Bowen Yang Gets Candid About Joining SNL As An Asian And Queer Person: ‘Take It Or Leave It.’

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Saturday Night Live is currently in the midst of commemorating a significant milestone season. As famous personalities like Dave Chappelle and Timothée Chalamet prepare to take center stage as hosts and musical guests for Season 50, slated for 2025, it’s also an opportune moment to reminisce. The documentary SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night offers insights into various aspects of NBC’s long-running sketch comedy program from the viewpoint of current and past writers, actors, and crew members. Bowen Yang recently shared his distinctive journey as the first full-time Asian-American cast member and one of the few identifying as queer.

A segment of the SNL50 docuseries (which can be streamed with a Peacock subscription) delves into the audition procedure, an essential yet anxiety-inducing step for aspiring cast members. As Andy Samberg confessed to vomiting during his own audition, Pete Davidson and others discussed the producers’ notorious lack of laughter during these tryouts. Despite appearing daunting for comedians, Bowen Yang found the SNL process liberating, as he expressed in the documentary.

In simpler terms, I believe the appropriate attitude when entering such a place is one of self-expression, saying, “This is who I am, accept it or don’t.” My perspective might be that of an Asian individual, a queer person, but it could also belong to anyone else. There are numerous aspects about me that have nothing to do with those identities.

Bowen Yang’s unique style of comedy has created many memorable instances, such as the well-known Titanic iceberg sketch, however, since transitioning from a writer to a cast member in 2019, there have been occasions where his Asian heritage and/or sexuality were excessively emphasized. He has openly addressed this issue, further explaining:

Bowen Yang’s comedy has resulted in some great scenes, like the Titanic iceberg sketch, but since joining the cast in 2019, there have been times when his Asian identity and/or queerness were overused. He has spoken up about this issue as well.

In some instances, I’d engage in discussions where I felt writers might be categorizing aspects of me, but fortunately, these exchanges never led to any harmful or resistant behavior. Instead, it was always a response along the lines of, ‘I appreciate you sharing this with me. I’m sorry for your experience. I assure you it won’t happen again.’

In simpler terms, Bowen Yang himself admitted that these conversations sparked unique chances, such as the amusing “Bowen’s Straight” scene with Sydney Sweeney. Essentially, it seems that their most outstanding creations emerge when they think beyond traditional boundaries, rather than confining themselves to a specific identity or person’s details.

Analyzing Bowen Yang’s professional journey, it’s understandable why he labels Saturday Night Live as the “most awkward spectacle in entertainment,” yet his unapologetic attitude, as exemplified by stating, “This is who I am. Accept or reject,” has propelled a career marked by film roles such as those in Fire Island, Bros, Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain, and most recently, Wicked. In this latter project, he skillfully balanced SNL commitments to portray Pfannee, Galinda’s friend.

In the upcoming sequel “Wicked: For Good,” which premieres on the movie calendar in November 2025, you’ll have a chance to see him again. Until then, we can expect more of the comedian’s diverse character on “Saturday Night Live.” Don’t forget to watch it every Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC and streaming on Peacock.

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2025-01-20 22:07