Punkie Johnson introduced that after 4 years she won’t be returning as a solid member on “Saturday Night Live” subsequent season.
“I just want to let you know after four seasons, I will not be returning to SNL for the 50th,” Johnson mentioned Thursday in a video on Instagram.
Johnson, 36, made historical past in 2020 when she joined “SNL” and have become the primary out queer Black solid member on the present, following Danitria Vance, a Black lesbian solid member who was not publicly out throughout her time on “SNL” in 2010.
In an interview with NBC Information in 2020, she shared how surreal becoming a member of “SNL” has been for her.
“It wasn’t even a dream because I never thought that I would get there. That’s how surprised I was,” she mentioned. “I’m just this little lesbian chick from New Orleans who is just enjoying life doing comedy and thinking that’s it.”
HuffPost reached out to Johnson’s staff for touch upon why she is leaving the present however didn’t obtain an instantaneous response.
Will Heath/NBC by way of Getty Pictures
A number of previous and current “SNL” solid members, together with Heidi Gardner, Cecily Sturdy, Chloe Fineman and Chris Redd, commented on Johnson’s social media submit saying her departure.
“Love you til the death of me Punkie!! Now get off Instagram and whatever tf editing app you use and call me back please!” “SNL” solid member Ego Nwodin wrote within the feedback.
Johnson echoed her 2020 feedback about “SNL” in her submit on Thursday, describing it as 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, I’mma be at the after parties acting a plum fool, but, you know, my time there has come to an end,” she mentioned.
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