Ever since it first hit the airwaves in 1975, Saturday Night Live [1] has been giving us a serious case of the laughs. The series has introduced us to the most eccentric and silly characters [2] of all time, from Chris Farley [3]'s turbo-charged motivational speaker to Kristen Wiig's punchy Target Lady [4]. So, which are the sketches every comedy enthusiast needs to watch? As Lorne Michaels's baby is a well-oiled machine, there are literally thousands of SNL skits out there. It's no joke to boil down the series to its very best, but we've managed to find the most LOL-worthy moments throughout its four decades of existence. Whether you are into the goofy, wholesome humor of David S. Pumpkins [5] or can't help giggling over the double entendre of "Schweddy Balls," you'll definitely find a laugh among these 20 iconic Saturday Night Live [6] sketches!
"Fashion Coward" (2019)
Fashion Coward [7] is a store that sells safe items such as "brown sweater, navy shirt, pants for the legs, and one black dress." In this short, Emma Stone [8] gives voice to all of us who like our comfortable basic clothes, thank you very much.
"Diner Lobster" (2018)
During his first time hosting SNL after years of writing on it, John Mulaney knocked it out of the park in "Diner Lobster," gifting us with one of the most hilarious 2018 skits [9]. In this sketch, he plays a waiter serving Pete Davidson, who randomly orders a lobster dish at a diner. Hilarity ensues when Kate McKinnon and Kenan Thompson portray lobsters who burst into an entire Les Mis sequence.
"Barbie Instagram" (2018)
Pete Davidson, Donald Glover, and Heidi Gardner play interns who are completely clueless when it comes to captioning Barbie's Instagram. While Davidson and Gardner offer silly ideas, Glover gets downright dark and existential with his responses, alluding to a haunting image of a girl getting hit by a car.
"Totinos With Kristen Stewart" (2017)
Vanessa Bayer portrays a wife serving up Totinos for her husband and his pals, only to find her own Totino, aka Kristen Stewart [10]. Dialing up the steam, the sketch hilariously juxtaposes artsy French queer cinema with your basic American frozen pizza snack [11].
"Haunted Elevator (ft. David S. Pumpkins)" (2016)
As one of the most frequent SNL guests, Tom Hanks [12] has participated in his fair share of hilarious skits. His silly bit as a not-so-spooky, pumpkin-suit-wearing man [13] popping out in the "100 Floors of Fright" is definitely one of his best.
"Close Encounter" (2015)
Do you find Ryan Gosling [14] irresistibly charming? Same. He's even more endearing as he struggles not to break character in this "Close Encounter" skit while enduring Kate McKinnon's dirty talk and very committed physical comedy as she recalls an experience that's out of this world. The first time was so funny that it inspired another sketch [15] upon Gosling's return to the show.
"Target Lady: Meets Her First Lesbian" (2013)
It'd be downright disrespectful not to include Kristen Wiig; she consistently cracks us up with Saturday Night Live [16] characters such as Dooneese and the "don't make me sing" woman. But Wiig's biggest cultural footprint on the show might just be the overeager Target lady who never minds her own business. Here, she learns that not all lesbian women wear vests, prompting an enthusiastic, "Stereotype busted!"
"Weekend Update: Stefon on Halloween's Hottest Tips" (2012)
Long before he portrayed a hitman turned aspiring actor on Barry [17], Bill Hader gifted us the giddy city correspondent Stefon [18], accompanying Seth Meyers on "Weekend Update." Between Hader's fake tattoo sleeve, lowered voice, and constant breaking, there's so much to love about this character. The Halloween [19] bit is especially hilarious, and we get to see Hader erupting into giggles after saying, "This place is going to have everything: ghosts, ghouls, goblins . . . my son."
"Census Taker vs. Old Lady" (2010)
Long after her days on The Golden Girls [20], Betty White performed on SNL at age 88, giving us, among many other great moments, this wacky gem of a sketch in which she showcases her razor-sharp comedic timing. The skit features Tina Fey [21] as a census taker who asks White basic questions about her name and residence, only to get odd answers such as "Blarrfingarrr."
