Saturday Night Live is heading into its landmark 51st season — but behind the scenes, chaos is brewing as cast members and writers flee the show, exposing shocking details about the toxic environment under longtime executive producer Lorne Michaels.
In the weeks leading up to the new season, several departures have rocked the late-night institution. Among them is Devon Walker, who joined SNL three seasons ago and took to Instagram to announce his unexpected exit.
“Me and the show did three years together, and sometimes it was really cool,” the 34-year-old wrote in a farewell note. “Sometimes it was toxic as hell. But we made the most of what it was, even amidst all the dysfunction. We made a f—ed up lil family.”
Walker wasn’t alone. Emil Wakim, a featured player who lasted just one season, revealed he was blindsided by the news he wouldn’t return. Calling it a “real gut punch,” Wakim described the gig as “terrifying, thrilling, and rewarding” but admitted the sudden end left him reeling.
Veteran writer Celeste Yim, the show’s first openly nonbinary writer, also announced they were leaving after five grueling years — and their exit revealed more disturbing details. Yim claimed they regularly had to sleep in their office to meet deadlines and endured being yelled at by “random famous men” and even “some famous girls, too.”
Behind the laughter, SNL has long faced rumors of brutal working conditions, endless competition, and a “party culture” fueled by hookups, jealousy, and rampant drug use. A former writer once described the show as “a place where abuse and toxicity are not just permitted but often celebrated.”
The troubling claims don’t stop there. In one of the most disturbing scandals in SNL’s history, former cast member Horatio Sanz was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old fan more than 20 years ago. The accuser alleged that Sanz groped her in full view of other cast members and claimed he began “grooming” her when she was only 15.
Sanz denied any wrongdoing, and while the case was eventually dismissed after a 2022 settlement, her lawyer blasted NBC, alleging at least 18 employees “knew or should have known” about the alleged misconduct.
As the show prepares for its milestone season, insiders whisper that these departures and resurfacing controversies are putting intense pressure on Lorne Michaels and the network. With more former cast members hinting at behind-the-scenes dysfunction, the glossy late-night comedy institution is starting to look like a ticking time bomb.
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SNL hasn’t been funny in years
This show has been going been down hill for years. Never watch it anymore. Not surprised
This new bunch of people don’t know what the other casts endured but rise to the top and didn’t bitch and complain. That show makes stars so suck it up while the other have a platform to perform on.