Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow Leaving Saturday Night Live

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Heidi Gardner will no longer be live from New York.

For eight consecutive seasons, she was a staple on Saturday Night Live and became known for creating popular characters on Weekend Update such as Angel (often referred to as “Every Boxer’s Girlfriend From Every Movie About Boxing Ever”). Now, at the age of 42, she is reportedly parting ways with Lorne Michaels’ long-running sketch series, according to various news sources.

TopMob News has reached out to a rep for Heidi for comment and has not yet heard back.

Just like Michael Longfellow, it was shared that he would be leaving the NBC show following three seasons of broadcast.

As a devoted admirer, I regretfully won’t be gracing the stage for a fourth season at Saturday Night Live. If only I could! But such is life. The last three years have been the most extraordinary of mine, and I owe it all to the incredible experience and everyone involved. Lorne, you bestowed upon me the dream job and altered my life’s trajectory. You even made my mom a TV star! Words of gratitude can never suffice, but know that I am eternally grateful.

He added, “I’ll miss it all, but I’ll miss the friends I made and seeing them everyday the most.”

A duo has recently added their names to the expanding roster of people leaving Saturday Night Live (SNL). Devon Walker was one such individual who declared his exit on social media just a few days ago.

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I’d rephrase that statement to: “After three years together, my journey with the show has come to an end. It was a rollercoaster ride, filled with both exhilarating highs and challenging lows. We forged a unique bond, creating our own dysfunctional family. Although it wasn’t always smooth sailing, we managed to make the most of what we had.

In a conversational manner, Devon expressed that working in this line of business is similar to multiple short-term relationships. Some can endure for quite some time if they’re successful, but more often than not, they don’t last very long.

Newcomer Emil Wakim also announced he was leaving the show after one season as a featured player. 

As I penned down on the virtual pages of Instagram last August 27th, my heart was heavy with a mix of sadness and gratitude. You see, it’s not about me heading back to Saturday Night Live next year; it’s more like saying goodbye to a place that has been an integral part of my journey these past years. The call was a hard blow, but I can’t help but express my deepest thanks for the time I’ve spent there.

Each time I entered that building, I couldn’t help but marvel at how extraordinary it was to work there. Reflecting on it now, it was a rollercoaster of fear, excitement, and fulfillment – an unparalleled chapter in my life. I will deeply miss this unique experience and the brilliant individuals who made it feel like a second home.

Emil expressed his heartfelt thanks, saying, “I’m deeply grateful to Lorne for giving me an opportunity and transforming my life.

Before the start of SNL‘s season 51 in October, continue reading to discover more celebrities who began their journey on this popular sketch program…

Back in the ’80s, when superhero flicks were just a twinkle in Hollywood’s eye, I, Robert Downey Jr., was immersed in the vibrant world of Saturday Night Live. This iconic comedy stage was where I honed my craft for a brief yet memorable season 11 stint.

It was a unique period, as I joined SNL during Lorne Michaels’ return to the helm after an absence of five years. As the Peacock documentary ‘SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night’ suggests, this season was labeled “The Weird Year” and was a challenging time for the show, with its existence hanging in the balance.

In his 2016 interview on The Howard Stern Show, I candidly admitted that our performances weren’t exactly setting the world on fire. But looking back, I cherish those days because they offered me priceless experience and excellent preparation for what lay ahead. Indeed, during a 1996 revisit to SNL as host, I confessed that week was possibly the most exhilarating one you could experience on this planet. It certainly served as an unforgettable training ground for my later successes.

Role: Rob Riggle was a prominent cast member

Time on SNL: 2004 to 2005

If you’re seeking guidance in manifesting your dreams, perhaps consider reaching out to Rob Riggle. This Let’s Be Cops actor previously shared his journey – transitioning from pilot training to setting goals and ultimately achieving a spot on SNL.

