“This is like The Departed”: Saturday Night Live alum Punkie Johnson reacts to cast firings

The announcement that several cast members and a writer will not return for Season 51 of the program, Saturday Night Live, has prompted the 40-year-old comedian, Punkie Johnson, who was on the show from 2020 to 2024, to speak out on Instagram. She wrote:

"This is like the departed," referencing the scene in the movie where each character was getting popped one after the other.

When Michael Longfellow announced on August 28 that he was departing Saturday Night Live after three seasons, she took to Instagram to show her support:

“Wtf is happening… This is like the departed… 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.”

She also addressed the departures of Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, and the longstanding cast member Heidi Gardner.

Devon Walker took to Instagram to announce his departure from the show, through a carousel of posts which includes photos of backstage, text messages, a photo of him and Saturday Night Live on TV, and a note where he wrote about his departure:

“To me, jobs in this industry feel like a bunch of little marriages. Some of em last for a long time if we’re lucky, but most of them are fleeting. Permanent until they’re not. That’s the deal. You know what it is it when you sign up.”

He added:

“Me and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool. Sometimes it was toxic as hell. But we did what we made the most of what it was, even amidst all of the dysfunction. We made a f***ed up lil family. Anyway, I’m bout to go to Japan. When I get back I’m tryna be in a prestige drama. Ideally something with Julianne Moore. Hope y’all staying hydrated and getting some money today.”

To which Johnson replied:

“Welcome back Dev. It’s fun outside baby… love u.”

Johnson made jokes and rallied support for Wakim, 27, who had only appeared on the program for one season. She wrote under his Instagram post, which announced his departure:

“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.”

Johnson couldn't contain her adoration for Gardner after it was revealed that the 42-year-old was departing after eight seasons:

“Ahhhhhh Lawd not my Heidi. This probly [sic] 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.”

---

A major shakeup for Saturday Night Live before season 51

Following Saturday Night Live's historic 50th season, showrunner Lorne Micheal hinted at a bigger cast reorganization, which includes the exits. When asked by Matt Belloni of Puck News:

“You said last year that you wanted to hold that core cast together through the 50th. Are you now going to shake things up?”

Lorne replied:

“Last season, when we were at the party of the first show, quarter of four in the morning, Dana [Carvey, who played Joe Biden] comes over to me and says, ‘I don’t think anyone knows you called me June 4th [to play Biden].’ I wanted people coming back and being part of [the 50th season]. So when Kate [McKinnon] hosted, Kristen [Wiig] and Maya [Rudolph] came back for it. And that meant there couldn’t be those kind of disruptions [to the cast], or anything that was going to take the focus off [the 50th season]. And we had an election.”

Belloni then asked:

“But now, do you feel pressure to reinvent this season?”

To which Lorne Micheal said yes and told him that everything would be announced in a week's time.

---

Punkie Johnson's exit from Saturday Night Live

In 2024, Johnson herself quit Saturday Night Live, describing the decision as "neutral." On the Fly on the Wall podcast, she revealed that she had been thinking of leaving since 2023. She later said:

“By February of last season, I was like, nope, I’m done. 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.’ I told them super, super late, right after I found out I’d get to go back. They’re like, ‘Punkie, you need a plan, you can’t just quit your job!'”

Johnson will soon be seen on Orion's BOTTOMS.

---

Saturday Night Live's season 50 will premiere on October 4.

Stay tuned to Soap Central for more information.