Every now and again, a stand-up comedian will really break the mold and become a massive star with their comedy, which lends to them achieving a huge career in film and television. Kevin Hart is a recent example of this, and even Joe Rogan has had crossover appeal throughout the years.

During the 90s, Martin Lawrence became a huge star thanks to his comedy, eventually landing major film and television roles. While hosting SNL, Lawrence’s monologue got him in tons of trouble, leading to a ban from the show.

Even though it’s been years, is Martin Lawrence still not allowed on SNL?

Martin Lawrence Got Into Trouble On The Show

Martin Lawrence SNL
Via Pinterest.com

Getting the chance to host SNL is considered an honor by some, and most performers want to make the most of their opportunity. During his time on the show, Martin Lawrence got into some serious heat during his monologue, which even drew the ire of the crowd that was in attendance. The subject of feminine hygiene is a touchy one, and Lawrence pulled no punches during his monologue.

“Something else concerns me and it hurts, see I’m, I’m single, I’m a single man, I don’t have nobody, I’m looking for somebody but I’m meeting a lot of women out there, and you got some beautiful women, but you got some out there that, uh, I gotta say somethin. Um… some of you are not washing your a** properly,” he said.

“OK? Don’t get me wrong, not all, some of you, you know what I’m sayin’, uh… I’m sorry, ‘Cause uh, listen, now, I don’t know what it is a woman got to do to keep up the hygiene on the body I know, uh, I’m watching douche commercials on television, and I’m wondering if some of you are reading the instructions. I don’t think so. Y’know, ’cause I’m getting with some of the ladies, smelling odours, going ‘Wait a minute’. Girl, smell this! This you! Smell yourself, girl,” he continued.

There is a lot more to this monologue, but the key thing to note here is that this was unplanned. It was an off-script moment that Lawrence decided to run with while on the show. The crowd wasn’t pleased at all, and it wouldn’t take long for the show to receive hundreds of complaints from fans who watched the episode and were offended with what Lawrence was saying. Naturally, SNL came down hard on the star.

Related: The Truth About Bob Odenkirk's Time On 'SNL'

‘SNL’ Bans Him

Martin Lawrence SNL
Via thewickerbreaker.com

After getting into hot water for the monologue, Lawrence soon found himself banned from making future appearances on SNL. The episode he was featured on still shows, but the entire monologue has been removed, which was a decision made by the network. Even now, it is still one of the most infamous moments in the show’s history.

When speaking on the incident, Lawrence said, “If I don’t know anything else, I know what it takes to make a person laugh. People have to have the right to laugh, or else you’re going to have a lot more of us going crazy. If you can get past the language and have fun with what I’m talking about, I’m going to help keep you mentally healthy.”

Martin Lawrence was known for his brand of comedy during this time, but the folks at SNL clearly hoped that he would rein it in for his hosting duties. This didn’t happen, and the show dropped the ban hammer on him. It has been years since this took place, and many wonder if the two sides are still at odds.

Related: Daniel Kaluuya Discusses The Difference Between American And British Racism On SNL

They’re Still At Odds

Many years have passed since the incident, but Lawrence has never made a return to SNL. While promoting Bad Boys for Life with Will Smith, Lawrence was making the media rounds for the flick, and this could have been a good opportunity to make amends with the show. This, however, didn’t happen.

When speaking on The Breakfast Club about his ban from the show, Lawrence said, “I don’t give a damn.”

“I’m not banned from SNL. They banned me from NBC at the time for a minute. But then they realized the way it went down wasn’t what they thought and then they sent me an apology letter,” he continued.

Related: How Former 'SNL' Cast Member Jon Lovitz Amassed His $12 Million Net Worth

So, it sure seems like Martin Lawrence could maybe make any appearances on SNL all these years later. He’s not a huge star like he was in the 90s, but seeing him get some redemption from his infamous appearance would make for a cool episode.

Next: Why Bob Odenkirk Wants To Apologize To 'SNL' Creator Lorne Michaels