He reminisced during the 2024 episode of the Diggin’ Deep Podcast, stating that he had never given anything up in his life. “If I were to quit,” he said, “it needed to make a difference, it had to be significant. So what was I going to do?” He wrote down his ambition – ‘I’m going to perform on Saturday Night Live’ – in a book. Ten years later, amidst two wars and a marriage with a child, in September of 2004, he fulfilled that dream by appearing on Saturday Night Live. Essentially, this was the beginning of his career in show business. In a 2023 interview with The A.V. Club, he expressed, “My first job ever was Saturday Night Live, and I think that was realizing my lifelong aspiration.

Ben Stiller briefly graced the stage of Saturday Night Live back in 1989, with appearances spanning just four episodes. Recalling his time there, Stiller remembered Lorne Michaels’ reaction when he decided to move on, saying, “He was like, ‘OK. Ben’s going to do what Ben’s going to do.'” This wasn’t a great outcome, but Michaels understood that Ben wasn’t cut out for live performing due to his nervousness and discomfort with the format.

Instead, Stiller pursued making short films and was eager to work on The Ben Stiller Show that debuted on MTV in 1990. Looking back, he admits that leaving SNL took courage, but at the time, it seemed like the right choice for him.

Despite his brief tenure, Ben has revisited SNL on several occasions, hosting in 1998 and 2011, as well as making unexpected appearances throughout the years.

Title Role: Writer on SNL

From 1987 to 1995, Bob Odenkirk was a writer for the popular sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL). One of his most notable contributions was creating the iconic character Matt Foley, the motivational speaker who lived in a van down by the river. This character was famously played by the late Chris Farley.

In an interview on The Howard Stern Show in 2021, Odenkirk shared that he wrote this sketch alone in his Chicago apartment while working together at Second City. He mentioned that it’s one of the few sketches where the initial draft was almost identical to the final version. According to him, Chris Farley’s performance took the character to a whole new level.

Odenkirk even won an Emmy for his writing on SNL. However, he has expressed regret over his behavior during that time, admitting in a 2021 episode of PeopleTV’s Couch Surfing that he wished he had been more pleasant and appreciative of the opportunities he had at the show. He stated, “I wish I wasn’t such a stuck-up young man… But don’t you always wish that about your young self?

Laurie Metcalf was not a regular performer on Saturday Night Live (SNL), instead she made only two appearances as a guest, one in 1981 and another in 1988. In her conversation with SNL alum Seth Meyers on Late Night, she recalled her first appearance was a “man on the street” bit and the second was starring in “Laurie Has a Story” alongside Catherine O’Hara. The Lady Bird actress admitted in 2019 that it felt surreal as it was her first visit to New York City, where she was put up in a hotel, dressed in a business suit, and sent out on the street with a camera crew. Despite being out of her comfort zone, she was able to pull it off because there is footage proving so. She admitted that looking back, she was both naive and brave to take on the challenge.

The anecdote about how Larry David, once a writer for Saturday Night Live (SNL), parted ways with the show in 1984-1985 will have audiences rolling with laughter. In his own words, on a 2015 episode of The Howard Stern Show, Larry explained that his sketches consistently passed the readthrough only to be cut week after week. This pattern culminated in one night when another sketch he had written was removed just five minutes before the show was set to start, prompting him to explode with frustration and walk over to executive producer Dick Ebersol, exclaiming, “This show stinks! It’s shit! I quit! I’m leaving!”

Feeling the cold air on his way home, Larry soon realized the financial repercussions of his rash decision and returned to work the next week as if nothing had happened. During a weekly writers’ meeting, he confessed that he was considering a circus sketch. Thanks to this outburst, Larry managed to keep his job but stayed for only about a year. However, it was during this time that he first crossed paths with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who would later star in the sitcom Seinfeld, which Larry went on to create.

Over time, Larry has hosted SNL twice and made numerous guest appearances, even portraying Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Role: Cast member (on Saturday Night Live)
Period: 1982-1985 (while she was still in college)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, best known for her roles in Seinfeld and Veep, might not be as widely recognized for her stint on SNL. Surprisingly, she was recruited to join the show during her college years.

