{"id":692041,"date":"2026-06-08T18:28:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T18:28:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/692041\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T18:28:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T18:28:08","slug":"bowen-yang-explains-how-turning-point-phone-call-with-lorne-michaels-affected-snl-exit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/692041\/","title":{"rendered":"Bowen Yang explains how ‘turning point’ phone call with Lorne Michaels affected ‘SNL’ exit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bowen Yang says Lorne Michaels delayed his \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d exit<\/a> last year in a \u201cturning point\u201d phone call.<\/p>\n

While chatting with Rachel Sennott for a new Variety interview<\/a>, published Monday, the comedian recalled receiving a call from the NBC sketch show creator while attending the US Open<\/a> in August 2025 \u2014 and feeling \u201cresolute\u201d about quitting.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was like, \u2018Listen, you should come back<\/a>,’\u201d Yang, 35, said during the \u201cActors on Actors\u201d sit-down.<\/p>\n

Lorne Michaels had a \u201cturning point\u201d phone call with Bowen Yang ahead of the comedian\u2019s \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d exit (the two pictured together above with Kate McKinnon in September 2022). NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Before the August 2025 chat, the actor (pictured above in February 2025) was \u201cresolute\u201d about leaving the sketch show. Patrick McMullan via Getty Images<\/p>\n

He noted that Michaels, 81, wanted help mentoring the latest batch of cast members he\u2019d hired for Season 51.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a lot of new kids \u2026 a lot of people left<\/a>, a lot of people are coming in,\u201d Michaels allegedly said at the time. \u201cYou should be there to set an example<\/a> for them, at least in the first half of the season. I\u2019m telling you, it would be very important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yang, who called Michaels \u201creally good at closing\u201d situations, noted, \u201cIt was the first time I felt someone who made so many things possible for me being like, \u2018I need you.’\u201d<\/p>\n

The Emmy nominee was \u201cnot going to turn that down\u201d and \u201cfelt good about\u201d his chance to help \u201ctill the soil.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, the Emmy nominee (pictured above in October 2022) agreed to stay on for part of Season 51. Kyle Dubiel\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Michaels asked Yang to help mentor new cast members before exiting. Will Heath\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

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Yang, who joined the show as a writer in 2018 and became a featured player the following year, announced his departure mid-season in December 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201ci loved working at \u2018SNL.\u2019 \u2026 i\u2019m grateful for every minute of my time there,\u201d he wrote via Instagram<\/a>. \u201cthank you to lorne for the job. for the standard. and for bringing everyone at work together.\u201d<\/p>\n

A source also told us at the time, \u201cEveryone tried to get Bowen to stay<\/a>, from Lorne down. But he just made up his mind, he was over it. He was not happy, you could tell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yang (pictured above with Cher and Ariana Grande) departed after his final episode in December 2025. Rosalind O’Connor\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Yang was able to help \u201ctill the soil\u201d before quitting and \u201cfelt good about\u201d the decision. NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Yang explained the shock decision to Sennott, 30, on Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a lot of uncertainty about what the show would look like after Season 50,\u201d the actor said. \u201cI was like, \u2018I think the show is in a great place without me.’\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u201cWicked\u201d star, moreover, \u201cnever felt like [he] was that central\u201d to \u201cSNL\u201d and felt there was a \u201cweird utility\u201d to his role.<\/p>\n

Yang thought the show was in a \u201cgreat place\u201d without him. Will Heath\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

He felt he wasn\u2019t \u201ccentral\u201d to the cast, which he joined as a featured player in 2019. Will Heath\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cI never played the dad or the straight-man teacher,\u201d he pointed out. \u201cI was always there as the seasoning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yang was quick to clarify, \u201c[I was like], \u2018That\u2019s great. I\u2019m so lucky. I can\u2019t believe I have a steady job in comedy.’\u201d<\/p>\n

He \u201cwill cherish\u201d his time on the show \u201cfor the rest of [his] life\u201d \u2014 and remembered \u201csobbing\u201d like a \u201cf\u2013king mess\u201d<\/a> during his final table read<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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