As one of the longest running series in television history, each episode of the sketch comedy Saturday Night Live starts with a skit and a monologue from the host, but only a select few can be part of the best Saturday Night Live monologues of all time. To make this list, the SNL monologues have to be funny, memorable or even so controversial that it prompted the host to be banned from the show for life.
What hosts have performed the best SNL monologues? It should be no surprise that Steve Martin, who has hosted the show 15 times over 39 seasons, comes in twice among the best SNL monologues. He however has some stiff competition in other great monologues from newer hosts such as notable performances in 2011 from Zach Galifianakis and Justin Timberlake.
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Paul Simon SNL Monologue 11/20/1976
Hosting during just the second season of the series, musician Paul Simon dressed as a turkey during his hilarious Saturday Night Live monologue. As part of their Thanksgiving episode, Simon "loosened up" for his November 20, 1976, hosting gig and sang "Still Crazy After All These Years." Things took a turn for the worse later prompting Simon to leave the stage in humiliation to change into something less "alienating."
Seth MacFarlane SNL Monologue 2/13/2013
John Malkovich SNL Monologue 12/6/2008
Airing on December 6, 2008, actor John Malkovich provided some holiday cheer as part of his Saturday Night Live monologue. Donning an itchy Santa hat and inviting children on stage, Malkovich read "Twas the Night Before Christmas." All was well until Malkovich began adding his own depressing and violent commentary on the normally optimistic and cheery lines. Merry Christmas indeed!
Zach Galifianakis SNL Monologue 3/12/2011
Hosting Saturday Night Live for the second time in March 2011, actor and comedian Zach Galifianakis absolutely killed it in his monologue. After poking fun at himself with a few jokes and introducing a few quirky characters, Galifianakis stripped down to a short red dress to perform a rendition of "Tomorrow" from the musical Annie. Though he didn't sing, he played along, giving commentary using a large easel of paper and showing the audience sneak peeks of his pink panties.
Steve Martin SNL Monologue 10/23/1976
In his first time hosting Saturday Night Live, Steve Martin went from a relative unknown to an overnight sensation with his October 23, 1976, SNL monologue. He took the stage in his trademark white suit and belted out a song, "Let's Get Small." Steve Martin would go on to host the show a total of a 15 times, which after 39 seasons, was tied for the most with Alec Baldwin.
Justin Timberlake SNL Monologue 5/21/2011
Notorious for popping in on random episodes for sketches, songs and digital shorts, Justin Timberlake hosted Saturday Night Live on May 21, 2011, for the season 39 finale and used his SNL monologue to poke fun of himself. In a song about not singing, Timberlake rattled off all the different types of singing he was not going to do, while doing them at the same time. Though the monologue was funny, it was far from his funniest moment on Saturday Night Live, which arguably was his December 2006 appearance in the "D*ck in a Box" digital short.
Norm MacDonald SNL Monologue 10/23/1999
After being fired as a cast member of the show just a year and a half earlier, Norm MacDonald was invited to return and host the show. His monologue is the opposite of grateful for the invitation to take the stage once again, and the product is comedy gold.
Steve Martin SNL Monologue 12/14/1991
Martin Lawrence SNL Monologue 2/19/1994
Though he hosted the show during season 19 on February 19, 1994, don't expect this monologue to ever air in syndication as it was controversial enough to earn comedian and actor Martin Lawrence a permanent ban from the show. In his monologue, Lawrence discussed feminine hygiene and how in his opinion, it was on the decline. In repeats, that monologue is replaced with an info-graphic discussing the audacity of the moment and describing how it nearly cost everyone on the cast and crew their jobs.