Despite being married to another SNL cast member (Brad Hall), Louis-Dreyfus confessed that her experience on Saturday Night Live wasn’t particularly enjoyable. In an interview with Andy Cohen on Radio Andy in 2020, she said, “I didn’t have tons of fun… I was really super young. I was 21. I went into it very naively.”

However, the actress learned a great deal during her time at SNL and regarded it as a comedy graduate school. She also stated that this experience helped shape her future career choices.

Louis-Dreyfus clarified, “I set my priorities straight… I came out of that thinking, ‘This wasn’t as fun as I’ve had doing improv shows and Second City and all that kind of stuff back in Chicago. And I need to find that. And if I can’t find that, if it doesn’t exist, I’m not gonna do this.'”

Nevertheless, Louis-Dreyfus has revisited SNL multiple times, making history as the first female former cast member to host in 2006 and taking on the role twice more.

Damon Wayans had a short stint on Saturday Night Live, getting fired after seven episodes in 1986. In an interview on The Breakfast Club in 2020, he shared that Lorne Michaels, the show’s creator, attempted to shield him from comparisons with Eddie Murphy, who had recently left. Wayans expressed his desire to either be given more creative freedom or released from the team. When his requests were denied, he decided to improvise a character during a live taping, playing a flamboyant gay police officer in a Miami Vice spoof sketch called Mr. Monopoly. Wayans admitted that his actions were poorly timed, and Michaels was justified in firing him on the spot. However, years later, Michaels invited Wayans back to host an episode, which he appreciated as it allowed him to move on to create In Living Color.

As a devoted fan looking back at my time with Saturday Night Live (SNL), I must admit that my stint wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for. From 2009 to 2010, I graced the stage but found myself in an intensely challenging situation – one that was, at times, disheartening.

During an interview with Sam Jones on Off Camera in 2017, I shared my feelings about the experience. Although everyone on set was kind to me, I felt deeply disappointed in myself. It was a dream come true to be on SNL since childhood, but I found myself out of place and uncomfortable. The environment wasn’t as wild as I anticipated – it turned out to be more risk-averse than I imagined, with legends like John Belushi and Gilda Radner setting a high bar for craziness that the show seemed unwilling or unable to meet.

Despite my disappointments, I lasted only one season on SNL. After being let go, I felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation – not only because of my behavior but also because I wasn’t strong enough or joyful enough for the critics’ eyes. I believed that everyone was judging me harshly, and it took a heavy toll on me.

Following my dismissal from SNL, stage fright set in, causing me to take a break from stand-up comedy. However, I refused to let this one negative experience define my passion for performing, so I sought help through hypnosis to cure my stage fright.

In the end, I decided not to let that difficult chapter of my career overshadow the one thing I had always done on my own – pursue my love for acting and comedy.

Title Role: Lead Performer on SNL

Duration: 1993-1994

Though Sarah Silverman only graced Saturday Night Live (SNL) for a single season, her tenure remains unforgettable. Reflecting on her time during a January 2025 episode of The Tonight Show hosted by fellow SNL alum Jimmy Fallon, she shared fond memories and amusing anecdotes.

The comedian recollected, “I had a great time… I was scrappy. I just remember being shocked how grown-ups behaved… People would have big fights. Back then, there were like fist fights when I was there.”

One particular activity she recalled doing in her office involved tampons. “I had figured out a craft where you can take tampons, dip them in water, and whip them against a wall,” Sarah explained. “They’d splatter and stick, remaining forever – or at least for a decade!”

Reuniting with SNL 10 to 15 years later, she found that the offending artifact was still present in her office: “I came back to SNL, and I saw [producer] Mike Shoemaker, who said, ‘Guess what’s still in your office?’ It was there!

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2025-08-29 02:47