Best Saturday Night Live TV Funhouse (March 2026) Guide

As someone who grew up watching Saturday Night Live in the late 90s and early 2000s, I’ll never forget the first time I saw TV Funhouse. The mix of crude animation, sharp satire, and unexpected celebrity voices was unlike anything else on television at the time.

Saturday TV Funhouse was a recurring animated segment on Saturday Night Live featuring cartoons created by writer Robert Smigel, airing 101 segments between 1996 and 2008. These animated shorts pushed boundaries with their parody of everything from Disney cartoons to superhero tropes, featuring voice work from future stars like Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell.

What made TV Funhouse truly special was its fearless approach to comedy. Robert Smigel and his team created cartoons that weren’t afraid to tackle controversial topics, mock corporate America, or poke fun at pop culture icons. The animation might have been intentionally crude, but the humor was razor-sharp.

In this guide, I’ll take you through everything that made TV Funhouse a standout part of SNL history, from its most famous segments to the talented voice actors who brought these bizarre characters to life.

What Made TV Funhouse Special

TV Funhouse stood out because it broke all the rules of what late-night comedy animation could be. Unlike typical cartoon segments, TV Funhouse deliberately used a rough, unfinished animation style that perfectly matched its subversive humor.

The segments excelled at parody. Whether mocking Disney’s wholesome image with twisted versions of classic characters or creating original concepts like The Ambiguously Gay Duo, Smigel’s writing consistently found clever ways to subvert expectations.

What truly set TV Funhouse apart was its social commentary. The segments weren’t just jokes – they were sharp critiques of media, politics, and American culture. This willingness to be genuinely provocative while remaining hilarious made the segment feel dangerous in the best possible way.

Major Recurring Segments

TV Funhouse produced dozens of memorable segments over its 12-year run. Here are the ones that fans still talk about today:

The Ambiguously Gay Duo

Without doubt the most famous TV Funhouse creation, The Ambiguously Gay Duo featured superheroes Ace and Gary whose superhero activities and relationship were played with deliberate ambiguity. Voiced by Stephen Colbert as Ace and Steve Carell as Gary, these segments perfectly parodied the homoerotic subtext often found in classic superhero partnerships.

The animation mimicked the style of Hanna-Barbera cartoons from the 1970s, complete with limited movement and reused backgrounds. Each episode followed a similar formula: the duo would receive a mission, face off against villains who constantly questioned their sexuality, and save the day while leaving their relationship status deliberately unclear.

Disney Parodies

TV Funhouse’s Disney parodies were particularly vicious and brilliant. Segments like “The Disney Vault” imagined what really happened to Disney movies when they were “locked away,” showing twisted versions of beloved characters engaging in inappropriate behavior.

My personal favorite was “Bambi 2000,” which imagined Disney’s marketing department remaking the classic film with extreme violence and product placement. These parodies worked because they understood exactly what made Disney special – and how to twist it for maximum comedic effect.

The X-Presidents

Another recurring segment featured animated versions of former presidents (George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and Gerald Ford) as superheroes. The humor came from seeing these elderly statesmen in absurd superhero situations, complete with age-appropriate powers like Reagan’s ability to forget things and Carter’s Habitat for Humanity building skills.

Fun with Real Audio

These segments took actual audio recordings (often from celebrities, politicians, or ordinary people) and created bizarre animations around them. The results were surreal and often revealed hidden meanings or absurdities in the original recordings.

Other Notable Segments

• Smurfette: A dark parody showing what Smurf life was really like
• The Narrator That Ruined Everything: Meta-humor about cartoon narration
• Stedman: Recurring sketches about Oprah’s partner Stedman Graham
• Kenny Rogers: The country star appeared in multiple bizarre segments

The Voice Cast Behind the Characters

One of TV Funhouse’s greatest strengths was its voice cast, which included many performers before they became famous:

Stephen Colbert

Before he was hosting The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert was lending his voice to Ace in The Ambiguously Gay Duo. His delivery of Ace’s earnest but oblivious lines was perfect, creating a character who remained completely unaware of the implications of his relationship with Gary.

