SNL Season 4, Episode 3: Frank Zappa

This episode is infamous for all the wrong reasons. Frank Zappa, a musical genius, was unfortunately a difficult and uncooperative host. He openly showed his disdain for the process, mugging for the camera and letting the audience know he was reading from cue cards. This created a palpable, awkward tension that sank the entire show. The cast, consummate professionals, tried their best to work around him, but his hostile energy was impossible to overcome. A sketch about a disastrous parent-teacher conference was one of the few that worked. The musical performances were excellent, but they couldn’t save the episode from its host’s contempt. It was a fascinatingly uncomfortable and ultimately failed experiment in live television.