Fred Armisen confirms his exit from 'SNL'

[July 02, 2013]  NEW YORK (AP) --  Fred Armisen has confirmed he has left "Saturday Night Live" after 11 years.

Armisen dispelled any doubt about his exit in an interview posted Monday by comedy website Splitsider.

"SNL" often doesn't announce its cast changes, but the show's season finale in May concluded with a farewell for Armisen and Bill Hader.

Armisen says he felt as though his departure from "SNL" was "obvious" considering in his last sketch he sang "It's been a lovely night with you" as British punk rock character Ian Rubbish. He was accompanied by several friends and musicians including Carrie Brownstein, his co-star on the IFC sketch show "Portlandia."

Armisen says he left partly because "Portlandia" was demanding more time and because "it felt like a very healthy, good time to do it."

[Associated Press]

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