Is Samuel L. Jackson Banned From Saturday Night Live? Even He Isn't Sure.
Did you know that Samuel L. Jackson was banned from Saturday Night Live?
Evidently, neither did anyone at SNL.
The confusion all started back in 2012 when Samuel L. Jackson played himself in a sketch with Kenan Thomson called "What Up With That?" a fake BET talk show where Thomson breaks into song and dance numbers before his guests can answer a question. In the bit, Jackson let fly the F-Bomb, thus banning him from future appearances - as per official SNL rules.
In March, Jackson appeared on Ellen, which was being guest hosted by Leslie Jones. During the interview he said this about the incident, he explained:
"Kenan got me banned from Saturday Night Live. He didn't cut me off soon enough and I said the forbidden word on television. He was supposed to cut me off!"
But the story took a humorous turn recently, when Jackson appeared on EW's The Awardist Podcast. During the interview, he talked about running into SNL creator Lorne Michaels while getting on an elevator that Michaels was exiting. After almost not recognizing Jackson due to his mask, he pulled it down and began a rather funny back and forth:
Jackson: "Are you ever gonna let me back on the show?"
Michaels: "You're not banned!"
Jackson: "Yes, I am!"
Michaels: "No, you're not!"
Jackson jokingly ended the interview with, "So maybe I'm not. I don't know."
Regardless of the outcome, the "What Up With That?" skit was only made funnier by the foul mouthed gaffe. I mean, what else would you expect from the man who gave us the famed line:
"I have had it with these motherf***ing snakes on this motherf***ing plane!!!!"
