Tilton was the guest host on an episode of "Saturday Night Live" on February 21, 1981, which featured a parody of the famed "Who shot J.R.?" episode of "Dallas". In the episode, cast member Charles Rocket was shot in the chest by a sniper while doing a sketch about a sexy couple (with Gail Matthius as his partner) bathing a dog and spouting innuendo. At the end of the show, during the "goodbyes", Tilton asked Rocket how he felt about being shot. In character, Rocket improvised, "Oh, man, it’s the first time I've ever been shot in my life. I'd like to know who the fuck did it." The improvisation by Rocket, which violated FCC broadcast standards, led to his dismissal from the show's cast.