SNL Writer Martin Herlihy Departs After Five Seasons
Martin Herlihy, a writer and member of the comedy trio Please Don't Destroy, has left Saturday Night Live after five seasons. He follows fellow trio member John Higgins, who exited last year. The group will continue as a comedy act, and Herlihy has been pursuing acting roles.
Herlihy's departure follows John Higgins' exit, leaving Ben Marshall as the sole Please Don't Destroy member on the main cast. The trio, which formed at NYU in 2017, continues to perform live and has a 2023 feature film to its name.
Herlihy has also taken on film roles, including the Running Man remake and Happy Gilmore 2. His exit, alongside Chloe Fineman's recent departure, points to notable cast changes as Season 52 approaches its Sept. 26 premiere.
The departure could reshape SNL's digital shorts landscape, as Ben Marshall becomes the sole Please Don't Destroy member on the main cast. This may alter the group's collaborative dynamic, though their continued touring suggests resilience. For audiences, losing Herlihy's writing voice could subtly shift the show's comedic tone, while his growing acting career may gain further momentum from this transition.