As Saturday Night Live shakes things up with its cast going into Season 51, Bowen Yang will miss one co-star in particular.
The 5x Emmy nominee recently paid tribute to Heidi Gardner as “a true anchor on that show” after her departure was announced last month, following eight seasons on the NBC sketch comedy series.
“You are one of the greats. You will go down in history,” he said on his Las Culturistas podcast, explaining that she was a trusted sketch writer on the show.
“It’s always a very, very vulnerable thing as a cast member to put only your name on it,” added Yang. “But anytime you saw just ‘Gardner,’ you knew you were in good hands. She would take it upon herself to write pieces for other cast.”
Recalling a ‘Weekend Update’ sketch she wrote for former cast member Punkie Johnson, Yang said it “was one of the most beautiful, kindest gestures I’ve ever seen at that show, and her heart was so big, and clearly so f***ing funny.”
Yang also credited Gardner with getting the cast through the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting they “just each text each other every day, something that made us smile today,” calling her “just a truly beautiful person.”
The comments come after the exits of cast members Devon Walker, Emil Wakim and Michael Longfellow were announced, as well as writers Rosebud Baker and Celeste Yim.
“Shout out Devon, Emil, Michael Longfellow,” added Yang. “They were fantastic comedians going in. They are fantastic comedians coming out. Those are some A+ gems.”
After Yang was confirmed to return to the show for his seventh season, “I am thrilled to go back. I will miss the people who are not coming back very, very much.
The Season 50 finale special SNL50 aired in May with no cast goodbyes, but Lorne Michaels confirmed last month that he plans “to shake things up” with the cast ahead of Season 51.
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