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Matt Rogers shared insight into what led his longtime friend and Las Culturistas podcast co-host, Bowen Yang, to exit Saturday Night Live”Seven and a half years on the show, five Emmy nominations, countless memorable characters and sketches,” Rogers reflected of Yang’s successes before leaving on the Monday, Jan. 5 episode of Today with Jenna & Friends, adding, “I think then there was the opportunity for an episode with Ariana and Cher, what was he supposed to do, stay after that?”“I think that’s what makes it so hard to say goodbye is you know that what you have in the day in and day out is so good but sometimes you do have to leave the party just a little bit early,” Rogers explained

Matt Rogers is sharing some insight into what led his longtime friend and Las Culturistas podcast co-host, Bowen Yang, to exit Saturday Night Live.

Yang’s final episode of the NBC sketch comedy show aired Dec. 21 with host Ariana Grande and musical guest Cher. 

“Seven and a half years on the show, I know a lot of people are surprised because they feel like he’s such a fixture, but seven and a half years on the show, five Emmy nominations, countless memorable characters and sketches,” Rogers reflected of Yang on the Monday, Jan. 5 episode of Today with Jenna & Friends. “And he was there for the 50th. And I think then there was the opportunity for an episode with Ariana and Cher, what was he supposed to do, stay after that?”

Musical guest Cher, host Ariana Grande, and Bowen Yang during ‘SNL’ Promos on Dec. 18, 2025 in New York City.

Rosalind O’Connor/NBC via Getty

Yang, who joined the cast of SNL as a writer in 2019, has recently gone on to blockbuster success with his role as Pfannee in both Wicked films.  

And while he felt it was right move, Rogers noted that the exit was “hard” for Yang. 

“I think that’s what makes it so hard to say goodbye, is you know that what you have in the day in and day out is so good but sometimes you do have to leave the party just a little bit early,” Rogers explained. “You don’t want to be the last one.” 

Michael Che and Bowen Yang as Dobby on SNL’s Weekend Update in Oct. 2025.

Will Heath/NBC via Getty

He praised Yang, adding, “Against a lot of odds [he] became the face of that show. I told him at the end, ‘Not only did you succeed here, you thrived here,’ and I just, I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

As for next steps, Rogers said, “The good news is we’re busy as hell now,” revealing that their Two Guys, Five Rings podcast will be returning to the 2026 Milan Olympics next month. 

Bowen Yang plays Vice President JD Vance on ‘SNL’ in Nov. 2024.

Will Heath/NBC

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Yang joined SNL in 2019, becoming the series’ first Chinese American cast member. At the time, he was one of SNL’s first openly gay stars.

Yang addressed his SNL exit in a Dec. 20 Instagram post, ahead of his final appearance on the show. “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,” he wrote in his caption.