Chevy Chase’s Bizarre SNL Tenure: Exploring The Rumors Of His Alleged Ban After 1997 Gig
Chevy Chase’s legacy with SNL is marked by both his groundbreaking role as an original cast member and rumors of a hosting ban following a controversial 1997 appearance.
Chevy Chase, one of Saturday Night Live’s original cast members, holds a complex and controversial place in the show’s history. Though he left as a regular after its first year in 1976, he returned to host eight times between 1978 and 1997.
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However, Chase’s final hosting gig became a turning point, marked by rumors of inappropriate behavior, including alleged clashes with cast members and even slapping Cheri Oteri on the back of the head.
Will Ferrell, a cast member at the time, later referred to Chase as the “worst host,” which only added fuel to speculation that he was quietly banned from hosting after 1997.
Chevy Chase himself claimed that his absence wasn’t entirely voluntary. In a 2018 interview, he revealed that SNL creator Lorne Michaels denied him a chance to host again at his daughter Cydney’s wedding in 2012, allegedly citing his age as the reason.
Hurt by the decision, Chase expressed frustration, pointing out that older hosts had been welcomed back in the past and insisting he could still captivate audiences. “We’d had many people older than me hosting,” Chase alleged. “What did he mean? I’ve never understood what he meant. Because I’d be very good, and it would be fun for an audience to see me doing that.”
Michaels, however, offered a different version of events, explaining that he stopped the conversation to refocus Chase on the significance of the moment—walking his daughter down the aisle—rather than on his hosting ambitions.
“They were literally waiting for him to walk Cydney down the aisle. He said, “I’m ready to host again.’ All I was saying was, we have to stop this discussion now. You’re old and annoying. This is a big moment in your life. I’m here for you. Danny [Aykroyd] is performing the ceremony. We’re your friends; we’re here. You’re walking your daughter down the aisle,” Lorne explained.
Rumors about a possible ban were further fueled by accounts in the book Live From New York, which suggested Chase’s 1997 SNL hosting stint was particularly problematic. Michaels dismissed these claims, attributing any issues to generational differences rather than anything shocking or offensive. Still, despite the occasional cameo appearance, Chase’s absence as host for more than two decades keeps the speculation alive.
Although Chevy Chase hasn’t hosted since 1997, he has made sporadic returns to the SNL stage, including appearances during the 25th and 40th-anniversary specials, a Weekend Update segment in 2007, and a cameo in Justin Timberlake’s 2013 Five-Timers Club monologue.
