Punkie Johnson reportedly quitting Saturday Night Live ahead of season 50

Saturday Night Live is thriving at the moment. The show is gearing up for its 50th season on the air, which is sure to bring about more attention and viewers than usual. Then there's the election, and the fact that SNL managed to bring Maya Rudolph back to portray Kamala Harris.

One cast member who will not be joining in on the festivities, however, is Punkie Johnson. A Twitter user claiming to be close to Johnson claimed she was stepping away from the show ahead of the new season.

Punkie Johnson allegedly had issues with SNL

“Punkie is leaving SNL, she said this was fine to share online so I guess Twitter is the first to know," the tweet read. "It definitely wasn’t a joke either like she’s actually gone and she’s very happy about it." The announcement was subsequently corroborated by other social media users.

In a second tweet, the user provided an explanation for Punkie Johnson's decision to leave. In the comedian's estimation, she didn't fit the mold that Saturday Night Live was trying to apply to her. "She also said the issues sort of started when she was told to lose her dreads and stop getting buff...," the user added.

Johnson had less screen time than other repertory players

It's also worth noting that Johnson portrayed Kamala Harris in a single Saturday Night Live sketch, but rather than turn to a cast member to portray the Democratic nominee, the show decided to bring back Maya Rudolph. Rudolph is an SNL alum who won a Primetime Emmy for her impersonation, so it's admittedly hard to criticize the decision from a popularity standpoint.

Punkie Johnson joined Saturday Night Live in season 46. She was initially listed as a featured player, as is customary for newcomers, before being promoted to repertory player in season 48. According to Late Nighter, however, Johnson received less screen time than her repertory peers.

Outside of SNL, Johnson is best known for her stand up comedy and her supporting role in the acclaimed comedy Bottoms (2023).