Bowen Yang emotional final SNL sketch with Ariana Grande and Cher

Bowen Yang bids farewell to his seven-year tenure on Saturday Night Live with a touching final sketch alongside Ariana Grande and Cher. In his emotional performance, Yang portrayed a Delta One Lounge employee working his last shift on Christmas Eve, mirroring his own departure from the show on Saturday night.

As the scene unfolded, Yang fought back tears as his character announced to Delta Lounge customers that he would be leaving his cherished festive egg-nog stand. Ariana Grande, the celebrity host, portrayed his elderly wife who visited him at work on his final day. The heartfelt moment reached its peak as Yang sang “Please Come Home for Christmas” by Charles Brown in a duet with Grande, expressing his gratitude for his time on the show and the people he worked with.

Cher, the musical guest who performed Christmas songs like “Run Rudolph Run” on the show, appeared on stage as Yang’s boss, the “CEO of Eggnog at Delta.” Cher humorously noted that Yang was “a little bit too gay” for some, but reassured him that he was perfect as is. The trio embraced each other, with Grande visibly moved as she held Yang’s hand during the emotional performance.

Having started on SNL as a writer in 2018 before joining the cast in the following year, Yang has left a lasting impact with memorable sketches like parodying the viral baby hippo Moo Deng and playing an overzealous spin instructor. In 2021, he made history as the first SNL featured player to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.

Reflecting on his time on the show in an Instagram post before his final episode, Yang expressed gratitude for the lessons he learned and the experiences he had at SNL. He thanked Ariana Grande for her support and for hosting his farewell episode, calling it the “dreamiest” send-off he could have imagined.

While Yang’s departure from SNL midseason is uncommon, it follows a tradition of cast members leaving during the season, with past departures like Cecily Strong, Molly Shannon, Dana Carvey, and Eddie Murphy. In an interview with People in September, Yang shared his feelings of wanting to do more on the show while also anticipating a possible audience reaction to his continued presence.

As the show continues with new additions and changes to the cast, Bowen Yang’s legacy on SNL will be remembered for his unique humor, talent, and heartfelt performances that resonated with audiences during his time on the iconic comedy show.