Bowen Yang explains real reason why he left 'SNL' after 7 seasons ~ ERIUS MAG

Bowen Yangis sitting down forhis "SNL" exitinterview.

The "Wicked" star, 35, opened up on the Jan. 7 episode ofhis "Las Culturistas" podcastwith Matt Rogers about his decision to leave "Saturday Night Live" after seven seasons.

"This is honestly what's behind it: It's time," Yang said on the podcast. "You would do seven seasons, and then you would scoot."

He continued, "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. I have this very beautiful thing where I get to say that I stayed on exactly as long as I wanted to."

But Yang revealed he almost left the show earlier, noting he was "unsure about going back" for another season over the summer hiatus. In the end, though, he's "so glad" he returned for the fall.

Yang, who joined the "SNL" cast in 2019, confirmed his exit on Dec. 20 ahead of the show's Christmas episode. This allowedthe "SNL" winter finale to serve as a send-offfor Yang. The episode included a meta sketch where Yang played an airport employee on his last shift. In it, his character gets emotional about saying goodbye to his job and the people he has worked with, giving Yang an opportunity to say goodbye to "SNL." He was joined on the episode by musical guest Cher and hostAriana Grande, his "Wicked" costar.

Bowen Yangleaving 'Saturday Night Live' after 6 years in shock exit

On "Las Culturistas," Yang revealed that up until the episode began that Saturday night, he was unsure whether his farewell sketch would make it to air or whether it would be cut at the last minute. But Yang got emotional as he recalled "sobbing" when he read a line in the sketch about loving everyone he has worked with, as this reflects his experience on "SNL."

"I cried on Wednesday at the read-through because I was telling the truth, and because there are no other occasions for someone to say that at that place, because we have to be funny and ironic," he said.

Yang did say, though, that he wished more members of the cast could have participated in his farewell sketch. He also revealed the sketch was supposed to play out differently: The original plan was for it to be more comedic, with a greater emphasis on Yang's eggnog machine being on the fritz and spraying people. Before the show, though, "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels came up to Yang and said, "I think it's better if it's just you guys and you just play into the emotion of it."

Bowen Yang attends Las Culturistas Culture Awards at The Orpheum Theatre on July 17, 2025, in Los Angeles, California.

After officially departing the show, Yang said on the podcast that he is feeling "so good," though he drew a comparison to the way the presidency ages a person rapidly.

Bowen Yanggets emotional about 'SNL' exit in meta farewell sketch

"I've experienced the full spectrum of things [on 'SNL']," he explained. "Working there is completely dysregulating emotionally. Either you are soaring or you're completely in the dumps."

Yang also looked back on an emotional moment he shared withAmy Poehlerabout life after "SNL" earlier on in Season 51, when she hosted.

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