Last night was the final Saturday Night Live episode for longtime cast member Cecily Strong after several years of questions about when she was leaving. Originally cast in the sketch comedy show All the Way Back in 2022, she’ll depart as the longest-running female cast member of the show’s legendary run, which seems fitting given her ability to helm sketches with original characters and help elevate those featuring her co-stars with supporting turns. Unselfish.
Her final sketch of the night and official farewell was the duet “Blue Christmas” alongside host Austin Butler, but earlier in the show, she appeared on Weekend Update as her recurring character Kathy Ann. During her turn, which was about poor Cathy Ann being arrested and finally going to jail, she talked about why it was time to go to jail, but for fans who’ve been watching her for so long, it was clear she was talking about herself at the time of the show. During her speech, she talks about the memories and how now is the time to leave. This is part of the quote…
“Now is the time. I had a lot of fun here, and I feel lucky to have had so many of the best moments of my life in this place with these people that I love so much.”
“Now is the time” might seem like a vague and unspecified reason, but it’s actually the feeling you’re hearing from many of the longtime cast members. Everyone left Saturday Night Live In the end, while some leave for a certain movie role or some other type of life circumstance, many just go because their time is running its course. SNL It’s a grind that involves odd hours and saying no to many opportunities (Strong was given time to do a play as an example), and at some point, it gets tiring. Even Kenan Thompson said the exit for him would come sooner rather than later.
You can check out the full graphic below…
Cecily Strong was never the most popular of the cast members, nor was she ever the focus of any particular team, but she was an amazing facilitator with a huge bag of tricks. She could handle a slew of celebrity impressions, perhaps the most famous being Justice Jeanine Pirro and Melania Trump. She also had a lot of random characters like the aforementioned Cathy Ann and the girl you wish you hadn’t struck up a conversation with at a party. She can do it all, and her absence will leave a huge hole.
This was evident during the final sketch of the night, which saw Kenan Thompson, Cecily Strong, and others Works at Radio Shack. Again, while the sketch was, in theory, about a woman who quits her job, it was very clear that Strong was finally saying goodbye. It starts with some kind words from Thompson about all the amazing things Strong can do, and ends with a surprising duet of “Blue Christmas” alongside Austin Butler.
Happy trails to Cecily Strong, wherever her career takes her. SNL, which is going through a transition period, you will miss it. She will next appear in the second season of the Apple + show Shmegadon! After that, I think a lot of creators will be hitting on her to appear in their projects. I can’t wait to watch them all.
[ad_2]
