Andy Samberg, former cast member of "Saturday Night Live," reveals the reasons behind his departure from the show in 2012, citing the demanding schedule and the absence of his longtime writing partners, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone.
"I couldn't actually endure it anymore," Andy Samberg confessed in a recent interview with Kevin Hart on his Peacock talk show, "Hart to Heart." The former "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) cast member opened up about the whirlwind that was working on the popular sketch comedy show and the reasons why he chose to leave in 2012.
Samberg's seven-season tenure on SNL was marked by iconic sketches and close collaborations with his friends Schaffer and Taccone. However, when Schaffer and Taccone departed in 2010 to focus on filmmaking, Samberg found himself at a crossroads.
Andy Samberg's Exit from "Saturday Night Live": The Grueling Schedule and the Absence of Friends
"I was basically left in charge of making the shorts, which I never pretended like I could do without them," Samberg explained. "We made stuff I'm really proud of in those last two years, but there's something about the songs that I can only do with Akiva and Jorm."
The grueling schedule of SNL also took its toll on Samberg both physically and emotionally. "I had talked to [Amy] Poehler and other people that had already gone. I was like, once I go, when I have an idea, I can't just do it," he said. "The craziest thing about working there is once you get going, if you're just in the shower and you have an idea, that s--- can be on television in three days, which is the most intoxicating feeling."
Andy Samberg's Exit from "Saturday Night Live": The Grueling Schedule and the Absence of Friends
Samberg's conversation with Poehler, a former SNL cast member who had gone on to star in her own sitcom, planted the seed of a transition. "Being on a sitcom was 'pretty chill' when compared to starring on 'Saturday Night Live,'" he recalled Poehler saying.
Following his departure from SNL, Samberg embarked on a successful sitcom career with "Brooklyn Nine-Nine." The show ran for eight seasons, portraying Samberg as a quirky NYPD detective alongside the late Andre Braugher.
Andy Samberg's Exit from "Saturday Night Live": The Grueling Schedule and the Absence of Friends
Despite the fulfilling experience, Samberg found saying goodbye to "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" difficult. "On the one hand, I was like, I feel like eight years for a half-hour comedy is a good run. On the other hand, I loved everyone I worked with, and I still felt like all the way to the last episode we were still making something that I enjoyed and was excited for people to see," he told SiriusXM Stars in 2022.
Samberg's journey highlights the challenges and rewards of working in the demanding world of live comedy. His departure from SNL was a testament to the toll that the relentless schedule and the absence of creative partners can take on an artist. However, his subsequent success on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" demonstrates his resilience and his ability to adapt and find fulfillment in different comedic roles.
