays bailiff to Jason Sudeikis' Judge in this riff on the venerable daytime syndicated show "The People's Court." The gag in the sketch is that everyone in the court is acting like they are from Louisiana, except for the baffled defendant (Bobby Moynihan), who is very confused about what is happening in the court.
Despite the absurdity of "Maine Justice," Foxx stays in character until the Judge administers his sentence, which includes dragging the defendant across a swamp via airboat. Foxx cracks up and has to put his hands in his face to hide his laughter. Turning his back to the camera, Foxx eventually recovers from his break to help administer the Cajun-flavor verdict.
It isn't Pedro Pascal's fault that he laughed during Lisa From Temecula
"The Last of Us" star and celebrated "internet daddy" Pedro Pascal doesn't take responsibility for breaking character during the "SNL" sketch "Lisa From Temecula." In "Temecula," Pascal is joined by "SNL" cast members Bowen Yang, Ego Nwodim, Punkie Johnson, and Molly Kearney at a birthday celebration dinner for Shayna (Johnson). Nwodim plays the titular Lisa, a litigator who likes her steak well done with a side of ketchup and her butt to be left alone. When Lisa lashes into her tough steak, the table shakes, causing not only the peas to fly but the laughs as well.
Pascal laughs when the table starts shaking but soon regains his composure. However, the rest of the cast begins to chuckle, with Yang breaking down in all-out laughter, covering his face with his hands to mask his laughing. At one point, it looked like Yang couldn't hold back the tears, and the table wiggled out the sketch. Pascal blamed his visible giggle fit on Yang. Pascal told Esquire, "Frankly, it was Bowen Yang's fault." He said, "I'm just going to blame Bowen Yang because he started laughing, and I looked to my right, and that is a contagious disease. I'm a corpser, as they say in the U.K. — a giggler — and I never survive it. And if somebody starts laughing, I'm a goner. And that's what happened."
Ryan Gosling's Close Encounter left him in stitches
Ryan Gosling showed off his comedic chops when he hosted "SNL" in 2015, but during the sketch "Close Encounter," he couldn't help but laugh at cast member Kate McKinnon. Gosling co-starred in "Close Encounter" as one of three people (McKinnon, Cecily Strong) who are sought out by the government to share their alien abduction experiences. When McKinnon's character gives her detailed testimony to government agents (Aidy Bryant, Bobby Moynahan), Gosling can't help but smile.
When McKinnon ramps up the crassness, Gosling fully breaks character. He covers his mouth and pretends to cry to keep the sketch moving. "Close Encounter" co-star Bobby Moynahan explained why he and his fellow sketch mates couldn't help but crack up. It was building up all week. He told ET, "It got us all week long, we were dying." He added, "We loved it at the table, we loved it all through the week. It never got less funny."
Kevin Hart keeps his job while breaking character in Barnes & Noble Firing
One-time "SNL" cast member hopeful Kevin Hart made his Studio 8H debut as a guest host in 2013, when he broke character as a bookstore manager in "Barnes and Noble Firing." In "Firing," Hart plays Barnes & Noble manager Marshall, who calls an all-staff meeting to fire a thieving employee. Thinking they're being accused of stealing, café employees Niff (Bobby Moynihan) and Dana (Cecily Strong) rip into their bookstore colleagues, pointing out their worst qualities.
Marshall tries to keep the peace, but it's not Moynihan or Strong that makes Hart break character; it's Tim Robinson's portrayal of the sad sack employee, Carl, who welcomes being roasted by his colleagues. Both Hart and Robinson start to giggle when Carl creeps behind Marshall. Hart does his best not to look pained with laughter, and the sketch finishes with Carl's firing. Arguably, Hart's character break is the best part of this sketch, with the unscripted giggles adding some true levity to an otherwise forgettable bit.
Drew Barrymore can't keep it together during The Love-ahs with Barbara and Dave
"SNL" Five-Timer Club host Drew Barrymore was a hosting veteran by the time she co-starred in the sketch "The Love-ahs with Barbara and Dave," but just because she was experienced didn't mean she could refrain from breaking character. Taking place at the fictional Welshly Arms Hotel, this Season 27 sketch finds Barrymore soaking in a communal hot tub with Dave (Jimmy Fallon) and "love-ahs" Roger and Virginia Klarvin (Will Ferrell, Rachel Dratch). The Klarvins' friend and fellow "love-ah" Barbara Hernandez (Barrymore) hops in the warm water with her randy acquaintances. Newcomer David just wants a soak, but Barbara, who conveniently is looking for a new lover of her own, slinks into the bubbling water.
Fallon breaks character pretty early in the sketch, and his giggles soon become contagious. To hide her character break, Barrymore hides her laughs with the help of her tinted shades. Surprisingly, she does the best job keeping the sketch on track. "SNL" cast members Fallon, Dratch, and Farrell also couldn't help but burst out laughing, recounting their sexual escapades.
