Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV, YouTube | Tagged: nbc, Punkie Johnson, saturday night live, snl

Punkie Johnson on SNL Departure: "I Didn't Really Feel Like I Fit"

On Dana Carvey and David Spade's Fly on the Wall podcast, Punkie Johnson discussed why it was the right time for her to part ways with SNL.

After joining the long-running late-night sketch comedy/music series as a featured player in Season 46, Punkie Johnson would make the move to main player status beginning with the 48th season – and earlier this month, she announced that she would be leaving NBC's Saturday Night Live ahead of its upcoming 50th season. Checking with SNL alum Dana Carvey and David Spade on the duo's Fly on the Wall podcast, Johnson offered some insights into why now was the right time to leave and what led to that decision – including how she considered leaving SNL heading into this past season.

"I talked to my team. I was like, 'Look, I don't really know if I belong at this job, so maybe I should step away,'" Johnson shared, noting that Season 49 began with her being involved in more sketches than usual. "I think I got like three or four sketches [in the] first half. And usually I only get maybe two or three on the entire season—so I'm like, 'Oh man, I'm killing it,'" she added. Another factor was the departure of writer Ben Silva, who Johnson had a strong creative bond with, sharing that Silva "just knew how to speak Punkie" the most on the show. "So if I was telling him something, he knew how to put it in SNL format for me. If I try to put it in SNL format, that's the hard part," Johnson explained.

In the end, it came down to Johnson making the decision to move onto something that would compliment her approach to comedy – one that she didn't see as a "fit" for SNL. "I didn't really feel like I fit, like I didn't feel like that was my zone. That show is for a different type of person. I just thought everybody else came from standup. I started having conversations with people and everybody was like, 'Oh yeah, we went to school for this.' I'm like, 'y'all went to school to be here?'" Johnson added.

"After four seasons, I will not be returning to SNL for the 50th," Johnson noted in a social media post earlier this month. "There is no bad blood, there is no bridges burnt, there is no hurt feelings. SNL was a dream I didn't even know I could achieve. I was part of one of the most elite institutions in comedy, and I'm so grateful for it… but my time there has come to an end."

Saturday Night Live Season 50 & EP Lorne Michaels

Back in May, the word went out regarding early plans to celebrate the milestone 50th season of Saturday Night Live. The network confirmed that there will be a "celebratory weekend" that wraps up on Sunday, February 16th (from 8-11 p.m. ET), with a live, primetime special. Now, thanks to an interview he had with The New York Times at the end of the most recent season, we're learning some additional details on what's ahead – as well as EP Lorne Michaels's thoughts on those rumblings about his retiring after Season 50.

Along with the primetime special on February 16th, music producer Mark Ronson and Michaels will produce a "homecoming" of sorts at Radio City Music Hall on the Friday of that weekend. In addition, it was noted that musician and producer Questlove (The Roots) is co-producing a documentary for the anniversary season spotlighting the impact that SNL had had on music and culture, and Morgan Neville (Steve! (Martin): A Documentary in 2 Pieces, Won't You Be My Neighbor) is producing five documentaries focusing on both Michaels and the long-running late-night sketch comedy/music series. As for those rumblings that the 50th anniversary will also be his last hurrah, Michaels is basing that decision on how he's feeling and not committing to anything. "I'm going to do it as long as I feel I can do it," he shared. "But I rely on other people and always have."

NBC's Saturday Night Live Season 49 company includes Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Heidi Gardner, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Punkie Johnson, Colin Jost, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, Chloe Troast, Devon Walker, and Bowen Yang. SNL is executive-produced by Lorne Michaels, with Liz Patrick directing and SNL alum Darrell Hammond announcing. Broadcasting from Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center, the long-running late-night sketch comedy/music series is produced by SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video.

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