Punkie Johnson says her ‘Saturday Night Live’ days are over: ‘I ain’t coming back’
Punkie Johnson has bid “Saturday Night Live” farewell after four years in its cast.
The comedian, who joined the legendary NBC comedy series in 2020, announced Thursday that she will not be among the cast members returning for Season 50 in the fall. She first broke the news during a recent comedy show.
“At the end of the show, I opened up the floor for questions, and everything was going fine until somebody asked, ‘What are you looking forward to most next season?’” Johnson said in an Instagram video. “I ain’t gonna lie to my friends, so I just said, ‘Oh, I ain’t coming back.’”
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Just hours after the stand-up show, Johnson said her phone began blowing up with calls, texts and notifications about her departure. She reassured fans that her decision to leave the show is “no bad blood.”
“It’s no bridges burnt. It’s no hard feelings. Bro, I love my people,” she said, before adding that she wasn’t expecting a large reaction to her departure.
News of the “Bottoms” and “Love Live” actor’s departure comes amid reports that “SNL” alum Maya Rudolph will reprise her Emmy-winning turn as Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 election cycle. Johnson portrayed Harris during Season 49.
Johnson joined “SNL” in 2020 as a featured player and climbed the ranks, achieving repertory status in 2022. Johnson became the eighth Black woman to be a cast member in the series’ history. She also became the second Black LGBTQ+ woman cast member, following comedian Danitra Vance, who was not out during her tenure in the mid-1980s.
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Johnson will continue to bring her comedy to audiences through her Childish & Petty tour. Still, she said, “‘SNL’ was a dream I didn’t even know that I could achieve.”
“I was a part of one of the most elite institutions in comedy, and I am so grateful for it. That’s still my people, I love them,” she said. “I’m gonna be at the afterparties acting a plum fool. My time now has come to an end and Punkie outside.”
Joining Johnson as she walks out the Studio 8H door this week is featured player Molly Kearney, who announced their departure Friday. They joined “Saturday Night Live” in 2022 as the series’ first nonbinary cast member. Kearney wrote on Instagram that their time on the comedy staple “was such a dream come true.”
“So incredibly grateful for this period in my life. So much love to all my big hearted buddies behind the scenes who make the magic happen every week,” they wrote. “So many bald caps, so little time. It was a true honor to work with such a talented group of writers and DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE CAST.”
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