7 Shocking Secrets Behind 'Dick In A Box': The SNL Sketch The FCC Tried To Censor

The iconic "Dick in a Box" sketch, often misremembered or referred to with alternative names like "cock in a box," remains one of the most culturally significant and controversial pieces of comedy to ever air on Saturday Night Live. Premiering on December 16, 2006, as an SNL Digital Short, this collaboration between The Lonely Island and host Justin Timberlake immediately became a viral phenomenon, forever changing how comedy was consumed and shared online. Even today, in late 2025, the sketch is celebrated for its brilliant blend of R&B parody, holiday cheer, and shocking absurdity, with its legacy recently highlighted at the SNL 50th-anniversary celebrations.

The short not only launched a thousand memes and cemented The Lonely Island's status as digital comedy pioneers but also sparked a genuine censorship battle with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The story behind the three simple steps—a box, a slit, and a bow—is far more complex and hilarious than most fans realize, involving last-minute bleeping, an Emmy win, and the birth of a new era of comedy music.

The Architects of the Digital Short Revolution: Key Entity Profiles

The success of "Dick in a Box" is intrinsically linked to the creative forces behind it: the comedy trio The Lonely Island and the pop superstar Justin Timberlake. Their combined talents resulted in a perfectly executed, genre-bending masterpiece.

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Justin Timberlake (The Host/Performer)

• Full Name: Justin Randall Timberlake
• Born: January 31, 1981 (Age 44 as of late 2025)
• Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
• Career Highlights: Former member of the boy band *NSYNC; highly successful solo music career (albums like *Justified*, *FutureSex/LoveSounds*); acting roles (e.g., *The Social Network*); frequent and acclaimed host of *Saturday Night Live*.
• SNL Legacy: Known as one of SNL's best hosts, his collaborations with The Lonely Island (including "Dick in a Box," "Motherlover," and "3-Way (The Golden Rule)") are among the show's most popular sketches.
• Recent Activity (2024-2025): Released his sixth studio album, *Everything I Thought It Was*, and embarked on a major concert tour, often reflecting on his iconic SNL moments in interviews.

The Lonely Island (The Writers/Creators)

• Members: Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone.
• Formation: The trio met in Berkeley, California, and began creating short comedy films and music videos in the early 2000s.
• SNL Tenure: Joined *Saturday Night Live* in 2005, with Samberg as a cast member and Schaffer and Taccone as writers. They pioneered the "SNL Digital Short" format.
• Signature Style: Known for their musical comedy, blending catchy pop/hip-hop production with absurd, often raunchy lyrics.
• Key Works: "Lazy Sunday," "Jizz in My Pants," "I'm on a Boat," and their feature film *Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping*.
• Recent Activity (2024-2025): The group continues to produce and act, and they were heavily involved in the recent SNL 50th-anniversary celebrations, where "Dick in a Box" was a featured song.

The Christmas Gift That Caused a Censorship Crisis

The premise of the "Dick in a Box" sketch is deceptively simple: two smooth-talking R&B singers from the 90s (played by Timberlake and Samberg) explain the three steps to the perfect, most thoughtful Christmas gift. The gift, of course, is their genitalia, presented in a neatly wrapped box with a bow. This brilliant juxtaposition of cheesy 90s R&B sincerity with an utterly vulgar concept is what made the sketch an instant classic.

The Last-Minute FCC Fight

The most enduring behind-the-scenes story involves the eleventh-hour battle with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Because the sketch was pre-taped, it could be edited, but the content was considered highly sensitive for broadcast television.

• The Problem: The constant, uncensored use of the word "Dick" was a major violation of broadcast standards.
• The Solution: The SNL team, after a tense back-and-forth with the FCC, was forced to bleep the word every time it appeared. This resulted in the word "dick" being bleeped a total of 16 times in the final version that aired live on NBC.
• The Irony: The censorship actually amplified the comedy. The excessive bleeping drew more attention to the word and made the sketch even funnier and more subversive, cementing its notoriety. Justin Timberlake later reflected that the FCC's attempt to stop it only made it more iconic.

This controversy and the sketch's immediate success highlighted a major shift in media consumption. While NBC had to censor the broadcast, the uncensored version of the song and video quickly spread like wildfire online, primarily through YouTube, demonstrating the power of the burgeoning digital media landscape over traditional television.

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From Viral Hit to Emmy-Winning Cultural Phenomenon

The impact of "Dick in a Box" went far beyond a single episode of SNL. It didn't just go viral; it redefined what a viral hit meant for a major television show and established The Lonely Island as the masters of the "Digital Short."

The Emmy Victory

In a surprising and historic turn for a comedy short of its nature, "Dick in a Box" won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics in 2007. The win legitimized the SNL Digital Short format and proved that musical comedy could achieve high artistic recognition. This Emmy win is a key part of the sketch's legacy, showing how a vulgar, yet clever, parody could transcend its initial shock value.

The Lonely Island's Creative Process

Andy Samberg has often discussed the creation of the sketch in recent interviews, emphasizing how Justin Timberlake was an integral part of the process. The idea was born from the realization that Timberlake could convincingly play a cheesy R&B singer. The concept was to create a song that sounded exactly like a serious 90s R&B track but with the most ridiculous, inappropriate lyrics possible. The attention to detail in the costumes, the soft-focus camera work, and the over-the-top sincerity are what make the parody work so well.

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• The Inspiration: Parodying groups like Color Me Badd, Jodeci, and R. Kelly.
• The Key Element: Timberlake’s commitment to the character, contrasting his pop star image with the absurdity of the gift.
• The Follow-up: The success led to two equally popular sequels with Timberlake: "Motherlover" (for Mother's Day) and "3-Way (The Golden Rule)" (for Thanksgiving).

Enduring Legacy and SNL 50th Celebration

Even nearly two decades later, the sketch is constantly referenced. The phrase "Put your dick in a box" has become a cultural shorthand for an absurdly inappropriate gift. The sketch's enduring popularity was demonstrated at the recent SNL 50th-anniversary Homecoming Concert.

At the concert, the song was performed as part of a tribute medley to The Lonely Island. In a memorable moment, Andy Samberg was joined by pop icon Lady Gaga to perform the song, proving that the Emmy-winning, FCC-battling holiday gift remains one of the most beloved and unforgettable moments in Saturday Night Live history. The longevity of the sketch is a testament to the digital short format's power and the genius of the collaboration between The Lonely Island and Justin Timberlake.

The confusion between "Dick in a Box" and "cock in a box" is a natural result of the sketch's censored nature and its shocking content. Regardless of the name used, the impact of the sketch is undeniable: it was a watershed moment for comedy, music, and the internet.