A Fond Farewell to One of SNL’s Most Memorable Players

Wow. I was out late on Saturday, so I didn’t expect much news at all when I got home. Lo and behold, I returned to the most heartbreaking news: After 11 fantastic years, Cecily Strong is leaving Saturday Night Live.

Look, I knew this was coming. Strong is one of those cast members who you don’t want to leave, and we understand that the times gotta change, but it still stings. Strong was one of the absolute best players the show has ever seen, with a legendary tolerance for silliness that made it nearly impossible for her to break WHILE also dishing out some of the best performances of any season she was in.

For those who missed it, here are Strong’s “official” goodbyes:

Strong’s two biggest strengths on full display: Character-acting and singing … oh my god, it really is the end of an era. They even threw a photo cameo of Aidy Bryant and Kate McKinnon in there to emphasize the point. Ugh, my heart.

Strong brought so much to the show, from her wide array of performing talents to the mere power of her presence. No matter how bad a sketch was, Strong always elevated it to a point where it was worth watching; she had some of the most iconic characters on the show. She just had that rare comedic gift where she could masterfully speak on important issues, like abortion rights, and make jokes without cheapening her points.

Every new player must get their due, and with how rapidly the show keeps expanding its cast, this is as good a time as ever for Strong to leave. On top of that, the newer players show a lot of potential, especially the chaotic force that is Sarah Sherman. With Strong’s departure, some of the more recent additions to the cast will have a little more room to shine.

It’s hard to even think about Strong’s “best” skits because she had so many. I particularly loved her Jeanine Pirro impressions, although her accent(s) in this one has always killed me:

Feel free to share your own favorite Cecily Strong sketches in the comments, and if you miss her as much as we do, be sure to check out her show Schmigadoon! on Apple TV. Thanks for all the laughs, Cecily.

(featured image: NBC)