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13 Eyebrow-Arching 'SNL' Hosts

While SNL got a lot of grief for allowing Donald Trump to host in 2016, the show took way bigger hosting risks in its earlier days.

13 Eyebrow-Arching 'SNL' Hosts

February 28, 2021

While SNL got a lot of grief for allowing Donald Trump to host in 2016, the show took way bigger hosting risks in its earlier days.

13

RALPH NADER CONSUMER ADVOCATE IGHT CRACKED CON NADER DELIVERED THE ROBOTIC LINE READINGS ONE WOULD EXPECT FROM A CONSUMER WATCHDOG/ELECTIONS SPOILER. BUT THE EPISODE WAS STILL NOTABLE FOR THE FIRST APPEARANCES OF BOTH BILL MURRAY AND THE CONEHEADS. — AV Club

12

GEORGE WENDT E FRANCIS FORDCOPPOLA THE ODD COUPLE CRACKEDCO MAYBE SNL SHOULD TRY MORE WEIRD SH*T LIKE THIS. WENDT WAS THE GUEST HOST AND COPPOLA WAS GUEST DIRECTOR - A RUNNING GAG THAT WENT THE WHOLE 90 MINUTES. THE SHOW FEATURED CINEMATIC TOUCHES LIKE MOVIE-STYLE CREDITS AND A SCORE BY PHILIP — Vulture

11

Steve Forbes

STEVE FORBES PUBLISHER/PRESIDENT WANNABE FORBES GAVE A PERFORMANCE FLATTER THAN HIS TAX PROPOSAL AND HIS MERE PRESENCE PISSED OFF RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. TO PROTEST THE BILLIONAIRE CANDIDATE, RATM TORE UP AMERICAN FLAGS AND THREW THEM ALL over FORBES'S DRESSING ROOM. — Far Out Magazine

10

RUDY GIULIANI LAWSUIT MAGNET GIULIANI DIDN'T KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK WHEN HE HOSTED IN '97 BUT HIT THE RIGHT NOTES AFTER 9/11. WHO KNEW HE WOULD BECOME MOST SNL-FAMOUS FOR KATE MCKINNON'S WEIRDO- SIX-FLAGS-MASCOT IMPERSONATION? — Us Magazine

9

RON REAGAN FIRST SON GRAGKEDCO VIEWERS WITH DADDY ISSUES LIKELY HAD A FIELD DAY WITH THIS EPISODE, WHICH WAS ONE BIG UNDERWEAR-FLAUNTING, LLET-DANCING EFF YOU DIRECTED AT THE CONSERVATIVE COMMANDER IN CHIEF. (RON SR. REPORTEDLY LOVED IT.) — LA Times

8

PARIS HILTON VIRAL VIDEO PIONEER MAYA RUDOLPH PROMISED $100 TO THE FIRST CAST MEMBER WHO GOT ASKED A PERSONAL QUESTION BY THE HEIRESS/REALITY STAR. THE BET DIDN'T COST HER A CENT. DIDN'T ASK ONE PERSON, SAYS RUDOLPH. TINA FEY CALLED HER A TERRIBLE ROLE MODEL AND A TERRIBLE YOUNG — Insider and E Online

7

JULIAN BOND CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER F CRACKEDCO THE 1970S SOCIAL ACTIVIST LOOKS BACK ON SOME OF HIS EDGY SKETCHES (RIGHT ON AFRO LUSTRE, ANYONE?) WITH DISCOMFORT BUT BELIEVES 'COMEDY IS CRUCIAL IN OUR LIVES. HE TOOK 21ST CENTURY SNL TO TASK FOR THE CAST'S LACK OF DIVERSITY. — Hollywood Reporter

6

HUGH HEFNER BON VIVANT SAURDAY NICHT LIUE I'M A MAGAZINE PUBLISHER, NOT A PERFORMER, CONFESSES HEF IN HIS OPENING MONOLOGUE. HE SPENDS THE NEXT 90 MINUTES PROVING IT, INCLUDING A CRINGEY RENDITION OF 'THANK HEAVEN FOR LITTLE GIRLS' IN HIS SILK BATHROBE. — AV Club

5

Ron Nessen

RONNESSEN FORD PRESS SECRETARY SRTURDI NiGh AL FRANKEN INVITED NESSEN TO HOST AFTER CHEVY CHASE DID HIS PART TO PAINT PRESIDENT FORD AS A CLUMSY BOZO. THE PRESS SECRETARY TOOK HIM UP ON THE OFFER, DELIVERING A WOODEN PERFORMANCE MANY TOLD HIM WAS AGROSS ERROR OF JUDGEMENT. — Time

4

GEORGE STEINBRENER DAMN YANKEE SNL WHAT DOES A GUY DO WHEN HE'S SUSPENDED FROM MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL? PERFORM AWKWARD COMEDY! A SKETCH WHERE HE PLAYS A THOUGHTFUL, CARING BOSS IS A NICE LAMPOON OF HIS DESERVED A-HOLE REPUTATION. — Pinstripe Alley

3

Ed Koch

ED KOCH MAYOR CRACKED cO SNL SURE LOVES NYC MAYORS. KOCH WAS THE FIRST TO LAND THE HOST GIG IN 1983, AND HE MADE THREE OTHER CAMEO APPEARANCES OVER THE YEARS. HIS MONOLOGUE GAVE KOCH A CHANCE TO CALL REAGAN A WACKO' ON NATIONALTV. — Today

2

Brian Williams

BRIAN WILLIAMS PPRESS ANCHORMAN CRAGKEDCON WILLIAMS HAD TO BE TALKED INTO SNL BY, OF ALL PEOPLE, CHEVY CHASE. HE SAID, I WATCHED DAN RATHER FOR 20 YEARS, AND THE DAY HE RETIRED, I WAS NO CLOSER TO KNOWING WHO HE WAS THAN I WAS THE DAY HE STARTED. I THINK — Hollywood Reporter

1

Miskell Spillman

MISKELL SPILLMAN CONTEST WINNER WON STOV MCTT CRACKED cO 80-YEAR-OLD MISKELL SPILLMAN WON SNL'S FIRST (AND ONLY) 'ANYONE CAN HOST' CONTEST WITH THIS 25-WORDS-OR-L ENTRY: I'M 80 YEARS OLD. I NEED ONE MORE CHEAP THRILL, SINCE MY DOCTOR TOLD ME I ONLY HAVE ANOTHER 25 YEARS LEFT. — AV Club

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