“Saturday Night Live” will soon air its 50th season, but there will be many noticeable changes by then. For starters, fans won’t get to see Pnkie Johnson anymore. The talented comedian confirmed via a social media post that she would not be returning for the sketch show’s 50th season after Johnson herself started rumors of her exit.
SNL is currently airing its 48th season. Episodes usually air from September to May, and new episodes are released weekly on Saturdays at 11:30 PM ET on NBC. Johnson’s announcement has left fans with many questions; here’s all we know.
Punkie Johnson’s Announcement
Johnson announced her departure on Instagram. In a video, she said, “After four seasons, I will not be returning to ‘SNL’ for the 50th.”
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Johnson also added later in the clip that she casually revealed the news the night before at her “Punkie and Friends” comedy show at Union Hall in Brooklyn, New York. But then she woke up to “text messages, phone calls, (and) tags on the internet” about it.
It was what eventually pushed her to make the announcement official on social media. The entertainer also wants everyone to know that her exit from the show is on good terms. “It’s no bad blood, it’s no bridges burned, it’s no hard feelings,” Johnson said in the clip. “I love my people!”
“I didn’t think none of this was going to be a big deal,” she went on before joking, “See, this is why Dave Chappelle makes people lock up their phones.”
When Did SNL Cast Punkie Johnson?
Johnson joined the SNL cast in 2020 and has grown a tremendous amount of respect for the show since then. In her announcement, she called it “a dream I didn’t even know that I could achieve” and boasted of being “a part of one of the most elite institutions in comedy.”
“I am so grateful for it,” she said in the video. “That’s still my people. I love them.” Johnson’s announcement also heralded the exit of her cast mate Molly Kearney, who took to social media to share their plans to depart from the show one day later.
Johnson’s and Kearney’s departures are announced just a few months before “Saturday Night Live’s” milestone Season 50 on NBC.
Sony Pictures recently announced that its movie about the pilot episode of the historic series, “Saturday Night,” will be available in October. The cast will include Dylan O’Brien, Rachel Sennott, Finn Wolfhard, Jon Batiste, Willem Defoe, J.K. Simmons, and Kaia Gerber.
What Is Punkie Johnson’s Real Name and Age?
Punkie Johnson’s real name is Jessica Williams. She was born on April 29, 1985, in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, and as of August 2024, she is 39 years old.
Punkie Johnson’s Love Life
Punkie Johnson is proudly gay but is quite private about her personal life, and that secrecy extends to her relationships. Some of the things we do know is that Johnson has been in a long-term relationship with her partner, whose identity remains secret because she won’t reveal it.
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In 2020, the comedian revealed that she was engaged to her partner. However, she still hasn’t revealed much about their wedding plans or the lady’s identity.
While Johnson is open about her sexuality and often incorporates her experiences and perspectives as a gay woman into her comedy, she is very picky about providing details, and her fans are nothing if not patient.
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