According to former 'Saturday Night Live' star Bill Hader, Kanye West often made it clear when dropping by the sketch show for performances that he was unimpressed by their jokes.
- Feb 2, 2025
AceShowbiz - Despite his seven appearances on "Saturday Night Live" between 2005 and 2018, Kanye West has never held back his disdain for the show. As revealed in the documentary "Ladies & Gentlemen...50 Years of SNL Music," comedian/actor Bill Hader recalled that Ye often told the "SNL" cast member that the show was unfunny.
"He was always kinda like, nice, but then also really contentious, you know?" Hader shared his encounters with Kanye when the rapper came to the show. "He had no problem telling us that he found the show incredibly unfunny. He would tell us that on the regular."
However, Hader acknowledged Kanye's 2010 performance of "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" as a highlight, citing it as a game-changer for "SNL" musical guests. "It was kind of like a gauntlet had been thrown, of like, 'That's the best SNL performance,' " Hader gushed. "And it was that thing of certain artists coming in and wanting to compete."
Kanye's appearance marked a departure from SNL's traditional visual style. He performed in front of a bright, backlit white sheet with ballerinas, breaking the convention of performing in front of the brick wall. This opened up the possibilities for artists to demand more creative control on the show.
However, Kanye's most contentious appearance came in 2016. After the "SNL" team removed decorations brought by his creative team, the hip-hop artist threatened to leave the show. Producer Steve Higgins and "SNL" boss Lorne Michaels intervened to convince him to stay.
Michaels "chased him down" and explained to Kanye that his outburst was more damaging to him than the show. Despite the frustrations, the rapper ultimately delivered a performance of "Highlights" and "Ultralight Beam" without incident.
However, audio of his outburst leaked after the broadcast. "Look at that s***," he ranted. "They took my f***in' stage off at SNL without asking me. Now I'm bummed. Are they f***ing crazy? I'm 50 percent more influential than any other human being. Don't f*** with me."
Ye's appearances on SNL have been a testament to his outspoken nature and his desire for creative freedom. While his criticisms have ruffled feathers, he has also pushed the boundaries of the show's visual and musical conventions.
