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Dive into the world of "Saturday Night Live" as we explore the stories behind some of the cast members who left the show on their own terms, moving on to new creative heights. On the flip side, we'll also uncover the more controversial exits where tensions flared and relationships soured, leaving lasting impressions on the show's legacy. From graceful goodbyes to fiery departures, the drama backstage is as captivating as the comedy on stage!
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00:00I mean, I thought about it for a very long time, and it was very, very hard.
00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Saturday Night Live cast members
00:09who made a graceful exit to further their careers, and those who left a fiery trail behind.
00:14And after that, I understand that it just, you know, went downhill.
00:19Number 5. Left on Their Terms, Bo and Yang
00:23In a move that surprised many, Yang made a mid-season exit from Saturday Night Live
00:28after one last hurrah with his wicked co-star, Ariana Grande, as host.
00:32Grande, you made it!
00:34Of course I wouldn't miss your last shift for the world.
00:39I can't believe you're retiring.
00:42I just wanted to go out on top.
00:43Yang had previously faced criticism about his acting range and perceived typecasting.
00:49He addressed the situation head-on, insisting that he had stayed, quote,
00:53exactly as long as I wanted to, end quote.
00:56He was very clear that he was leaving on his own terms
00:59and not because anyone else pushed him out
01:02or because he had allowed outside pressure to get to him.
01:04Um, I've done a lot of reflecting to try and move past it.
01:08It's one very small part of me, but there's so much going on beneath the surface that you can't see.
01:14Right, yeah, like an iceberg.
01:16While he will certainly be a missed presence on the show,
01:19we cannot wait to see what he does next.
01:21Ooh, that's good. I mean, I'm goosified. My follicles are screaming.
01:26Number 5. Burned It All Down, Devin Walker
01:28Walker's tenure on SNL ended ahead of season 51
01:32with a somewhat unceremonious exit after three seasons.
01:37You were saying bye-bye to those 2002 IBM ThinkPad laptops
01:40with the little red nipple in the middle.
01:42An Instagram post jokingly titled,
01:44Wait, Did He Quit or Get Fired?
01:45hinted that the split wasn't as mutual as perhaps we initially thought.
01:49Walker likened his time on the show to a dysfunctional family
01:53that was sometimes really cool, sometimes it was toxic as hell.
01:56Queen said not today, Satan.
01:59Say three years coming, I slide down the block like,
02:02your girl saw me and I...
02:04He later followed up with a story where he described the breakup as good news
02:08and a chance to move on and try new things.
02:11Even with the upbeat framing, the subtext suggested some unresolved tension
02:16rather than a clean, friendly exit.
02:18And they say the same thing.
02:20They say thank you for bringing swagger back to the city.
02:23What was once a swag-less dump is now a swag-tropolis.
02:29Number four left on their terms, Amy Poehler.
02:33Amy Poehler was an absolute icon during her time on the show,
02:37bringing her incredible comedic timing and boundless energy to Weekend Update
02:41and a host of memorable characters.
02:43Tonight I'm the preacher.
02:45I got a bookish look and you're all hot for teacher.
02:48Tom looking fine on his snow machine.
02:50So hot for each other need to go between.
02:53She effortlessly blended razor-sharp wit with genuine warmth,
02:57making her a beloved presence for fans.
02:59Her departure was a textbook case of leaving on a high note.
03:03Following her storied run on SNL,
03:05she went on to star in Parks and Rec,
03:08which became a critical darling and cultural phenomenon.
03:11We need to remember what's important in life.
03:14Friends, waffles, and work.
03:18Or waffles, friends work.
03:19Doesn't matter.
03:20But work is third.
03:21And in a beautifully full-circle moment,
03:24Leslie Knope even got to visit the Weekend Update desk
03:27along with April Ludgate.
03:28Just don't ask her if she knows who Amy Poehler is.
03:31I used to watch this when Seth Meyers did it by himself with no one else.
03:37And he made it look really easy.
03:41Number four, Burnt It All Down, Jay Pharoah.
03:44Jay Pharoah spent six seasons on SNL
03:47and stood out for his strong impressions,
03:49particularly of President Barack Obama.
