The 20 Worst SNL Hosts of All-Time

Since its premiere in 1975, Saturday Night Live has been one of the funniest shows on network television.  Over the years, the sketch comedy show, which has a variety of hilarious skits, has become a launching point for some of the funniest acts in the entertainment industry, and has also opened its stage to dozens of celebrity guest hosts.  However, for some of the stars who have graced the SNL stage as hosts, things didn’t go as planned.  While all hosts hope to keep the show moving smoothly, and help the crowd stay entertained – some found themselves struggling to make things work.  Fortunately, a bad SNL appearance didn’t ruin any of their careers, but it definitely affected their rep with the show.  Here are the 20 worst SNL hosts of all-time.

(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Paris Hilton

When Paris Hilton hosted the show back in 2005, she was at the height of her career.  Although the episode actually turned out to be pretty funny, other people on set reported that Hilton was a nightmare behind the scenes. A year after the show, Tina Fey did an interview in which she a few choice words for Hilton. According to Fey, Hilton was not only a piece of you-kn0w-what, but she was also a diva who “proud of how dumb she is.”

 (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Lindsay Lohan

Over the last few years, Lindsay Lohan hasn’t been able to catch a break and her 2012 hosting appearance on SNL was no different.  Although many hoped the hosting gig would be a comeback for Lohan, things didn’t exactly turn out that way.  Although she had hosted the show on several earlier occasions, critics simply weren’t impressed, and also noted that she was given fewer parts than hosts usually receive.

(Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images)

Mc Hammer

When Mc Hammer appeared on SNL in 1991, his popularity had already started waning. Still, he became one of the few SNL hosts to also be the musical guest during the same episode. But even with his hand in two pots, viewers and critics were thoroughly disappointed with his appearance on the show.

 (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Lance Armstrong

No one ever accused Lance Armstrong of being the funniest guy in the world, and if you’ve seen his 2005 SNL hosting appearance you’ll know why. At the time, Armstrong had just announced his retirement from cycling, and his fame had yet to be tarnished.  However, Armstrong’s appearance on the show was simply awkward and was lacking in the humor department.

 (Photo by Darren Stewart/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps’ SNL appearance is another that proves that the SNL stage may not be the best place for professional athletes. While hosting the show in 2008, Phelps’ struggled with his comedic timing and wasn’t great at reading his cue cards. Although many people had high hopes for the Olympian, it was clear that he’s much better off sticking to what he knows best.

(Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images For Laureus)

Andrew Dice Clay

Andrew Dice Clay may be a well-known comedian, but not even that could save his awful SNL appearance. Clay, who has a reputation for making jokes that many deem completely inappropriate, made several people uncomfortable when he was announced as the host. Then SNL cast member, Nora Dunn, boycotted Clay as a host, and refused to appear on the episode.  Musician, Sinead O’Conner, also refused to appear on the episode hosted by Clay, but returned to perform later in the season.

(Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Donald Trump

Donald Trump is usually pretty entertaining – whether he means to be or not is an entirely different story. Although Donald Trump skits on SNL have gotten pretty popular, his hosting appearance didn’t find the same success. Apparently, he’s much better being funny by accident than he is being put on the spot in front of millions of viewers.

 (Photo by John W. Adkisson/Getty Images)

Martin Lawrence

Martin Lawrence is hilarious, so it may be hard to believe that he flopped when he appeared on SNL.  While hosting in 1994, during his first and only appearance on the show, Lawrence’s monologue was filled with distasteful jokes that left viewers and SNL staff in shock.  Lawrence has since been banned from the show, and his monologue has been edited out of reruns and clips.

(Photo by Photo by Kevin Winter/ImageDirect.)

Tom Green

During the late 90s and early 2000s, Tom Green found mainstream success thanks to The Tom Green Show which aired on MTV.  Although he was definitely known for a less sophisticated brand of funny, many people still found him entertaining. However, when he hosted SNL in 2000, viewers were both confused and annoyed by his appearance.  His jokes just didn’t seem to connect with the audience and he has widely been considered one of the worst hosts.

(Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Megan Fox

Megan Fox’s appearance on SNL back in 2009 was forgetful to say the least.  Fox’s monologue wasn’t particularly funny, and although she did well in the skits, none of them made a lasting impression.  Although she worked hard to be funny and entertaining, Fox was simply outshines by the cast members of SNL – including several who were making their debut appearances during that episode.

(Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

Robert De Niro

After an incredible career starring in some very classic films, there’s no denying that Robert De Niro is a Hollywood legend. However, even the greats can’t be good at everything.  Although De Niro has hosted SNL three times, many still consider him one of the worst hosts to ever hit the stage.   Sure, he’s an incredible actor, but his skits don’t always seem to connect well with the audience, and many people wonder why he was asked to host so many times.

 (Photo by Clemens Bilan/Getty Images)

Nancy Kerrigan

Once upon a time, Nancy Kerrigan was projected to be an Olympic Gold medal winning figure skater.  Although she came close, her career was derailed in 1994 when rival skater, Tonya Harding, master minded a plan which left Kerrigan with a serious knee injury.  Although the event damaged her skating career, it definitely boosted her popularity with the general public.  In 1994, just a few months after the attack, Kerrigan hosted SNL – but unfortunately, even pity wasn’t enough to keep viewers interested.  Most people found her awkward and dry and over the years her performance has been remembered as one of the worst.

(Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Justin Bieber

Over the last few years, it’s become clear that Justin Bieber is no longer the cute little boy the world was introduced to when he first hit the scene.  Recently, there’s no doubt that Bieber has been feeling himself a little too much – and many people at SNL would agree.  When Bieber came on set to host an episode last year.  Many people on set said that Bieber’s behavior was ridiculous. Former cast member, Bill Haden, stated,  “I really didn’t enjoy having Justin Bieber around. He’s the only one who lived up to the reputation. I think that’s the only time I felt that way in eight years.”

(Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Variety)

Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders is one of the most talented and versatile athletes to ever hit the field(s).  However, apparently being funny just isn’t his thing.  Sanders hosted an episode in 1995, and the bad members still live on.  During the show, Sanders attempted to rap – and it was a complete fail.  Appearances like this have only helped to lower the bar for athletes.

(Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for DirecTV)

Frank Zappa

During the show’s fourth season, Frank Zappa went down in SNL history – but unfortunately, not for anything good.  Zappa, who appeared on the show as both the host and musical guest, was disliked by the cast and crew of the show and struggled to keep up with his end of the deal.  Apparently, Zappa’s appearance also resulted in him being banned from the show.

(image via https://twitter.com/SomethngElse)

Adrian Brody

Adrian Brody certainly didn’t earn any fans on the set of SNL during his hosting appearance.  In fact, in 2010 Tina Fey stated that she thought Brody was the worst SNL host ever.  So what did he do that was so awful? He  made a huge TV no-no and went off script.  While introducing reggae artist, Sean Paul, Brody came on stage dressed as a Rastafarian – something he didn’t clear with producers beforehand.

(Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

January Jones

January Jones has a reputation for being a little stiff, and that’s exactly what her SNL hosting appearance was.  Although she didn’t necessarily do anything wrong, it was clear that she wasn’t exerting any extra energy.  According to a critic, “Poor January Jones. It has, I think, been a long time since a host on “SNL” has been this bad. Stilted delivery, stumbling over words, and that weird, low-energy negativity that works for Betty Draper but so does not work for a live comedy show.”

(Getty Images)

Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart is currently one of the biggest comedians in the game, but unfortunately, his SNL appearance is far from being one of the best.  When he hosted the show in 2013, many people were disappointed because he simply wasn’t that funny.  Although Hart probably hoped to gain more fans by appearing on the show, it may have actually had the opposite effect.

 (Photo by Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for Allied-THA)

Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase has a very long history with SNL. Chase was actually one of the show’s original cast members, and the success of his career is largely due to the show.  However, over the years, his relationship with SNL has deteriorated.  Although he has hosted the show seven times, his reputation certainly precedes him.  His 1985 hosting appearance sticks out as being especially bad. Many cast and crew members who have been on set with Chase have compared him to a “monster” and stated plainly that he is a “jerk.”  Apparently, he doesn’t care what he says to people, and can be very insulting.

(Photo by Myrna Suarez/Getty Images)

Steven Seagal

Steven Seagal is widely regarded as the worst SNL host ever. Seagal is yet another star who struggled to get along with the cast and crew, and on top of that – he just wasn’t funny or entertaining. During his 1991 appearance, he also did an impersonation of Andrew Dice Clay which didn’t go over so well with anyone.  Seagal’s terrible job as a host resulted in him being banned from the show for life.

(Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

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