As a seasoned gamer who’s spent countless hours immersed in the world of SNL and its colorful characters, I can’t help but empathize with Bowen Yang’s journey. Just like in a game, sometimes you bomb your first screen test or level, but it’s those failures that make the eventual victories all the sweeter.
Bowen Yang reflects on the nerve-wracking experience of his initial screen test for Saturday Night Live following a conversation with Lorne Michaels.
Before the premiere of “Wicked,” where he plays Pfannee, the standout from Saturday Night Live (SNL) made a visit to Hot Ones. In this interview, he reminisced about his initial audition for the sketch show in 2017.
In that process’s last stage, you’ll have a private talk with Lorne, along with another producer named Erik Kenward, as Yang explained. Upon meeting, I blurted out, ‘We’re both Canadians! I hail from Montreal, Quebec,’ and the moment I said it, the atmosphere shifted. It turned out that mentioning our shared Canadian background was a mistake; I lost the opportunity because I had overemphasized my connection to Canada, which resulted in a fiasco.
The comedian and performer carried on, detailing that the executive producer inquired whether he was fluent in French before stepping aside for a conversation with Kenward regarding the impressive literature of the French. Later, Yang divulged that he took advice from ex-cast member Aidy Bryant when he joined the show the year after, concerning how to engage with the creator of the comedy series.
According to Yang, Aidy Bryant said something along the lines of, “You might as well become friends with him now.” It seems that Lorne, who was spending time with Aidy, jokingly indicated that Bowen might consider him a challenge to conquer, and he didn’t want that impression to persist. This subtle encouragement from Lorne motivated Yang to approach Bowen and share a connection on a more personal level, which she never thought would be possible.
Previously, Yang had conversations with The Hollywood Reporter about his initial screen test and the past seven years he spent with SNL – initially as a writer, followed by six years as a cast member.
Speaking about my initial on-camera assessment, he admitted it was a very exposed experience. He knew no one would snicker – that’s the renown of the Saturday Night Live screen test, where no one laughs – and as he left his first audition, he recalled thinking, “I’m not anxious now. I will never be anxious again.
After all these years, the host of the Las Culturistas podcast still finds himself regularly reminded of how extraordinary their show is. He went on to say, “We have an abundance of chances to take a comedic idea and bring it to its complete creative realization, and we’re incredibly fortunate. It’s almost unique – people still tune in live as it airs.
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2024-11-23 22:27