{"id":32442,"date":"2025-08-30T07:26:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T07:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/32442\/"},"modified":"2025-08-30T07:26:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T07:26:11","slug":"fans-call-for-snl-cancellation-after-latest-shock-departure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/32442\/","title":{"rendered":"Fans Call for SNL Cancellation After Latest Shock Departure"},"content":{"rendered":"

Saturday Night Live is catching heat for its axing of eight-season veteran Heidi Gardner.<\/p>\n

The significant shakeup SNL boss Lorne Michaels teased last week<\/a> has been just that, with writers and cast members both new and seasoned revealed to be ending their time on the show nearly every day since Monday.<\/p>\n

Though some exits have earned side-eyes from fans here and there, complaints reached a crescendo on Thursday evening, when Gardner\u2019s exit was announced.<\/p>\n

The 42-year-old is widely considered one of the cast\u2019s biggest stars\u2014and the news of her exit, along with other SNL players, has fans suggesting the show should just pack it up<\/a> ahead of Season 51.<\/p>\n

One social media user wrote<\/a>, \u201cI think we should cancel SNL at this point, like what\u2019s even the point since we\u2019re getting rid of so much talent already.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another<\/a> wrote, \u201cIf they\u2019re going to continuously axe their refreshing and talented newcomers without clear reasoning as to why at this rate\u2026 either put someone else in the big chair or call it quits, like this is just painful to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust cancel the damn show at this point,\u201d wrote<\/a> one fan on Instagram, reacting to Gardner\u2019s news. \u201cIf Kenan, Chloe, and Bowen go, just end it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Heidi<\/p>\n

Heidi Gardner, Bowen Yang, Kenan Thompson at the WSJ Innovator Awards held at the Museum of Modern Art on October 29, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Nina Westervelt\/WWD via Getty Images) \/ Nina Westervelt \/ WWD via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The exit announcements began this week with some of the show\u2019s writers, including five-year veteran Celeste Yim and three-year tenured writer Rosebud Baker.<\/p>\n

\"Devon<\/p>\n

Devon Walker and Ego Nwodim. \/ NBC \/ Leanne Diaz\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, cast member Devon Walker, who has been on the show for three seasons, was the first of the on-air talent to reveal he wouldn\u2019t be returning to the show<\/a>, saying that he hadn\u2019t seen \u201ceye to eye\u201d with the powers that be.<\/p>\n

\"Emil<\/p>\n

Emil Wakim and Heidi Gardner will both be departing SNL. \/ NBC \/ Will Heath\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

A day later, newcomer Emil Wakim was axed with a \u201cgut punch\u201d of a phone call<\/a>, after just one season on the show.<\/p>\n

\"SNL50:<\/p>\n

SNL50: THE RED CARPET — Pictured: (l-r) Jay Pharoah, Will Forte, Michael Longfellow, Emil Wakim, Devon Walker, Mikey Day, Kyle Mooney and Kenan Thompson on Sunday, February 16, 2025 — (Photo by NBC\/Kevin Mazur\/NBC via Getty Images) \/ NBC \/ NBC\/Kevin Mazur\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The departures only got progressively more shocking when Michael Longfellow, a three-year cast member who\u2019d reportedly screen tested to take over the \u201cWeekend Update\u201d desk, was revealed to have been let go<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By the time Gardner\u2019s exit made the news late on Thursday, fans were saying enough is enough.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe couldn\u2019t get a goodbye? She\u2019s been there almost a decade smh,\u201d one fan wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n

\"Michael<\/p>\n

Michael Longfellow, pictured with Colin Jost, had tested for the Weekend Update chair before being let go. \/ NBC \/ Will Heath\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Gardner previously expressed that she\u2019d been feeling \u201ca little bit is just sketch fatigue, or idea fatigue,\u201d on the show in a conversation on Craig Ferguson\u2019s Joy podcast<\/a> in February.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this point, after doing Groundlings and SNL for so long, I\u2019m like, \u2018I\u2019ve written a lot of sketches,\u2019\u201d she said, adding the feeling had been \u201ca little tough.\u201d<\/p>\n

She hasn\u2019t commented on her departure from the show\u2014but whether or not she feels relieved not to be returning, some fans are seeing her exit as a sign the show is leaving its strengths behind.<\/p>\n

Michaels told Puck last week that the big changes coming to the show were a result of a previous hold off to limit \u201cdistractions\u201d from the anniversary season and the \u201cpressure to reinvent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"James<\/p>\n

James Austin Johnson is the only SNL cast member whose return has been confirmed. \/ NBC \/ Will Heath\/NBC via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The only cast member Michaels confirmed would remain<\/a> for Season 51 is Donald Trump impersonator<\/a> James Austin Johnson.<\/p>\n

But changes to the show\u2019s core cast have still managed to surprise people, even past cast members.<\/p>\n

Punkie Johnson, who left SNL in 2024, called Gardner\u2019s exit \u201cThis probably the biggest surprise of this \u2018shake up,\u2019\u201d in a comment on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cCONGRATULATIONS HEIDI\u2026 YOU ARE AN SNL LEGEND FOR LIFE,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Chelsea Peretti reacted<\/a> to the show\u2019s mass exodus on social media with the pretend headline, \u201cChelsea Peretti to exit SNL and wasn\u2019t even a cast member.\u201d She added in the caption, \u201cThis is crazy!\u201d<\/p>\n