Steve Carell

Similarly, Steve Carell’s performance as Gary showcased the comedic timing that would later make him a star. His ability to play Gary as equally oblivious to the subtext made the duo’s dynamic work perfectly.

Robert Smigel

The creator himself voiced numerous characters, bringing his distinctive comedic sensibility directly to the performances. Smigel understood the tone needed for each segment, whether it was deadpan narration or exaggerated character voices.

Other Notable Voices

TV Funhouse also featured contributions from SNL cast members like Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, and Maya Rudolph, along with celebrity guests who were usually in on the joke. The voice acting was consistently top-notch, selling even the most absurd premises.

From SNL to Comedy Central: TV Funhouse Evolution

TV Funhouse began as a series of animated shorts on SNL in 1996. The segments quickly became fan favorites, with viewers anticipating each new installment. Robert Smigel’s unique blend of parody and social commentary resonated with SNL’s audience, and the segments became a regular fixture.

In 2000, Comedy Central gave TV Funhouse its own series. The spinoff ran for eight episodes between 2000 and 2001, expanding on the SNL segments with longer formats and more ambitious concepts. Unfortunately, the series struggled with budget issues – each episode went over budget, leading to its cancellation after one season.

The segments continued on SNL until 2008, with one final installment airing in 2011. In 2006, NBC aired a 90-minute “best of” special hosted by The Ambiguously Gay Duo, compiling 24 of the most popular segments.

Why did TV Funhouse end? Multiple factors contributed to its demise. The Comedy Central series faced budget constraints, while on SNL, changing tastes and the departure of key cast members made the segments less frequent. Robert Smigel also moved on to other projects, including Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

TV Funhouse’s influence extends far beyond its run on SNL. The segment pioneered a style of adult animation that would become more common in shows like Family Guy and South Park. Its willingness to tackle taboo subjects paved the way for more provocative comedy content on television.

The Ambiguously Gay Duo in particular became cultural touchstones, referenced in countless other shows and discussions about LGBTQ representation in media. While the humor played with stereotypes, it also helped normalize discussions of sexuality in mainstream comedy.

Perhaps most importantly, TV Funhouse launched or boosted the careers of several comedy stars. Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell’s work on the segment showcased their talents before they became household names, proving that great comedy writing and performing can shine in any format.

Why TV Funhouse Still Matters in 2026?

In today’s world of polished entertainment and carefully managed corporate messaging, TV Funhouse’s raw, unfiltered approach feels more relevant than ever. The segments remind us that comedy doesn’t need big budgets or slick production to be effective – what matters is the quality of the ideas and the courage to execute them.

For modern viewers, TV Funhouse offers a fascinating time capsule of late 90s and early 2000s pop culture. The references might be dated, but the underlying commentary on media, politics, and American society remains surprisingly relevant.

Today, you can find many TV Funhouse segments on YouTube and streaming platforms. The 2006 “best of” special is available on various services, and dedicated fans have compiled extensive archives of individual segments.

If you’re interested in exploring more classic comedy content or finding where to watch TV shows online, check out our guides to the best TV shows and live TV streaming options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

TV Funhouse remains one of SNL’s most innovative and daring segments. While the animation might look dated and some references feel rooted in their time, the comedy remains sharp and the satire still hits its targets.

For anyone interested in the history of adult animation or the evolution of comedy television, TV Funhouse is essential viewing. It represents a moment when mainstream comedy was willing to take risks, push boundaries, and trust audiences to appreciate intelligent, provocative humor.

Robert Smigel’s creation may be gone, but its influence lives on in countless shows that followed. Every time you see animated content that isn’t afraid to be weird, political, or just plain silly, you’re seeing a little bit of TV Funhouse’s legacy.