Andy Samberg, beloved comedian and actor, recently shared the personal reasons behind his departure from Saturday Night Live (SNL) during an interview on Kevin Hart’s Peacock series, Hart to Heart. Samberg, known for his impactful digital shorts and contributions to the show’s success, revealed that the grueling schedule of SNL took a significant toll on his mental and physical health.
“It was a big choice. For me, it was like, I can’t actually endure it anymore. But I didn’t want to leave,” Samberg confessed. After seven seasons on the iconic sketch comedy show, he quietly exited following the season 37 finale in May 2012, officially confirming his departure weeks later.
Samberg detailed the immense pressure and physical strain he experienced, describing how the relentless schedule led to severe sleep deprivation and emotional exhaustion. “Physically and emotionally, like I was falling apart in my life,” he shared. The departure of his close friends and collaborators from The Lonely Island, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, compounded his stress as he found it challenging to produce the same quality of work without them.
Seeking advice from former SNL cast members like Amy Poehler, Samberg learned about the more manageable schedules of sitcoms compared to the intense demands of SNL. Despite the show’s preference for him to stay, he ultimately decided that prioritizing his health was essential.
Since leaving SNL, Samberg has enjoyed a successful career, starring in Brooklyn Nine-Nine for eight seasons, working on Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, and lending his voice to the Hotel Transylvania franchise. He also hosted the Emmys, co-hosted the Golden Globes, and starred in the acclaimed film Palm Springs.
Despite his departure, Samberg’s fondness for SNL remains evident. He returned to host the show in 2014 and made several cameo appearances. Currently, he is revisiting every digital short he created at SNL with Schaffer, Taccone, and Seth Meyers on The Lonely Island & Seth Meyers Podcast.
“It sounds very corny and rehearsed, but I’m just always like I still can’t believe I get to do comedy for a living,” Samberg shared. “It’s all I wanted to do. I got to be on SNL. It went way better than I expected.”