"Sarah Palin and Hillary Address the Nation" (2008)
Between 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, there's so much to love about Amy Poehler and Tina Fey [22]. In this iconic skit, they portray former presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin as they talk to the nation about sexism during the election.
"D*ck in a Box" (2006)
It's pretty hard to keep a straight face when Andy Samberg [23] and Justin Timberlake [24] sing about gifting their significant others their man bits wrapped in a box. Even though it's a goofy parody of corny teen pop songs, don't you forget that "D*ck in a Box" won an Emmy in 2007.
"Lazy Sunday" (2005)
Before Brooklyn Nine-Nine [25]'s Jake Peralta, Andy Samberg [26], along with Chris Parnell, hit us with this aggressively wholesome Saturday Night Live [27] short. Written by Samberg's trio The Lonely Island, the parody rap touches on Sunday activities such as eating Magnolia cupcakes and going to the movies to watch The Chronicles of Narnia. Plus, we get some sick verses about Hamilton and Burr before Lin-Manuel Miranda [28] dropped his musical [29].
"More Cowbell" (2000)
Christopher Walken [30] portrays the real-life producer Bruce Dickinson, demanding that Will Ferrell [31], playing the fictional Gene Frenkle, play more cowbell. Walken's straight face and Ferrell's committed physical comedy are a hoot, which is why it's hard to blame Jimmy Fallon [32] for fighting laughter in his single line here.
"NPR's Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls" (1998)
Imagine your favorite cool, collected public radio host making naughty jokes, and you'll start getting an idea of "NPR's Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls." Cranking up the double-entendre jokes, Ana Gasteyer and Molly Shannon play NPR correspondents who interview Alec Baldwin [33], a baker known for his Schweddy Balls dish.
"Spartan Cheerleaders at a Football Game" (1995)
Will Ferrell [34] and Cheri Oteri are an aggressively spirited cheer duo who show their high school football team extra love despite not making the cheerleading squad. Their energy levels are borderline bonkers, but you have to admit they never falter.
"Matt Foley: Van Down by the River" (1993)
David Spade and Christina Applegate [35] play teens who get a talk from their parents about pot. To facilitate the conversation, their folks bring in Chris Farley as Matt Foley, an energetic motivational speaker who can't seem to keep his pants up or stop referencing a "van down by the river."
"White Like Me" (1984)
Before White Chicks [36], there was Eddie Murphy [37]'s "White Like Me" sketch. In it, the comedian dresses up as a white man and goes around New York City to uncover racial disparities. Besides making a pretty incisive point about race and privilege, Murphy also gives us the giggles for days.
"Coneheads Family Feud" (1978)
Here's a mashup of two of Saturday Night Live [38]'s most well-known bits: Family Feud and the Coneheads. The sketch sees the Mels (Steve Martin [39], Gilda Radner, and John Belushi) going up against the Coneheads (Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman). The Coneheads, bald aliens allegedly from France, give hilariously jargon-filled answers such as "organically inactive meat or vegetable matter between two starch planes," aka a sandwich.
"Weekend Update: Roseanne Roseannadanna on Smoking" (1978)
With Jane Curtin as host of "Weekend Update," Gilda Radner comes in as the brassy health correspondent Roseanne Roseannadanna in this bit. This segment features her chattering on about how she quit smoking and went to a health club. Roseanne goes into pretty gnarly details about a single bead of sweat here, and we dare you not to laugh.
"The Judy Miller Show Live From Her Bedroom" (1977)
"The Judy Miller Show" is a weirdly sweet sketch in which Gilda Radner portrays an energetic little girl trapped in a room by herself, which prompts her to create her very own show that she executes with a Muppets-like intensity. With this eccentric yet endearing character, you'll definitely be in for a wild ride — in the best way possible, of course.