As Saturday Night Live prepares to kick off the second half of Season 51 on the 2026 TV schedule, the long-running variety sketch series will be without one important player. Bowen Yang said his final goodbyes at Studio 8H during the Christmas episode, guest-hosted by his Wicked: For Good co-star Ariana Grande. After some of his SNL pals paid tribute when the episode aired, Marcello Hernández had a surprising take on his exit, and it actually makes sense.
Hernández told E! on the red carpet of the Critics’ Choice Awards on Sunday night what he thinks about Yang leaving. The exit came as a surprise to many, and since it was on such short notice, many didn’t have time to prepare themselves to deliver worthwhile farewells. And instead of veering emotional, Hernández utilized a sports metaphor for his perspective on Yang's departure:
