Bowen Yang says Lorne Michaels delayed his SNL departure

Comedian Bowen Yang has revealed that his departure from "Saturday Night Live" last December was delayed after a personal appeal from the show's creator, Lorne Michaels. Yang, who left the NBC sketch series midway through its 51st season after seven years as a cast member, said he had been resolute about exiting at the end of the landmark 50th season but agreed to return temporarily to help mentor a wave of new hires.

In an interview for Variety's "Actors on Actors" series released on June 8, Yang reflected on his tenure, stating he never felt central to the show's operation. He described his role as providing "seasoning," noting he rarely played conventional parts like "the dad or the straight-man teacher." Despite four Emmy nominations for his work, Yang said he felt the show would be in a great place without him and that it was the right time to leave.

His plans changed, however, when Michaels called him during the U.S. Open tennis tournament. With significant cast turnover following season 50, including the departures of Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker, and Emil Wakim, Michaels asked Yang to return to set an example for the new cast members for at...