While speaking with Rachel Sennott for Variety & CNN Actors on Actors in a new interview<\/a> published Monday, the comedian said <\/a>he felt sure that he was going to leave the iconic sketch comedy show<\/a> at the end of season 50, in part because he felt like the \u201cseasoning\u201d in the show\u2019s iconic skits.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a lot of uncertainty about what the show would look like after season 50,\u201d Yang, 35, recalled. \u201cI was like, \u2018I think the show is in a great place without me.\u2019 I never like I was that central to it, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n He said: \u201cI feel like there was a weird utility to me. I was like, \u2018Okay, I\u2019ve accepted this.\u2019 I never played the dad or the straight-man teacher. I was always there as the seasoning, and I\u2019m like, \u2018That\u2019s great. I\u2019m so lucky. I can\u2019t believe I have a steady job in comedy. I will cherish it for the rest of my life.\u2019 And I just felt like it was the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n However, Yang said he decided to delay his exit when SNL creator Lorne Michaels,<\/a> who he said was \u201creally good at closings,\u201d called him.<\/p>\n Michaels, who has helmed the late night staple since its start in 1975, told Yang that he had hired a lot of \u201cnew kids\u201d \u2014 referring to season 51 newcomers Veronika Slowikowska, Ben Marshall, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson and Tommy Brennan \u2014 and asked Yang to \u201cset an example\u201d for them by showing them the ropes and staying another few months.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was the first time I felt someone who made so many things possible for me being like, \u2018I need you,\u2019\u201d Yang explained. \u201cAnd I\u2019m like, \u2018I\u2019m not going to turn that down.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The Fire Island actor has previously reflected on playing into a stereotype<\/a> on SNL on his podcast, Las Culturistas, in January. He said at the time: \u201cPeople had their over-determinations on what I was, which was: \u2018Oh, that\u2019s just the gay Asian guy on SNL.\u2019 So anytime I would try to work outside of that, it got completely ignored or it still got collapsed to, \u2018Oh, he\u2019s being gay and Asian as always.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Bowen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1781003533_135_download...jpeg\")
Bowen Yang is speaking about his decision to leave ‘Saturday Night Live’ (AP)<\/p>\n