Leaving Saturday Night Live isn’t as simple as packing up a dressing room. For many cast members, it's a seismic shift with little guidance or support. That’s the reality two former cast members, Chloe Troast and Punkie Johnson, opened up about during a cast farewell party in New York City ahead of SNL’s Season 51, and life after the show feels disorienting to say the least.
Speaking exclusively to People at the event, Johnson and Troast pulled back the curtain on what it really feels like not to be returning as part of the Season 51 cast and being let go from one of TV’s most iconic institutions ahead of its 2025 TV premiere. While Johnson, who announced her departure, described it more as a “mutual” agreement, the vibe from both women suggests it hit more like a firing. Punkie explained:
