The Advice Tina Fey Gave Bowen Yang He’s Still Struggling With: ‘This Is Something That I’ve Dwelled On’

The Advice Tina Fey Gave Bowen Yang He's Still Struggling With: 'This Is Something That I've Dwelled On'

As a long-time fan of Bowen Yang and his podcast Las Culturistas, I’ve witnessed his journey from a budding comedian to a household name. His authenticity and openness have always been refreshing, making his recent contemplation on maintaining that same transparency in the face of fame all the more intriguing.


Bowen Yang’s career has soared since joining the cast of Saturday Night Live, and as time passes, it appears his roles are becoming more high-profile. Before even the 50th season of SNL (airing during the 2024 TV schedule), his television and film appearances were already developing, and he co-hosts (and continues to manage) a culture podcast with his best friend Matt Rogers called Las Culturistas. As Yang’s fame grows, he admitted that he still grapples with the advice that SNL alum Tina Fey offered him about stardom.

Nora From Queens former cast member recently appeared on the NPR podcast Wild Card for an all-encompassing conversation. When inquired about career cautions, Bowen Yang drew upon the advice given by the Mean Girls writer regarding the challenges of preserving authenticity amidst fame. As Yang elaborated, these words continue to resonate with him as they serve as a reminder of the potential pitfalls that come with success in comedy.

Over the last couple of three months, I’ve found myself pondering quite deeply. Recently, Tina Fey appeared on my podcast, and in a delightfully witty manner, she gently scolded me for expressing my genuine thoughts about movies during our discussions, as well as my general opinions overall.

As someone who is a fan of the Fire Island star and a self-declared “Reader” (a specific type of fan of the podcast), I’ve seen his words get picked apart in real time. One of the most recent instances was when during the award-winning podcast, he called SNL “cringy,” which he defined as working through comments and others’ perceptions of the show. Aside from that, the actor received backlash over his portrayal of darling pygmy hippo Moo Deng, for an on air-segment that seemingly mocked singer Chappell Roan.

It’s quite intriguing to observe Bowen Yang maneuver through the challenges of fame while building a thriving career. Later, he elaborated on why public figures must adapt their speech due to its impact. To drive home his point, he drew attention to a quote Tina Fey had shared during their podcast: “Being in the public eye means you have a platform; it’s not just about you.

Essentially, Tina was expressing that what she was discussing was indelible, similar to how information on the internet is permanently marked. A quote from her conversation that gained some popularity was, “Authenticity can be perilous and costly.

In my view, those words could share space with some of Tina Fey’s most memorable quotes. They are both poignant and amusing, resonating deeply with anyone in the public eye. Given that Bowen Yang is following a path similar to Fey on Saturday Night Live, it would be prudent for him to give these thoughts careful thought.

In a recent chat, the star of Isn’t It Romantic echoed thoughts about the significance of staying true to himself and expressing his views honestly.

I’ve been pondering over the concept that I’ve always been an open and transparent person, freely expressing my thoughts without much second guessing. However, I find myself questioning the value of such honesty in all situations. Yet, if I start censoring myself, it seems to affect my self-image.

It seems fitting for him to scrutinize this norm in light of himself and value what initially helped establish his reputation. Let’s hope he doesn’t get stuck on it too much, considering his recent reasons to rejoice. He is, after all, one of the numerous actors in the eagerly anticipated Wicked remake, premiering in cinemas later this month. Here’s to more achievements and enriching experiences for the comedian!

To enjoy Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers’ Las Culturistas podcast, find it on YouTube or any platform where you usually listen to podcasts. Additionally, tune in to Saturday Night Live each Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET, and access the episodes with a Peacock subscription.

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2024-11-13 00:37