Andy Samberg Confirms Saturday Night Live Departure
Andy Samberg
It turns out, Kristen Wiig isn't the only Saturday Night Live cast member who graduated on the season finale.
Andy Samberg, who uttered the lyrics "On these New York streets I hone my fake rap penmanship/That's how it began, and that's how I'm-a finish it," confirmed Friday that he has left the late-night comedy series.
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"It's an incredibly emotional and strange moment in my life," Samberg, 33, told The New York Times. "Obviously it's not a huge shock, but I did officially decide not to come back."
After seven years on the show, where he became one of the most well-known cast members, thanks to his popular SNL Digital Shorts like "Lazy Sunday," "D--- in a Box" and "I'm on a Boat," Samberg said fellow exiting star Wiig helped him realize it was time to move on. "She kept saying it just feels like it's her time," Samberg said. "I connect with that. Something about it just feels like it's the moment. My contract's up and I did so much more than I ever thought I would ever even do."
Samberg sounded optimistic that he and his comedy team, The Lonely Island, would still be able to contribute digital shorts to SNL in the future. "That's the kind of thing that I really do hope happens," he told the newspaper.
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And how about returning to host the show some day? "Hopefully things will work out well enough that they'll want me," he said.
Samberg will next be seen alongside fellow SNL vet Adam Sandler in That's My Boy, out June 15.
Will you still watch SNL without Samberg and Wiig?