5 Cringeworthy Robert Downey Jr. SNL Skits And The Shocking Lesson He Learned From The 'Worst Season'

For fans of Robert Downey Jr. (RDJ), his brief, one-season stint on *Saturday Night Live* (SNL) in the mid-1980s is often a forgotten footnote in his legendary career, but recent reflections by the actor himself—as of this December 2025 update—reveal just how pivotal that failure was. The 11th season (1985–1986) is infamously known as one of the show's most disastrous periods, and Downey, along with other young stars like Anthony Michael Hall, found themselves at the epicenter of a creative meltdown. Far from his global success as Iron Man, this era featured some truly awkward and unforgettable sketches that RDJ still reflects on today.

The experience, which he has openly described as a humbling failure, became a crucial, albeit painful, learning curve that ultimately shaped his approach to acting and resilience in Hollywood. His time on the show was short-lived, yet it provided a masterclass in what not to do, a lesson he credits with fueling his eventual blockbuster success. This article dives into the most notorious sketches and the surprising, valuable takeaway from his time in the SNL trenches.

Robert Downey Jr. Biography: The Brat Pack to Billionaire Superhero

Robert John Downey Jr. was born on April 4, 1965, in Manhattan, New York, to filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. and actress Elsie Ann Downey (née Ford).

• The Surprise Vegas Wedding And Shared Grief 5 Shocking Details Of John Schneider And Dee Dee Sorvinos Whirlwind Romance Ohirf

• Full Name: Robert John Downey Jr.
• Date of Birth: April 4, 1965
• Place of Birth: Manhattan, New York, U.S.
• Early Career/Brat Pack Era: Gained early fame with roles in Tuff Turf (1985), Weird Science (1985), and Less Than Zero (1987).
• SNL Tenure: Cast member for Season 11 (1985–1986).
• Critical Acclaim: Earned his first Academy Award nomination for playing Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin (1992).
• Career Renaissance/MCU: Defined the modern superhero genre by portraying Tony Stark/Iron Man starting with Iron Man (2008), leading to the globally successful Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
• Recent Awards: Won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer (2023).

The Infamous Season 11: Sketches from the 'Worst SNL Season'

When Lorne Michaels returned to SNL for the 1985-1986 season, he aimed for a dramatic overhaul, hiring a young, movie-star-heavy cast that included RDJ, Anthony Michael Hall, Joan Cusack, and Randy Quaid. The season, however, struggled immensely, often being cited by critics and cast members alike as "arguably the worst season in its history." The comedy was often awkward, sophomoric, and failed to land with audiences, leading to a near-total cast firing after just one season.

Here are five of the most notable (and often painful) sketches from Robert Downey Jr.'s short-lived SNL career:

1. Suitcase Boy

This sketch is arguably the most famous example of the season's awkward humor, and RDJ himself wrote it. The bit involved Downey zipping himself into a suitcase and delivering his lines from inside the luggage. Years later, RDJ recalled the sketch with Jimmy Fallon, calling it one of his "cringeworthy" unaired bits. The premise was bizarre and, unfortunately, not funny, becoming a symbol of the season's creative struggles.

• The Unseen Story Jessica Simpsons Battle For Privacy And Body Image In A Digital Age Mlvqa

2. Weekend Update: Book Review

One of RDJ's recurring roles was as a literary correspondent on "Weekend Update" alongside fellow "Brat Pack" star Anthony Michael Hall. The two played characters who reviewed books, such as William F. Buckley's "High Jinx," with a distinctively strange and unpolished energy. This segment often positioned them as designated "sophomoric buffoons," reflecting the season's general tone.

3. The Fart-Noise Debate

In another infamous collaboration with Anthony Michael Hall, RDJ was involved in a sketch described as a "fart-noise debate." The humor was low-brow and relied heavily on juvenile antics, showcasing how the young cast struggled to find their comedic footing within the live sketch format. This particular type of sketch contributed to the widespread criticism of the 11th season's comedic quality.

4. The West Side Story Parody

While often overshadowed by the season's outright failures, RDJ did participate in a few more structured sketches, including a parody of the musical West Side Story. However, even these more traditional bits failed to rescue the season from its poor ratings and critical panning, demonstrating a systemic issue with the writing and direction that year.

• 7 Shocking Things Jessica Capshaw Revealed About Growing Up With Steven Spielberg As Her Stepfather 892ho

5. The Season-Long Lack of a Signature Character

Unlike SNL legends who are defined by their recurring characters (e.g., Will Ferrell's George W. Bush or Mike Myers' Linda Richman), RDJ failed to land a single, memorable, recurring character during his tenure. This inability to create a signature role is a common marker of a short, unsuccessful SNL run, highlighting the difficulty he had in translating his film charisma to the demands of live sketch comedy.

The Shocking, Valuable Lesson RDJ Took from His SNL Failure

While the 1985-1986 season was a professional disaster for nearly everyone involved, Robert Downey Jr. has recently spoken about the immense value of that failure. In the new Peacock docuseries *SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night*, the actor reflected on his brief stint, revealing a crucial lesson.

RDJ stated that his time on the show taught him a valuable lesson in resilience and the importance of having a clear, personal vision. He credits the experience with forcing him to confront his own limitations and realize that he needed to find his own path rather than trying to fit into a system that wasn't working for him.

The experience of being part of a group failure, where the entire cast was dismissed, provided a unique kind of humility. It showed him that even with talent and fame (he was already a known "Brat Pack" actor), success is not guaranteed without hard work and the right material. This painful lesson in public failure ultimately served as a foundation for his incredible career resilience, allowing him to navigate future personal and professional challenges, including his eventual comeback as Iron Man.

In essence, the "worst SNL season" helped create the versatile, grounded, and ultimately successful actor we know today. The cringeworthy sketches of Season 11 were not the end of his career, but a necessary, humbling beginning to a much larger, more triumphant story.