Bowen Yang shared a lengthy post on Instagram ahead of his final Saturday Night Live episode tonight.
Yang’s sudden mid-season departure was announced Friday, bringing an end to his almost eight seasons on the show.
“The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready, but sh—t, I hope I am,” the 35-year-old cryptically concluded his post, which included a series of images and videos from his time on the NBC show.
While Yang didn’t provide a clear reasoning for his departure, the actor seemingly shot down any conspiracies of backstage beef pushing him out.
“I loved working at SNL, and most of all I loved the people. 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. I’m grateful for every minute of my time there,” he wrote.
Yang also included a series of thank yous, including toward ‘SNL’ creator Lorne Michaels and his Wicked co-star Ariana Grande, with whom he’ll be performing for his final show.
“thank you to every single person who showed up there: friends and coworkers and audiences and hosts,” the all-lowercased post continued. “…thank you to every cast member for making me laugh and cry.”
Just a couple of months ago, Yang seemed to have a much longer ‘SNL’ stint in mind. In September, he told People: “Even Lorne and I talked about it. Lorne was like, ‘You have more to do,’ and that means a lot.
“Because I even confessed to him: I was like, ‘I feel the audience is maybe getting sick of me.’ And he was like, ‘That’s not true. There’s more for you to do. I need you.’ I have to honor that.”
The same month, he spoke out about Heidi Gardner’s exit and did not suggest that he’d also be on his way out soon, but admitted that he would “miss” many of the recent dropouts.
“I am thrilled to go back,” he said, before adding: “I will miss the people who are not coming back very, very much.”
Yang certainly had plenty of people to miss. Gardner’s departure before Season 51 was announced soon after those of Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, and Michael Longfellow, and was followed by a sudden quitting from Ego Nwodim. Explaining the mass exodus back in August, 80-year-old Michaels told the outlet Puck that he felt the “pressure to reinvent” ‘SNL’ after 50 seasons in the bag.
“thank you to lorne for the job. for the standard. and for bringing everyone at work together,” Yang wrote. “they all care deeply about people in the room, any room, enjoying themselves. i can’t believe i was ever included in that.”
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