While Saturday Night Live (SNL), is known for bringing the laughs it has also been known to bring the controversy. Whether it is political, use of language, or just debate on whether a skit was funny the show has had as much drama as it has laughs. Many of the controversial moments on the show come from their musical guests. However, not all controversial moments are created equal. Here are 4 of the most controversial SNL musical guests of all time.
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The Most Controversial 'SNL' Musical Guests
While it is not the norm, some musical guests do overshadow the skits with their controversial moments. Whether it is intentional or not, sometimes things can get awkward. While this list is much longer than just four moments, these four are some of the most controversial moments. Additionally, they are some of the moments that stood out to me the most when learning about them.
1. The Replacements' Drunken Performance
While playing in front of a live studio audience, and on television, can be terrifying, I recommend not getting drunk to do it. The Minnesota-based indie rock had a performance in 1986 and quickly became one of the most controversial SNL musical guests. SNL had a rule that there was no alcohol on the set during show days. However, The Replacements decided to ignore this rule and had some snuck in for them.
Rather than just having a drink to take the edge off, they took it upon themselves to get completely plastered. They couldn't even make it through their song without making mistakes. The Grunge shares that "Paul Westerberg sang off key... Tommy Stinson stumbled and staggered....and Bob Stinson would miss his solo." To top it all off they also flew the F-word around, uncensored, and flashed Bob Stinson's rear end after he tore his pants at the end of the performance. So much controversy in one performance.
2. Sinead O'Connor Vs. The Catholic Church
Sinead O'Connor shocked the world, and the crew in the control booth with her rogue moment during her performance on SNL. During her performance she delivered a "voice-only interpretation of Bob Marley's anti-child abuse song War." While the crew may have been impressed with her singing, they were not impressed with her actions that followed.
At the end of her song, she stated, "We have confidence in the victory of good over evil." Innocent enough statement right? Well she became one of the most controversial musical guests on SNL when she held up a photo of the then-head of the Roman Catholic Church, as she said that line, and tore the photos to bits. From there she said, "Fight the real enemy," making it clear who she saw as the enemy in this situation
The crew in the control room was too surprised to act. That is because during dress rehearsal, she had shown them an entirely different thing. The Grunge shared, "She'd used a picture of a child, made a statement about protection, and left it intact." So basically, nothing at all like what she did in front of the camera. In their astonishment, they did not turn the "applause" sign around so there was nothing but stunned silence in the crowd. Furthermore, NBC received many complaints from both upset viewers and Catholic organizations. They even released a statement explaining that they did not condone was O'Connor had done.
3. Kayne West Got Political
Getting political on television never seems like a good idea to me. Particularly if you are there to show off your talents. However, Kayne West decided to take the opportunity, like many others on this list, to do what he thought was right. West was consistently on SNL, making seven appearance. He was VIP musical guest and well-liked by many.
However, he quickly became one of SNL's most controversial musical guests when he decided to do a performance wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat. While he didn't say anything to the crowd or on air about his beliefs, many took the hat as a loud political cry. Furthermore, when he was off the air, West supposedly shared his political thoughts to both the studio audience and the cast and crew. The Grunge shared, "In the studio, viewers booed West, while host Adam Driver and cast member Chris Redd walked away. Once an "SNL" stalwart, West hasn't been back to the show since."
4. Cypress Hill Ignores Show's Wishes
During the 1990s, marijuana was illegal. However that did not stop many from lighting up when they wanted to. Although, admittedly most people did it in the comfort of their own home, not on television and in front of a live audience. The Grunge state that Cypress Hill was explicitly told they cold not smoke during their performance. Additionally, it wasn't just the show that was saying it. Sean Dog admitted that their record label, management, and friends all prohibited the smoking as well.
Despite the explicit warnings, the band chose to ignore them. While their first set went off without hitch, DJ Muggs opened their second song with a joint, causing quite the scandal. Controversy broke out over their bold choice and the band later heard from NBC executives.
