Comedian Punkie Johnson Explains Abrupt Exit From ‘SNL’: ‘That Show Is For A Different Type Of Person’

Punkie Johnson

Comedian Punkie Johnson Explains Abrupt Exit From ‘SNL’: ‘That Show Is For A Different Type Of Person’

We now know why comedian Punkie Johnson made the decision to step away from Saturday Night Live.

For those unaware, Punkie Johnson served as a cast member of SNL from 2020 until May of this year, exiting the popular late-night comedy sketch series after its 49th season. Many were shocked by Punkie Johnson’s decision to jump ship right before the show’s milestone 50th season, set to begin on September 28, especially given the fact that she made history as the first openly queer black woman on the main cast.

Punkie Johnson

However, during a recently released podcast interview, Johnson explained that leaving was best for her because she didn’t feel right there. Kicking things off, she said she wanted to leave following season 48.

“I talked to my team. I was like, ‘Look, I don’t really know if I belong at this job, so maybe I should step away. But I told them super, super late, like right after I found out I got to go back. And it was like, ‘Well Punkie, you need a plan. You can’t just quit your job.”

Due to her last-minute change of heart, Johnson had to stick around for one more season. Initially, things started off great but that soon changed.

“I think I got like three or four sketches on the first half [of the season]. And usually I only get maybe two or three on the entire season, so I’m like, ‘Oh man, I’m killing it. Like, this is my season.’”

Unfortunately, when writer Ben Silva left, Johnson’s concerns surrounding her then-job came flooding back.

“If I was telling [Ben Silva] something, he knew how to put it in ‘SNL’ format for me. If I try to put it in ‘SNL’ format, that’s the hard part.”

In the end, Johnson went back to her gut feeling and followed through with walking away from SNL. Explaining why, she said,

“I didn’t really feel like I fit, like I didn’t feel like that was my zone. That show is for a different type of person.”

And added,

“I came from stand-up, so I just thought everybody else came from stand-up. I started having conversations with people and everybody was like, ‘Oh yeah, we went to school for this.’ I’m like, ‘Y’all went to school to be here?’”

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