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Drunk Uncle Bobby Moynihan Leaving 'Saturday Night Live' After 9 Seasons

Ben Yakas

Published May 18, 2017

Modified May 18, 2017

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Ben Yakas

Published May 18, 2017

Modified May 18, 2017

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Bobby Moynihan is leaving Saturday Night Live after nine seasons, following this weekend's season finale with The Rock. The news was somewhat expected, considering that Moynihan's CBS comedy pilot, Me, Myself & I, was picked up to series in the fall. But it was only confirmed yesterday at the CBS upfronts. "My life's dream was to be on that show and I don't ever want to leave, but the [CBS] show did get picked up so we'll see," he said yesterday. "[SNL] was the best...That's all I wanted to do."

Moynihan, like fellow SNL vet Kenan Thompson (who also has been the subject of speculation for the same reason, although nothing has been announced yet), has been a glue guy over recent seasons. He wasn't always the standout star of a sketch—although he did have his moments, of course, with characters like Drunk Uncle, second-hand news reporter Anthony Crispino, or my beloved Riblet—but he knew how to add just enough to make every sketch a little funnier and a little weirder. He could handle impressions (Newt Gingrich, Snooki, Guy Fieri, Chris Christie, Ken Bone) as well as he could handle physical comedy; he knew when to go over-the-top with an expression in the background of a skit, or reel it in and play the straight man.

And as I've mentioned (in at least four SNL reviews over the years), he was a perennial scene-stealer who could drop into an otherwise bombing sketch and run away with it in less than 20 seconds. Just look at the time he appeared as a depressed Teddy Bear in an otherwise forgettable sketch about Miley Cyrus at the MTV Video Music Awards, or the time he hilariously popped up in a top hat and no pants for a very surreal Thanksgiving feast. This ability has extended to some of his work in films as well, as with his scenes in Sisters.

Here are just a few favorite Moynihan-led segments and characters I love, starting with Mornin' Miami:

Second-Hand News Correspondent Anthon Crispino has easily made over 10 appearances on the show. How could anyone dislike someone with such a wind-swept mullet and high vocal range?

He played one half of Broderick & Ganz and showed off his extremely natural hand acting:

Here he is as Guy Fieri, whose Full Throttle Christmas Special is the stuff of holiday nightmares:

Movie Night is a great example of how Moynihan could steal an entire sketch just by singing the Farmers Insurance jingle:

Then there's Drunk Uncle who has made many fun appearances on Weekend Update (including the times he brought Peter Drunklage, Meth Nephew and Drunker Uncle—we're holding out hope he makes an appearance this weekend):

When he wanted to get physical in a silly sketch such as American Ninja Warrior, he was truly committed to his pratfalls:

And who could forget Michael Che's sweet, innocent high school friend Riblet:

Tagged

bobby moynihan

saturday night live

snl

television

Ben Yakas

Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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