Before he became a sketch comedy icon elsewhere, Damon Wayans had a brief and memorable stint on SNL during the 1985-86 season. Frustrated with his lack of airtime and creative freedom, Wayans went off-script during a live sketch, playing a flamboyant, stereotypically gay cop instead of the straight-laced character he was supposed to. He was fired immediately after the show by Lorne Michaels. The incident became a legendary act of defiance. Wayans, of course, landed on his feet. He went on to co-create and star in the groundbreaking sketch show In Living Color, becoming a massive star on his own terms. His SNL firing was merely a prelude to his own comedy journey.