Phoenix native and Arizona State University alumnus Michael Longfellow's firing was announced last week.
Longfellow wrote in an Instagram post: "Will not be returning for a 4th season at SNL. Wish I was but, so it goes. It was the best three years of my life so far. I feel nothing but gratitude for the experience and everyone there. Lorne, you gave me the greatest job in the world and changed my life. You even put my mom on TV. Thank you doesnt begin to cover it, but thank you.
"I'll miss it all, but I'll miss the friends I made and seeing them everyday the most.
"Excited for the future and things to come. If you take anything away from my time on SNL let it be that smoking ... makes you skinny and popular, Jesus was Chinese, and if a tortoise ever gives you trouble just kill him tough guy. You wont."
Longfellow's departure was surprising to "SNL" pundits, as there had been reports that he had screen-tested to take over the popular "Weekend Update" segment of the show. (Current hosts Colin Jost and Michael are rumored to be leaving "SNL," although nothing has been announced.)
Longfellow, who joined the cast in 2022 as a featured player, is just one performer who will not be returning to the show in October.
Eight-season veteran Heidi Gardner is the biggest name to leave "SNL" last week; other departing cast members are Devon Brown, who spent three years at the show, and Emil Wakim, who had just joined last season.
"Also, math was difficult, and when science became more than baking soda volcanoes or putting small things in water to watch them get bigger, I really had nowhere else to turn,” he added.
