Bowen Yang Confirms Shocking Midseason SNL Departure in Sweet Tribute

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Bowen Yang is opening up about his wickedly rewarding time on Saturday Night Live.

Pete Davidson has confirmed he’s leaving Saturday Night Live after seven seasons. His last episode, which aired on December 20th, was hosted by Ariana Grande and featured musical guest Cher. Before his final show, Davidson shared his thanks to everyone who made his time on the show so rewarding.

He shared in an Instagram post on December 20th that he cherished his time at SNL, especially the people he worked with. He explained that being at 30 Rock helped him learn the importance of perseverance, even when things feel hopeless, because of the wonderful people around him.

Bowen’s departure is the latest in a string of cast exits after the show’s 50th season. Other recent departures include Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, and Emil Wakim.

The cohost of Las Culturistas, who started at Saturday Night Live as a writer and later became a cast member in 2019, shared how much he valued everything he learned during his time on the show.

He continued, saying he truly valued his time there. He discovered things about himself – like his inability to work with wigs – and about other people, finding them generous, open, and attractive. He realized mistakes are often perfectly acceptable, and that comedy is more about the practical side of things than people think. It usually doesn’t work at first, but when it finally clicks, it’s amazing.

After expressing gratitude to the entire SNL cast and crew, Bowen thanked Ariana Grande for making his goodbye to the show particularly memorable, saying she sent him off in the most wonderful way he could have hoped for.

But his final offering of gratitution went to executive producer Lorne Michaels.

Bowen expressed gratitude to Lorne for the opportunity and for setting a high standard at work. He also appreciated how Lorne fostered a positive and caring environment where everyone enjoyed each other’s company, and Bowen said he felt honored to be a part of it.

Echoing a line from Lorne Michaels, “The show goes on at 11:30, not because it’s ready,” Bowen ended his heartfelt message with a self-deprecating, “The show goes on, but honestly, I hope I’m ready.”

For more retired SNL stars, keep reading…

Robert Downey Jr. was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1986, long before his success in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He joined the show the same year Lorne Michaels returned after a five-year absence. This period is often referred to as a difficult time for SNL, with Michaels working to prevent cancellation, as detailed in the documentary SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night. Downey Jr. himself admitted that his time on the show wasn’t a huge hit, but he remembers it with fondness and considers it valuable training. He even hosted SNL in 1996 and described the experience as “probably the most exciting week you can have on Earth.”

Rob Riggle was a featured performer on Saturday Night Live from 2004 to 2005. The actor, known for his role in Let’s Be Cops, has shared how he successfully shifted his career path from pilot training to landing a spot on SNL by focusing on what he wanted.

He once said that he’d never quit anything in his life, so when he decided to make a change, it had to be for something truly important. He wrote down his goal – to get on Saturday Night Live – and remarkably, ten years later, after going through two wars, getting married, and having a child, he achieved it in September 2004. He believes that writing down your goals and committing to them is the key to making them happen. In fact, Saturday Night Live was how he started his career in show business, a dream come true as he shared in a 2023 interview with The A.V. Club.

Ben Stiller was a cast member on Saturday Night Live for a very brief period in 1989—just four episodes, according to The New York Times. He recalls that Lorne Michaels simply accepted his decision to leave, saying, “OK. Ben’s going to do what Ben’s going to do.” Stiller admits he struggled with live performance, got too nervous, and didn’t enjoy his time on the show. He preferred making short films and was eager to pursue The Ben Stiller Show on MTV. While it had been a dream of his to be on SNL, he ultimately trusted his instincts and left. Despite his short tenure as a cast member, Stiller has returned to the show several times, hosting in 1998 and 2011, and making occasional surprise appearances.

Bob Odenkirk was a writer for Saturday Night Live from 1987 to 1995. He’s the talent behind one of the show’s most iconic sketches: the one featuring Chris Farley as motivational speaker Matt Foley, who lived in a van. Odenkirk actually wrote the sketch himself while working with Second City in Chicago. He remembers the sketch coming together perfectly, and credits Farley with taking it to another level.

