Bowen Yang breaks down crying over quitting SNL…
Bowen Yang is still emotional over his “Saturday Night Live” exit.
The comic, 35, opened up about his resolution to give up the NBC sketch comedy collection after seven seasons on Wednesday’s episode of his “Las Culturistas” podcast that he co-hosts with his best good friend, Matt Rogers.
“This is honestly what’s behind it. It’s time,” Yang said. “Like, you would do seven seasons and then you would scoot.”
Bowen Yang, Jane Wickline, and Andrew Dismukes during the “Delta Lounge” sketch on “SNL” on Dec. 20. Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images
Bowen Yang with Ariana Grande on his remaining episode of “SNL.” Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images
“COVID and the current media landscape, the current entertainment ecosystem is so turbulent that people have completely valid reasons for staying longer or in a lot of cases, don’t have the privilege of staying on as long as they would like to,” he continued.
The Emmy nominee added, “I have this very beautiful thing where I get to say that I stayed on exactly as long as I wanted to. Maybe, I’m sure — and I’ve said this before — I was maybe unsure about going back in the summer and I’m so glad I did.”
Bowen Yang at the eleventh Annual American Museum of Natural History Gala in New York on Dec. 4. Matt Roberts/Shutterstock
Yang bid farewell to “SNL” during the Dec. 20 episode hosted by his “Wicked” co-star, Ariana Grande.
On the podcast, Yang revealed that his emotional remaining sketch — in which he performed a Delta worker ending his last shift before retirement — might’ve very nicely been cut from the live show.
“Nothing is guaranteed,” Yang explained. “That is, sort of in a nutshell, like, it is perfectly illustrative of what that job is. It was resonant all the way through to the end.”
Cher, Ariana Grande and Bowen Yang during a promo for “Saturday Night Live.” Rosalind O’Connor/NBC via Getty Images
Bowen Yang, Ariana Grande and Cher on “SNL” on Dec. 20. Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images
Bowen Yang on “SNL.” Saturday Night Live
Yang said that he “was sobbing” during the read-through, recalling, “In the sketch, I say, ‘I’ve loved everyone here. I’ve loved every single person who works here.’ Like, I immediately broke down because I was telling the truth.”
The “Fire Island” star also received emotional reflecting on the assist that he had in Studio 8H for his remaining episode.
“There was like an outpouring. People that I hadn’t heard from. It felt like a really beautiful thing,” he told Rogers, 35, through tears. “Basically everyone who worked there is on the floor showing up. I just looked out and I thought, ‘I’m so lucky that I ever got to work here.’ And I’m so lucky that I get to make this little statement that’s barely veiled, where I’m like, ‘I love you all.’ I’m so lucky.”
Sabrina Carpenter and Bowen Yang during the “Grind Song” sketch on October 18. Esther Kuhn/NBC via Getty Images
Bowen Yang and Colin Jost on “Weekend Update” on “SNL.” Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images
Elsewhere during the podcast episode, Yang called working on the NBC show “one of the most meaningful experiences I will ever have,” and said that the job taught him “how to work under what seems like an immense amount of pressure.”
Yang confirmed he was leaving “SNL” on Instagram Dec. 20.
“I loved working at SNL, and most of all i loved the people,” he started his message. “i was there at a time when many things in the world started to seem futile, but working at 30 rock taught me the value in showing up anyway when people make it worthwhile.”
Yang continued, I”m grateful for every minute of my time there. i discovered about myself (unhealthy with wigs). i discovered about others (beneficiant, weak, sizzling). i discovered that human error will be nothing but right. i discovered that comedy is usually logistics and that it’ll normally fail until it doesn’t, which is the besssst.”
Bowen Yang arrives at an “SNL” afterparty on December 21. GC Images
Bowen Yang at the “SNL” set in New York City with Sandra Oh Instagram/@fayedunaway
Bowen Yang during a skit on “Saturday Night Live.” Instagram/@fayedunaway
He also thanked creator Lorne Michaels for setting “the standard” and “for bringing everyone at work together.”
“They all care deeply about people in the room, any room, enjoying themselves,” Yang said. “I can’t believe i was ever included in that.”
Yang’s departure got here just months after a handful of other common solid members, including Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim, exited the NBC show forward of Season 51’s premiere in Oct. 2025.
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