03:52Such a nice office.
03:53I mean the best, huh?
03:55Yeah.
03:55I don't know why more offices aren't oval.
03:58You know, I've thought that before.
03:59So, uh, while we're waiting, is, uh, is there anyone else out there?
04:05When he left in 2016, it came as a surprise.
04:09Pharoah later suggested the split wasn't especially friendly,
04:12pointing to feeling underused and facing pushback for speaking up.
04:16They put people into boxes and, you know,
04:20whatever they want you to do, they expect you to do.
04:25And I'm a little, I'm fiery too, man.
04:27He shared that he urged SNL to hire more black comedians
04:30rather than expecting their current ones to don a dress whenever a female role was required.
04:36Taking credit for Leslie Jones and Sashir Zamata joining the team
04:39and even claiming he almost freaking lost his job for it.
04:43While the experience was clearly frustrating,
04:46Pharoah said he still has a lot of respect for Lorne Michaels.
04:49Do you like Lorne? Do you have a good relationship with him?
04:51Yeah, I like Lorne. Yeah.
04:53Ain't no problem with Lorne Michaels.
04:54What Chris Rock said?
04:55Chris Rock said, uh...
04:56I met Lorne Michaels and I ain't been broke ever since.
04:58Number three left on their terms.
05:01Kate McKinnon.
05:02Kate McKinnon spent 10 seasons becoming one of SNL's most reliable scene stealers.
05:07They were real respectful about it.
05:09They were, they were in a line.
05:12And then, uh, one by one they'd step up, slap a knocker,
05:16and then go to the end of the line, wait for another turn.
05:20Known for her physical comedy and deep commitment to characters,
05:23she left a big impression during her time on the show.
05:26As you can imagine, carrying that rep for a decade is exhausting,
05:31and SNL has a famously grueling schedule.
05:34Not to mention she had been working on multiple projects
05:37while balancing her so-called day job.
05:39So really, it was time for a rest.
05:42I loved it. I had the best decade.
05:45And then I was just like, my body was tired,
05:49and I felt like it was time.
05:51A rest that would open the door to other and new creative endeavors.
05:56She gracefully transitioned into the next phase of her career,
05:59leaving behind only fond memories at Studio 8H.
06:03So, what'll it be then?
06:05You can go back to your regular life and forget any of this ever happened?
06:08Or you can know the truth about the universe.
06:12The choice is now yours.
06:14Number 3, Burned It All Down, Damon Wayans.
06:18Wayans' tenure was incredibly brief, lasting only a single season.
06:22But his exit became the stuff of SNL lore.
06:25Yes, we've got the whole transaction on videotape.
06:28We've got three people that saw you kill that undercover cop.
06:32Feeling boxed in and sidelines,
06:34Wayans decided to take control during a live sketch
06:37by playing his character in a way that was very much not what was expected.
06:42The fallout was instant.
06:44He was fired almost as soon as he left the stage.
06:47We're not saying we condone anything here,
06:49but this is how legends are made.
06:51You're that guy from the game, Mr. Monopoly.
06:54The gamble didn't hurt his career at all,
06:57and time clearly healed things since he later returned to host.
07:01Still, it remains one of the boldest I'm done moments the show has ever seen.
07:06If the Parker Brothers could see you now, they puke.
07:09Why you ain't in jail, Mr.
07:10Oh, that's right, you're Mr. Monopoly.
07:12Number 2, Left on Their Terms, Will Ferrell.
07:16This comic actor was an absolute powerhouse during his time on the show,
07:20delivering a steady stream of iconic characters from cheerleaders to presidents to musicians.
07:25When I campaigned to be your president,
07:28I promised that if elected, I would change the tone in Washington.
07:34That I would end the usual partisan bickering and reach out to my opponents, often with a helping hand.
07:42His fearless, often bizarre sense of humor helped cement him as one of the show's all-time greats.
07:48But then, like many greats before and after him, he simply felt it was time to move on.
07:53Although he admitted it was a gamble, since there wasn't exactly a pile of scripts waiting for him.
07:59Craig, tomorrow morning, we are going to be real Spartan cheerleaders!
