Why Michael Longfellow Left SNL

Another ones bites the dust. After Devon Walker confirmed his departure and Emil Wakim was asked to leave "Saturday Night Live" ahead of the upcoming premiere of the 51st season on October 4, another cast member has fallen off the roster. 

Deadline has learned that Michael Longfellow is the latest cast member to depart the show. It's not clear whether Longfellow left of his own accord or if he was not asked back for the season, but it's another part of the promised "shake-up" that showrunner Lorne Michaels teased last week to Puck.

This is a rather surprising move, as Longfellow joined "SNL" as a featured player in season 48 and actually got promoted to the main cast for season 50. Longfellow has actually been one of the more impressive recent additions to the cast, and having him leave the show means that Michaels is likely trying to trim down the roster to the bare essentials. 

Funnily enough, Longfellow actually joked about not being in the show much throughout season 50, which was pretty stacked due to a large cast and the frequent appearance of legacy guest stars as hosts, in honor of the show's landmark 50th season. During a Weekend Update appearance, Longfellow noted:

"I work like 12 hours a week. When you love your job, it never feels like work. No, I'm just not in that much stuff this season. It's fine, I walk around, they don't really keep tabs on your whereabouts here."

Sadly, "SNL" knew his whereabouts, and they will no longer be at Studio 8H in 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

What makes this particularly surprising is that Late Nighter recently reported that Longfellow actually did a screen test back in May as a potential Weekend Update anchor replacement, indicating we might not see Colin Jost and Michael Che back for the regular segment this season. Perhaps this is the reason Longfellow won't be coming back to the show. 

Michael Longfellow, seen above as a goth kid on vacation, wasn't exactly known for any signature characters or sharp impersonations, but he still made a solid impression at "SNL." Not unlike Emil Wakim, Longfellow's biggest success came from frequent appearances at the Weekend Update desk, which began in his very first episode on the show.

With a sardonic, dry tone, Longfellow had a comedic style that felt very much in the same vein as Norm Macdonald, which might be why he never quite found a bigger niche at "SNL." But that didn't stop him from having some great bits, like this one, where he played an old fashioned cigarette:

But Longfellow was often at his best when he was merely offering commentary as himself. His smug sarcasm and confidence seemed to make him a hit with the audience, who often cheered at his appearances in a way that is only afforded to some popular cast members. Just take this bit where he talks about the REAL ID mandate:

Since Longfellow's best moments came as himself at the Weekend Update desk, the comedian might find more success as a stand-up, which he's been doing for a long time now. Plus, with "SNL" on his resume, he might end up getting more roles in TV shows and movies. After all, he landed a role in "Good Burger 2" not too long ago. And let's not forget how funny he was in this sketch with host Nate Bargatze, which was an idea that Longfellow pitched himself:

Personally, I'm rather sad to see Longfellow go, but I'll certainly be keeping up with his comedy career from here on out. Maybe he'll be asked back to host some day, just like when Norm Macdonald was asked to host after he was fired from the show.