Bill Hader runs into some hilarious problems during Girlfriends Game Night
Former "SNL" cast member Bill Hader returned to Studio 8H as a host in 2018, where he ran into some hilarious problems during the sketch "Girlfriends Game Night." Hader plays Horace, Jeannie's (Cecily Strong) elderly husband, who accompanies his girlfriend to a game night hosted by her friends (Heidi Gardner, Aidy Bryant, Melissa Villaseñor). Horace cruises around on a mobility scooter, is hard of hearing, and is either self-amused or is having a medical event. Jeannie wants to be a mom, and when Horace is raring to go, she hops onto Horace's lap, and they get to baby-making.
Jeannie's friends finally have enough and ask her and Horace to leave, but as they begin to scoot out, Horace has a change of mind and defiantly backs into the game table. At this point, Hader can't hold back the giggles. He struggles to deliver his lines, skillfully hiding his face behind Strong's back. Hader dished about his character break on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" where, according to Hader, the scooter was a way to get around network censors' disapproval of simulating sex on the show. Hader also revealed he unintentionally backed into Villaseñor, with Bryant giving Hader a knowing glance that he might need to redirect his movement. Sometimes, even "SNL" veterans like Hader can't help but laugh.
Maya Rudolph tries to keep a straight face in Super Showcase Spokesmodels
When former "SNL" alumni Maya Rudolph returned to the show as a host in 2012, she co-starred with long-time friend and "SNL" cast member Kristen Wiig in "Super Showcase Spokesmodels," where the buddies couldn't help but crack each other up. In the sketch, Rudolph and Wiig play inept game show spokesmodels Shonda and Vonda, who stumble their way through all the prizes that loser contestant Deborah (Vanessa Bayer) could have won, including a night's stay at a Pebble Beach golf resort, golf clubs, a lifetime supply of frozen chicken, and a clock.
Rudolph and Wiig don't even bother with hiding their laughter in "Super Showcase Spokesmodels." They burst out into full-on chuckles, barely remaining in character as Wiig recklessly scoots her golf cart around the stage, haphazardly driving into the prize display. On "The Ellen Show," Rudolph revealed that "Super Showcase Spokesmodels" is her favorite sketch she's performed with Wiig. Rudolph blamed her giggles on Wiig, who apparently couldn't keep her composure during rehearsals and went really off the rails during taping. Clearly, these two ladies were having fun, and in fact, it was an insight into their real friendship. The distinctive gurgly voices of Shonda and Vonda are the "friend" voices Rudolph and Wiig use with each other in real life.
Candice Bergen's mistake goes hilariously awry in Extremely Stupid
Candice Bergen made history as the first female host of "SNL" during the show's inaugural season, but she also had one of the show's most blatant character breaks when she returned as host the following season. Her Season 2 hosting gig duties included co-starring with "SNL" legend Gilda Radner in the sketch "Extremely Stupid." Bergen and Radner play friends Fern and Lisa, but it turns out that Lisa isn't all that bright. But Fern isn't that smart either, especially when she calls Lisa by her own name.
Bergen's unintentional name bungle causes her to burst out into laughter. Bergen completely breaks character, putting her hand in her face in disbelief about her gaff. Radner, while amused, not only stays in character but finesses Bergen's mistake into the sketch, hardly skipping a beat in delivering her public service announcement for The Right to Extreme Stupidity League. Although Bergen told Andy Cohen on "Watch What Happens Live" that her most memorable moment from that episode was her "Casablanca" parody with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, we think Bergen's break is one of the finest, and most hilarious, in "SNL" history.
Larry David recovers from his laughter fit in New Wife
When "Seinfeld" co-creator, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star, and former "SNL" writer Larry David hosted the show in 2017, he played against type as a sleazy newlywed Vincent in the sketch "New Wife." David fully broke character, but he managed to recover and miraculously landed the punchline. In "New Wife," Vincent throws a party to not only celebrate his new wife, Candace (Cecily Strong), but to showcase his new wife's "talents." His conservative attorney friends look on with confusion, and they inquisitively ask Candace about her career.
Candace's look has whiffs of "Real Housewives," giving Erika Jayne's music career a run for her money when she performs a song from her nightclub act for the partygoers. Supportive spouse Vincent knows all the slang and lingo, but when a partygoer asks too many questions about Candace's performance, Vincent defends his wife's honor and kicks him out. However, this is when David breaks character, laughing when Kate McKinnon checks in on him after losing his temper. He struggles to deliver his lines through his giggles, and it seems like David won't recover. Although it looks like he's on the verge of tears, somehow, David recovers and ends the sketch in character.