Live from New York, it’s a bloodbath.
“Saturday Night Live” is having an upheaval, as multiple cast members have exited before Season 51 – and one former alum is aghast.
Punkie Johnson, who was a cast member from 2020 to 2024, commented, “wtf is happening… This is like the departed.”
She wrote that as a comment on Michael Longfellow’s Instagram post on Thursday, announcing his departure from the show after three seasons.
Longfellow is just the latest in what seems to be a brutal bloodbath for the Lorne Michaels helmed sketch comedy show, which celebrated its landmark 50th anniversary in February with a star-studded special.
Over the last week, news has also emerged that Heidi Gardner, 42, is leaving the NBC sketch comedy after eight years.
She had been the longest-tenured current female cast member last season after joining the sketch comedy show during Season 43 before being promoted to the main cast in 2019.
“Ahhhhhh Lawd not my Heidi,” Johnson wrote on the post about Gardner’s exit.
“This probly the biggest surprise of this ‘shake up’ Heidi you are my shining star… You had a great run and I admire everything about you. CONGRATULATIONS HEIDI… YOU ARE AN SNL LEGEND FOR LIFE… See you outside.”
Emil Wakim and Devon Walker also announced their departures this week.
During a recent interview with Puck News, Michaels, 80, replied “yes” when he was asked if he plans to “shake things up” with the cast.
Season 50 starred Johnson, Michael Che, Colin Jost, Mikey Day, Chloe Fineman, Gardner, Kenan Thompson, Bowen Yang, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, Marcello Hernandez, Andrew Dismukes, Longfellow, and Walker. Ashley Padilla, Wakim and Jane Wickline appeared as featured players.
Continuing her comment on Longfellow’s post, Johnson wrote, “My sexy handsome work husband… I love you so much…I’ll call you… Welcome back outside baby…. I’ll see you out here soon.”
Walker, 34, was the first to share the news on Instagram Monday night.
He compared his time on “SNL” to a relationship, and said that it was “toxic” at times.
“Me and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool,” he wrote. “Sometimes it was toxic as hell. But we … made the most of what it was, even amidst all of the dysfunction. We made a f–ked up lil family.”
On Walker’s post, Johnson wrote, “Welcome back Dev. It’s fun outside baby… love u.”
Meanwhile, Wakim, 27, announced the news of his departure in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
“I won’t be returning to snl next year. It was a gut punch of a call to get but i’m so grateful for my time there,” he wrote.
Johnson commented on his post, “You beautiful man… this is a shocker to us all I’m sure. We should stand at the doors of 30 Rock and act a fool for you… Keep your head up baby… Let’s play outside.. it’s been fun.”
The changes at “SNL” also happened behind the camera, as writer Rosebud Baker, who contributed to the show from 2022 to 2025, was part of the exodus.
“Rosebud for life,” Johnson commented on a post. “Welcome back to outside stank… we having a good time.”
Johnson made history as the show’s first openly queer black woman.
Johnson addressed her decision to leave the show and characterized her exit as “a neutral thing” while speaking with fellow “SNL” alums David Spade and Dana Carvey on their “Fly on the Wall” podcast last year.
“By February of last season, I was like, nope, I’m done,” the comedian recalled.
Johnson, who was also in the 2023 comedy “Bottoms” with “The Bear” star Ayo Edebiri, added, “The season before that, I questioned it, I talked to my team, like, ‘I don’t really know if I belong at this job, so maybe I should step away.’”
“It wasn’t even a dream, because I never thought that I would get there. That’s how surprised I was,” Johnson told NBC News in 2021 of becoming a cast member. “I’m just this little lesbian chick from New Orleans who is just enjoying life doing comedy and thinking that’s it.”
She also does stand-up and has appeared on series such as “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” “Space Force” and “Adam Ruins Everything.”
“I didn’t really feel like I fit, like I didn’t feel like that was my zone,” she said on the podcast. “That show is for a different type of person.”