08:04This has got to be our year!
08:05Still, SNL had made him a star, so he decided, why not try and ride that momentum?
08:11Judging by what came next, it was anything but a cotton-headed ninny-muggins move.
08:16I'm a cotton-headed ninny-muggins.
08:19No, buddy, you're not a cotton-headed ninny-muggins.
08:22We all just have different talents, that's all.
08:25Number 2, Burned It All Down, Norm MacDonald.
08:28Known for his deadpan delivery and fearless comedy,
08:31MacDonald's exit was anything but smooth.
08:34His relentless O.J. Simpson jokes during Weekend Update
08:37reportedly ruffled the feathers of some NBC execs
08:40who allegedly had ties to the disgraced football player.
08:43And the Pope came out with a book this week,
08:46which contains a series of essays examining faith and morality
08:49in today's secular world,
08:51and the changing role of the Catholic Church as it approaches the 21st century.
08:55The book is entitled,
08:56God Himself Told Me That O.J. Is Guilty.
09:00Anyway, they eventually fired him in a controversial decision that stunned fans.
09:05What followed became a very public example of comedy colliding with corporate comfort levels.
09:11Random House will be releasing special commemorative issues of many Dr. Seuss classics.
09:16The first to hit the bookshelves will be
09:18Green Eggs and Ham and O.J. Is Guilty.
09:21Yet, Norm's exit became a defining moment in SNL history.
09:26You might say he got the last laugh when he was invited back to host
09:29and couldn't help ribbing the show for letting him go
09:32and for its declining rating since.
09:34Then it occurred to me,
09:36I haven't gotten funnier.
09:39The show has gotten really bad.
09:48So yeah, I'm funny compared to, you know,
09:51well, you'll see later.
09:54Number 1, Left on Their Terms, Tina Fey
09:58Fey reshaped SNL from the inside out.
10:01As the first female head writer and a Weekend Update staple,
10:05she brought intelligence, bite, and cultural impact to every corner of the show.
10:10Not to mention a Sarah Palin impression that still has people doing a double take.
10:15One in five jobs being created today under the umbrella of job creation
10:20that, you know, also...
10:23After six seasons, she decided it was time for her next step.
10:31That next step became 30 Rock,
10:33a series that took her behind-the-scenes experience at SNL
10:37and turned it into an award-winning sitcom.
10:39I can't wait to do this with you every week.
10:45After her departure, Michaels openly acknowledged the hole she left behind,
10:49which says everything.
10:52And it even seems like he's eyeing her up to become his successor
10:55when he finally decides to retire.
10:57Working with you is hard.
10:59Tracy, you frustrated me and you warned me out.
11:02But because the human heart is not properly connected to the human brain,
11:06I love you.
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11:23Number 1. Burnt it all down.
11:26Chevy Chase
11:27Chase was arguably one of SNL's very first breakout stars,
11:31instantly setting a high bar for defining what it meant to be a not-ready-for-prime-time player.
11:36With his incredibly sharp wit,
11:39Mr. Ford was on the campaign trail announcing in Detroit
11:41that he has written his own campaign slogan.
11:44The slogan?
11:46If he's so dumb, how come he's president?
11:49But his abrupt exit after only a season and a half
11:53sent shockwaves through the cast and crew,
11:56sparking long-standing tension.
11:58His subsequent returns as host became legendary for all the wrong reasons,
12:02with numerous reports detailing difficult and even abusive behavior
12:07towards the new generation of performers.
12:09After that year that we all won Emmys,
12:13that maybe we'd sort of done what we wanted to do,
12:15and that it's not going to be as good anyway next year.
12:18This pattern of disruptive conduct ultimately cemented his controversial legacy,
12:23leading to a de facto ban from Studio 8H,
12:26a bitter end for the show's original Golden Boy.
12:29I expected that I would have been on the stage too
12:32with all the other actors.
12:35When Garrett and Lorraine went on the stage there,
12:40I was curious as to why I didn't.
12:43No one asked me to.
12:45Why was I left aside?
12:46Did we miss any epic exits or quiet goodbyes?
12:49Let us know in the comments.
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