SNL’s Biggest Blunders: Top 10 Failed Cold Opens

Saturday Night Live’s Opening Skits: When Jokes Fall Flat

Saturday Night Live has a long history of making us laugh, but sometimes, the show misses the mark. Especially with its opening sketches, known as cold opens. These are the first jokes of the night, meant to grab our attention and set the tone. But what happens when they don’t land? Some cold opens have been so bad, they’re remembered for all the wrong reasons. They were offensive, controversial, or just plain poorly done. Let’s look back at ten times SNL’s opening act crashed and burned.

10. Trump Awards (2026)

This opening aired in early 2026 and felt completely out of touch. It came just hours after news broke about a serious federal raid in Minneapolis. The raid led to the death of an ICU nurse, Alex Krey. Instead of addressing this heavy news, SNL went with a sketch called the “Trump Awards.” James Austin Johnson did his usual impression of Donald Trump, but the sketch also featured Mike Myers as a frantic Elon Musk. Critics felt this sketch ignored real pain and suffering.

9. Domingo Birthday (2025)

In October 2025, SNL tried to recreate the magic of a viral sketch from season 50. That sketch featured Marcelo Hernandez as the character Domingo and Ariana Grande. A year later, they brought Domingo back for the third episode of the season. This time, he interrupted a 30th birthday party with guest Sabrina Carpenter. The sketch had no real connection to current events. It seemed like a desperate attempt to get a big laugh from the audience by repeating a past success. Fans saw it as a “break glass in case of emergency” move.

8. Meet the Parents (2024)

SNL often uses big-name guest stars, which can sometimes hurt more than help. This cold open from 2024 is a prime example. It featured Robert De Niro as Robert Mueller and Ben Stiller as Michael Cohen. The sketch basically just copied a scene from their 2000 movie, Meet the Parents. While the audience cheered for the famous actors, the sketch itself lacked any real political humor or smart jokes about the Mueller investigation. It felt like a long, slow rehash of news headlines with De Niro struggling to deliver his lines.

7. Wayne’s World vs. Chelsea Clinton (1992)

In 1992, Saturday Night Live made a big mistake by targeting a child. Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, as Wayne and Garth, were listing reasons they loved newly elected President Bill Clinton. But the list quickly turned mean. They made fun of Chelsea Clinton’s appearance, comparing her unfairly to other political kids. The backlash was immediate and strong. Many felt the show crossed a line by attacking a non-political minor. Creator Lorne Michaels had to apologize, and Mike Myers reportedly sent a personal apology to the Clintons. The joke was later removed from the episode.

6. College President (2023)

In late 2023, a congressional hearing about antisemitism on college campuses was a major national event. University presidents struggled to answer difficult questions. SNL’s attempt to satirize this was seen as a major failure. The sketch featured newcomer Chloe Trost as Representative Elise Stefanik grilling three university presidents, played by cast members like Ego Nwodim. But the writing was so careful not to offend anyone that the sketch ended up saying nothing at all. It was too afraid to take a real stance.

5. Richmeister in Waco (1993)

In the spring of 1993, a tense standoff was happening in Waco, Texas, between federal agents and the Branch Davidian cult. On March 13th, SNL aired a cold open where Rob Schneider played his “Richmeister” character. Richmeister was known as the annoying office guy who always bothered coworkers. In the sketch, he somehow got into the cult compound and bothered David Koresh, the cult leader. Making light of a serious, ongoing situation was risky. Sadly, just weeks later, a fire at the compound killed 76 people. The image of SNL mocking the situation while real horror unfolded was seen as a major misstep.

4. Brandon Tartikoff Tests the Cast (1985)

The 1980s were a tough time for SNL, with many cast changes and threats of cancellation. The 1985 season premiere started with a very awkward opening. NBC President Brandon Tartikoff addressed the audience directly. He announced a new mandatory drug testing policy for all SNL employees. This came just three years after beloved cast member John Belushi died from a drug overdose. The show was still grieving. Using actual drug testing as the basis for a comedy sketch felt insensitive and corporate, casting a dark shadow over the entire episode.

3. Heaven’s Gate (1997)

In March 1997, the world was shocked by the deaths of 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate cult. Less than two weeks later, SNL aired a cold open. The cast wore matching sneakers and black outfits, portraying the cult members as happy campers excited for their space journey. The sketch had no real point other than to make fun of the victims. It relied on the shock value of seeing people dressed like the deceased. Many felt it was deeply disrespectful to the people who had been manipulated by cult leaders.

2. Post-Election Piano Performance (2016)

The first show after the surprising 2016 presidential election took a different turn. Instead of comedy, the cold open featured Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton. Dressed simply, she sat alone at a piano and performed a moving, somber version of Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah.” Cohen himself had passed away the day before the election. While many viewers found the moment touching, comedy fans felt it abandoned the show’s purpose and was a low point for the series.

1. The Trump Awards (2026) – Revisit

This cold open, airing in early 2026, stands out as a particularly jarring misfire. It happened just hours after a violent federal raid in Minneapolis, which tragically resulted in the death of an ICU nurse. The show’s decision to immediately pivot to a sketch titled “Trump Awards,” featuring impressions of Donald Trump and a bizarre cameo by Mike Myers as Elon Musk, was widely criticized. It was seen as a profound failure to acknowledge the gravity of real-world events and the suffering of those affected. The sketch, despite its celebrity involvement, ultimately undermined the serious issues at hand.

Source: Top 10 SNL Cold Opens That FAILED Spectacularly (YouTube)