Odenkirk even won an Emmy for his writing on SNL, but he later reflected on his behavior during that time, wishing he had been more humble and kind. He acknowledges he made the most of the opportunity, learning a lot about comedy and forming lasting friendships, but still feels he could have handled things better – a sentiment many people share when looking back on their younger years.

Laurie Metcalf had a limited run on Saturday Night Live, appearing only twice – once in 1981 and again in 1988. She remembers her time on the show as a quick, somewhat disorienting experience, especially since it was her first trip to New York City. Her first appearance involved a “man on the street” segment, and in 1988 she starred in a sketch called “Laurie Has a Story” with Catherine O’Hara. Looking back, she recalls being a bit naive but willing to try anything they asked of her, despite feeling completely out of her element. She’s seen the footage and confirms the brief but memorable appearances.

Larry David worked as a writer on Saturday Night Live from 1984 to 1985, and his departure story is quite memorable. He explained on The Howard Stern Show that his sketches consistently performed well during rehearsals but were repeatedly cut before airing. Finally, after one sketch was cut just five minutes before the show began, he snapped. He went to executive producer Dick Ebersol and, in a frustrated outburst, declared the show terrible and quit.

Walking home in the cold, he realized the financial consequences of his actions and sheepishly returned to work the following week. At the next writers’ meeting, he acted as if nothing had happened, even suggesting a new sketch idea.

Larry ended up staying for another year, and during that time, he met Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who would later star in Seinfeld, the sitcom he co-created. Over the years, he’s hosted SNL twice and made numerous guest appearances, including a memorable portrayal of Bernie Sanders.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1982 to 1985. While she’s best known for Seinfeld and Veep, she actually joined SNL while still in college. Despite her success, she’s admitted she didn’t fully enjoy her time on the show, telling Andy Cohen it wasn’t as fun as her improv work in Chicago. However, she views SNL as a valuable learning experience – like “grad school” for comedy – that helped shape her career. She learned to prioritize enjoying her work, and if a role wasn’t fulfilling, she wouldn’t take it. Despite her initial feelings, Julia has returned to SNL several times, notably becoming the first former female cast member to host in 2006, and hosted two additional times.

Damon Wayans was a featured performer on Saturday Night Live for less than a season in 1986, and he was ultimately fired after only seven shows. He explained on The Breakfast Club in 2020 that Lorne Michaels seemed to be trying to shield him from comparisons to Eddie Murphy, who had recently left the show. Wayans wanted a chance to perform and asked to be given more opportunities or let go. When that didn’t happen, he intentionally changed his character during a live taping – portraying a very flamboyant gay police officer in a Miami Vice parody called Mr. Monopoly – hoping to be fired. He admitted Michaels was right to let him go, as his intentions weren’t right. Despite the short stint, Michaels later invited Wayans back to host the show. Wayans believes this was crucial, as it allowed him to pursue the kind of comedy he envisioned on In Living Color, which was the type of material he’d been trying to do on SNL all along.

Jenny Slate was a featured performer on Saturday Night Live for one season, from 2009 to 2010, but she described her time there as disappointing. In a 2017 interview with Sam Jones on Off Camera, Slate explained that while everyone was nice, she felt unsuited to the show’s environment and found it surprisingly cautious. She had dreamed of joining SNL, imagining a wild atmosphere like the one created by performers like John Belushi and Gilda Radner, but discovered it was ultimately a standard television production.

Slate was fired after her single season and felt deeply humiliated, not only by the dismissal but also by her own perceived shortcomings. She initially struggled with stage fright and stopped doing stand-up, but she eventually sought hypnosis to overcome her fear. She was determined not to let the negative experience destroy the one creative outlet she had always enjoyed and pursued independently.

Sarah Silverman was a featured performer on Saturday Night Live from 1993 to 1994. Despite only being on the show for one season, she remembers it fondly. In a January 2025 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Silverman recalled having a great time and getting along with everyone. She was surprised by the sometimes childish behavior of the adults, mentioning that fights, even physical ones, weren’t uncommon.

She also shared a memorable, unusual activity she used to do in her office: dipping tampons in water and throwing them at the wall, where they would stick for years. In fact, she returned to SNL a decade or so later and was surprised to find evidence of this activity still present in her old office, as pointed out by producer Mike Shoemaker.

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2025-12-20 20:20