Saturday Night Live (SNL) has been a cornerstone of American comedy since its debut in 1975. Over the years, it has produced a multitude of iconic skits that have become part of pop culture. The “best SNL skits” of all time are a mix of timeless classics and modern hits, reflecting the show’s ability to evolve with the times while maintaining its unique comedic voice.
These skits are a testament to the show’s enduring appeal and the talent of its cast members. This list is a celebration of the show’s legacy and the moments that have made audiences laugh for nearly 50 years.
The Coneheads
“The Coneheads” were a unique and innovative concept, featuring a family of aliens with pronounced cone-shaped heads who are trying to blend in with suburban American life.
The characters – Beldar, Prymaat, and Connie Conehead, played by Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman respectively – were unforgettable.
Catchphrases, such as “consume mass quantities” and “we are from France,” became iconic and are still recognized today. And the skit spawned a movie of the same name which was released in 1993.
Celebrity Jeopardy
“Celebrity Jeopardy” is considered one of the best SNL skits of all time due to its consistently funny writing and some of the various impersonations of contestants.
The sketch features celebrities, portrayed by the SNL cast, as contestants on a fictional version of the popular game show Jeopardy! It plays off the fact that real-life celebrities didn’t always perform well on the trivia show.
The sketch included some of the best impersonations of all time. Darrell Hammond’s version of Sean Connery, and Norm MacDonald’s portrayal of Burt Reynolds, for example, were off-the-charts funny.
How would Connery misread a category this time? How would each celebrity get the answer wrong on a mindlessly simple question? And how would it all link back to Alex Trebek’s (Will Ferrell) mom?
Check out Celebrity Jeopardy! with French Stewart, Burt Reynolds, & Sean Connery
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Matt Foley – Motivational Speaker
The “Matt Foley – Motivational Speaker” skit is perhaps late comedian Chris Farley’s magnum opus for Saturday Night Live. It showed his physical comedy at its absolute best.
The character of Matt Foley became a cultural touchstone, and the phrase “living in a van down by the river” is still used to describe someone who is down on their luck.
Watching David Spade and Christina Applegate, who portray two teenagers Foley is attempting to inspire, try unsuccessfully not to break character by covering their faces makes it all the funnier. Not to mention the genuine look of shock on Spade’s face when Foley launches himself through a coffee table.
Farley’s energy and commitment to the character make us all remember why he was so great as a comedian.
Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood
“Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood” was a parody of the children’s show “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.” It featured Eddie Murphy as Mr. Robinson, a character who lives in a run-down apartment in an urban neighborhood.
While Mr. Rogers often taught the “boys and girls” watching his show important life lessons, Mr. Robinson by contrast taught them how to handle themselves on the street.
Murphy’s character keeps the same simple and sweet tone of Fred Rogers, the man he is parodying, but interlaces the segment with hilarious commentary on shoplifting or lessons on where babies come from.
Check out Mr. Robinson giving tips on nutrition
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Chippendales Audition
Chris Farley and his physical comedy chops make yet another appearance on our list of the best SNL sketches of all time.
Pitting him as Barney alongside Patrick Swayze, who played Adrian, a toned and muscled dancer as both men attempt to make the Chippendale cast, is just comedy gold.
While their bodies couldn’t be more diametrically opposed, the energy with which they both dance to get the part is equaled, if not topped, by Farley. And the way the two play their characters – friends nervous about getting the part and cheering each other on – makes the whole thing wild.
Even the judges helped to make this a memorable sketch, as they seemed to genuinely consider both men as serious contenders, adding to the humor of the skit.
Church Lady
Why was the “Church Lady” sketch one of the most memorable efforts by SNL? Could it be … Satan!
Dana Carvey’s portrayal of the uppity Church Lady produced several repeatable catchphrases including – “Well, isn’t that special?” and “Could it be… SATAN?”
The talk show-esque format allowed Carvey to tackle celebrity guests that week, making the interactions of Hollywood stars with this uber-religious character deliver ungodly amounts of laughter.
Watch Church Chat and Church Ladies discussion about Satan
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Two Wild And Crazy Guys
You have to go back into the archives a little bit for this one, but the “Two Wild and Crazy Guys” skits are some of the best material on our list of top SNL sketches.
The sketch featured Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd as the Festrunk brothers, Yortuk and Georg, who were Czechoslovakian immigrants trying to adapt to American culture with hilarious results.
The humor in the skit was derived from the brothers’ exaggerated accents, their misunderstanding of American customs, and their overly confident yet often misguided attempts to attract women. Their catchphrase, “We are two wild and crazy guys!”, became a cultural phenomenon and is still recognized today.
Aykroyd and Martin would, of course, go on to become megastars in comedic films, and these two characters helped pave the way.
Wayne’s World
Party time. Excellent!
Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar, played by Mike Myers and Dana Carvey respectively, were all of us metalheads during our teenage years. And well into our twenties for that matter.
So many catchphrases were developed from these “Wayne’s World” skits as Wayne and Garth often poked fun at pop culture, music, and the everyday experiences of its characters.
Their efforts inspired a movie that did well, even earning three stars from Roger Ebert who said he expected the film to focus almost exclusively on vulgar comedy. The scene where the crew sings Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” will live forever.
Party on, Wayne and Garth.
Beavis And Butthead
The newest addition of the best SNL sketches list, “Beavis and Butthead”, just came out recently. It’s included here due to it generating buzz that the sketch comedy hasn’t seen in quite some time.
In it, host Ryan Gosling and cast member Mikey Day transform into human versions of the iconic cartoon characters, Beavis and Butthead. Day, in particular, looks incredibly ridiculous in this bit.
While cast members have broken character in the past, Heidi Gardner, who played a NewsNation anchor in the sketch, couldn’t hold it together. She struggled to look at Gosling’s Beavis without cracking and absolutely lost it when she turned to see Butthead.
The skit was so funny that it garnered over 10 million views on YouTube in the five days following its airing.
More Cowbell
The “More Cowbell” skit featured a star-studded cast including Will Ferrell, Christopher Walken, and Jimmy Fallon.
Ferrell’s character, Gene Frenkle, and his playing of the cowbell during the recording of Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” became an iconic moment in SNL history.
Walken plays producer Bruce Dickinson, who finds himself strangely drawn to the mystical sounds of the cowbell. He repeatedly demands more and more as the song goes along.
“I’ve got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell,” Walken hilariously says as Ferrell, belly hanging out in his super tight ’70s outfit, plays away with gusto.
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