Bowen Yang Sings a Tearful Goodbye to SNL in Final Sketch with Ariana Grande and Cher

Bowen Yang has taken his final bow at Saturday Night Live. The beloved cast member delivered a heartfelt and hilarious farewell during his last sketch on the December 20th episode, joined by host Ariana Grande and musical guest Cher for an emotional send-off.

Yang announced his departure from the show on Instagram just one day before his final broadcast, shortly after a teaser featuring him with Grande and Cher was released.

His final sketch featured him as an employee of the Delta One Lounge, pouring eggnog for flyers during one last shift. "I'm going to miss everything about this place. The way it smells. Celebrities would come through. Just last week, Josh O'Connor was here," he said, referencing the actor and previous week's host.

The sketch took a heartfelt turn when he received a call from an elderly-looking Ariana Grande, who told Yang she was proud of everything he's done (with eggnog) over the years. The two then began a rendition of "Please Come Home for Christmas," with Grande eventually joining him in the lounge.

"I just feel so lucky that I ever got to work here," Yang said, speaking clearly about SNL rather than the fictional lounge. "And I just wanted to enjoy it for a little bit longer. Especially the people. I've loved every single person who works here because they've done so much for me, especially my boss."

But his boss in the sketch wasn't Lorne Michaels. It was Cher, who emerged as the "CEO of Eggnog at Delta." The trio closed out the song and the sketch with a teary farewell to Yang, capping off his memorable run on the show.

PRISM Insight: SNL continues to be the single most powerful launchpad in American comedy. An emotional and star-studded exit like Bowen Yang's reinforces the show's status not just as a comedy institution, but as a career-defining platform that transforms cast members into mainstream stars.