8 Most Controversial 'SNL' Monologues of All Time, Ranked

Saturday Night Live is known for its wildly funny sketches – including ones that cause the cast members to break character and burst out laughing – but it’s also known for breaking boundaries with opening monologues.

The late night show hasn’t shown signs of slowing down after almost 50 seasons, and it’s also no stranger to controversies.

While Woody Harrelson just recently delivered a controversial opening monologue featuring COVID conspiracies, it still doesn’t compare to even more headline-making opening monologues over the years.

Some Saturday Night Live monologues led to hosts not returning, while others have even led to permanent bans. These are the show openers that still leave fans on edge as time goes on.

Scroll through to see all the most controversial SNL opening monologues…