# Long-time cast members \[Wiig, Samberg and Sudeikis\] departing SNL **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274 "2012-04-09T17:06:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/1 "2012-04-09T17:06:00Z")
Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg and Jason Sudeikis are to leave Saturday Night Live acording to this: [http://social.entertainment.msn.com/tv/blogs/tv-buzz-blogpost.aspx?post=2735f9b3-777a-4618-a45d-3eadfdbdd4a9](http://social.entertainment.msn.com/tv/blogs/tv-buzz-blogpost.aspx?post=2735f9b3-777a-4618-a45d-3eadfdbdd4a9) > [@](#): > > “Saturday Night Live” may be deadening next season, if there is truth to an US Weekly report that has Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg and Jason Sudeikis splitting for the movies. Two sources told the magazine that the three won’t be back after their contracts expire at the end of this season. > “It will be a huge blow to the show,” one source said. “Without Andy’s video shorts and Kristen saving every skit, they’ll need help.” I think that should read, “Kristen _ruining_ every skit”. I couldn’t believe that revived the horrible “Gilly” sketch on last week’s show, which was an otherwise pretty good episode. I’ll miss Samberg. I’m ambivalent about Sudeikis. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/2 "2012-04-09T17:39:18Z")
I’ll miss Sudekis the most. Loving his Mitt “I’m a Completely Normal Human Being Who Loves Everything That You Do” Romney. Major league groan on this past Saturday when I realized Gilly had been resurrected from the SNL character boneyard. I thought that character had been retired for some reason. I believe Taran Killam is the the next breakout star out of SNL, and holy crap, just remembered he’s together with Cobie Smulders…bastard. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/3 "2012-04-09T17:41:57Z")
I’ll also add that the SNL is in for a lull because X is leaving prediction is just about as old as the show itself. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/4 "2012-04-09T17:44:20Z")
Every time I see Sudekis on SNL I think “He’s still on here?” because I see him in so many other places. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/5 "2012-04-09T17:45:37Z")
I’ve been impressed with Wiig’s comedic timing in film, but her SNL stuff leaves me completely turned off. Normally, with SNL actors, it’s the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/6 "2012-04-09T17:53:55Z")
They’ll be fine. I think all three are very good at what they do on SNL, but everybody leaves eventually. The aforementioned Taran Killam, Nasim Pedrad, Vanessa Bayer, Jay Pharoah, Abby Elliott… all are more than capable of carrying a sketch. There was a new girl on this weekend, Kate McKinnon, who impressed me with her two brief appearances. Who knows, maybe she’ll be the next breakout star? They’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/7 "2012-04-09T18:02:38Z")
If Wiig and Sudekis are gone after this year, I hope they bring back their Two A-holes characters one last time… ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/8 "2012-04-09T19:05:05Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > The aforementioned Taran Killam, Nasim Pedrad, Vanessa Bayer, Jay Pharoah, Abby Elliott… all are more than capable of carrying a sketch. I really expected Jay Pharoah to break out by now, but he hasn’t been memorable in anything other than his Will Smith and Jay-Z impersonations - and neither of those have had legs. But he’s in a tough spot. I don’t think he comes from a sketch background, and I’m sure it’s hard for him to get into sketches when Kenan is the go to ‘black guy’ for the writing staff. Maybe they are keeping him around to take over as Obama if Fred Armisen leaves. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/9 "2012-04-09T19:34:10Z")
> [@Pashnish\_Ewing](#): > > I really expected Jay Pharoah to break out by now, but he hasn’t been memorable in anything other than his Will Smith and Jay-Z impersonations - and neither of those have had legs. They also never give him any other sketches. Hell, this week, I believe his entire part in the show was popping up in the background of the Hunger Games sketch. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/10 "2012-04-09T19:38:35Z")
I also hope that Sudeikis comes back whenever there’s a What Up With That? skit. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/11 "2012-04-09T19:43:15Z")
Added the names of the cast members to the thread title. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/12 "2012-04-09T19:52:32Z")
I’m not sure if Jay Pharoah can handle sketches…he’s a guy with a few killer impressions and not much else going for him. I remember he had that Jay Pharoah Show skit earlier this year… I presume it was meant to play off his ill-ease at doing anything other than an impression and reference the nostalgically remembered Chris Farley Show skit as well… but it just bombed…he just bombed. Maybe he’ll find his place eventually…it took years for Tim Meadows to get beyond background characters and Good Night only appearances and Meadows didn’t even have the impression roster to fall back on. Maybe if Obama gets reelected and Armisen leaves they’ll let him play Obama… (but Obama rarely shows up in the first place). ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/13 "2012-04-09T20:12:17Z")
I like all three. I think the show will go on without them. ---
**Author:** ![Viridiana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Viridiana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Viridiana)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/14 "2012-04-09T20:41:02Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > I’m not sure if Jay Pharoah can handle sketches…he’s a guy with a few killer impressions and not much else going for him. I remember he had that Jay Pharoah Show skit earlier this year… I presume it was meant to play off his ill-ease at doing anything other than an impression and reference the nostalgically remembered Chris Farley Show skit as well… but it just bombed…he just bombed. > > Maybe he’ll find his place eventually…it took years for Tim Meadows to get beyond background characters and Good Night only appearances and Meadows didn’t even have the impression roster to fall back on. > > Maybe if Obama gets reelected and Armisen leaves they’ll let him play Obama… (but Obama rarely shows up in the first place). Do you remember what episode it was? I have no recollection of a Jay Pharoah Show skit; I’m surprised! As for the OP, I love all three of them (I don’t like Gilly, but like most everything else wiig does), and will be sad if they leave. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/15 "2012-04-09T20:48:27Z")
> [@Viridiana](#): > > Do you remember what episode it was? I have no recollection of a Jay Pharoah Show skit; I’m surprised! It was the Daniel Radcliffe episode. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/16 "2012-04-09T20:58:32Z")
Can they take Moynihan and Thompson with them, please? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/17 "2012-04-09T21:20:54Z")
If they leave, I will be sad. ☹ I really like Wiig, and though she’s a bit overused now, but many of her skits and impressions I still haven’t tired of. I loved her ever since she did her first sketch as some lady in the Vincent Price’s Halloween Special. Now I like her can’t-keep-a-secret-lady and old-timey-movie-star-on-Secret-Word sketches. ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/18 "2012-04-09T21:30:45Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > Can they take Moynihan […] with them, please? But then we’d lose Drunk Uncle on Weekend Update, and I’m not willing to lose that! I seriously think this may be the best cast they’ve had in a long, long time. I’m bummed that Sudeikis and Samberg are leaving, but the young talent actually seems talented now. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/19 "2012-04-09T22:23:15Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I also hope that Sudeikis comes back whenever there’s a What Up With That? skit. Absolutely. I have _never_ laughed harder than when I saw him on that sketch for the first time. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274/20 "2012-04-09T22:28:07Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > If they leave, I will be sad. ☹ I really like Wiig, and though she’s a bit overused now, but many of her skits and impressions I still haven’t tired of. I loved her ever since she did her first sketch as some lady in the Vincent Price’s Halloween Special. Now I like her can’t-keep-a-secret-lady and old-timey-movie-star-on-Secret-Word sketches. I can’t get enough of her Bjork, her “Flirting Expert,” and her sex kitten with high voice that then does something unsexy. But of all current cast members, right now I think the show would fall to pieces if Bill Hader left. He’s great in everything. Stefon is possibly the funniest thing in the show’s history. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-time-cast-members-wiig-samberg-and-sudeikis-departing-snl/618274.md?page=2)