Saturday Night Live is one of the most legendary shows in television history, and through the years, the show has been home to amazing performers and hilarious moments. People like Will Ferrell and Eddie Murphy used the show to launch their careers, and fresh faces are always looking to land a spot on the show to boost their appeal.
Chevy Chase was an original cast member who helped put SNL on the map, but at one point, he was banned from hosting the show. At this point, Chase has a complicated history that has done him no favors in the public eye.
Let’s see if Chevy Chase is still banned from SNL.
He Was Banned From ‘SNL’
As an original member of the cast back in the 70s, Chevy Chase was able to rise to fame on SNL, cementing a legacy on the show. However, just because he is an original and has a legacy does not mean that he is immune from consequences. Chase would eventually break away from SNL, and he would also receive the ban hammer, as well.
Years after leaving the show, Chase made his return to serve as host in 1997, and while things should have gone smoothly, behind the scenes, Chevy’s awful behavior took hold, causing a huge problem. At one point, Chase smacked Cheri Oteri in the back of the head, which prompted Will Ferrell to report the host. While Chase insisted that it was a joke, no one found it funny, and he has been banned from hosting duties.
When talking about Chase serving as host, Ferrell said, “The worst host was Chevy Chase. I don’t know if he was on something, but he was just kind of going around the room and systematically riffing. First it was on the guys, playfully making fun, until, when he got to one of our female writers, he made some reference like, ‘Maybe you can give me a hand job later.’ In hindsight, I wish we’d all gotten up and walked out of the room.”
It’s hard to imagine that something like this would happen, especially considering that Chase presented himself as a funny guy while the cameras were rolling. This incident caused quite a stir, and it gave a peak behind the camera at the actor, who had a history of problems with people like Bill Murray.
He Has Since Returned
So, is Chase banned from SNL? Yes and no. Yes, he is banned from hosting the show, but no, he is not banned from appearing on the show. He appeared at the show’s 40th anniversary, which drew the ire of some people out there. Sure, he’s a classic, but he’s also shown himself to be someone who should be left on the sidelines.
As it stands now, Chase has yet to come back and host the show since his debacle back in 1997. He has gone on to do other things, and some cast members who people thought would never come back have indeed made some triumphant returns. However, considering what took place, we cannot imagine this ban ever being lifted.
Violence has no business in the workplace whatsoever, and at a normal job, someone is getting canned immediately and never coming back. This appears to be the case here, but it is also worth noting that Chase has seemingly gone out of his way to show his character on set while torpedoing his legacy as a funny guy.
He Has A History Of Being Awful
Some actors become quite infamous because of their awful behavior, and Chevy Chase is no exception to this. Through the years, he has had a number of incidents that have all gone into creating the reputation that he carries now. Needless to say, many people are not fond of the actor at all.
Not only did he have huge problems with Bill Murray, including a physical altercation, but Chase’s recent work has also landed him in hot water. While working on Community, Chase gained a reputation for being pretty bad, and at one point, he even made racist remarks to co-star, Donald Glover.
At one point, Chase said, “People think you’re funnier because you’re black.”
When speaking to The New Yorker, Glover said, “I just saw Chevy as fighting time — a true artist has to be O.K. with his reign being over. I can’t help him if he’s thrashing in the water. But I know there’s a human in there somewhere—he’s almost too human.”
Chase has left behind a tarnished legacy, and while he could be back on SNL at some point, he will certainly never host again.