‘Can You Give SNL An Exception?’ Bowen Yang Made A Hilarious Argument For Why Saturday Night Live Should Be Allowed To Say ‘S—‘ And ‘F—‘ On Air

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On the wild 50th season of Saturday Night Live, there have been plenty of big laughs and the fun isn’t stopping yet! Skip past Morgan Wallen reaching “God’s Country,” the debates about the White President, and even Ego Nwodim’s unexpected explicit skit (for now). In a somewhat funny turn, Bowen Yang is humorously advocating for SNL to occasionally use profanity on air, just a bit.

Apart from appearing frequently on both the 2025 TV program lineup and film schedule, he is also a co-host of the widely popular podcast, “Las Culturistas.” In each episode, he and his partner Matt Rogers close with a signature segment where they each offer one-minute critiques. The actor from “Wicked: For Good,” in response to a viral blunder by a castmate, suggested a more familiar topic for discussion. Specifically, he advocated for the use of certain curse words being allowed a few times during each episode among the cast members.

It’s essential that we can casually use at least five instances of the words “shits” and “fucks” per season on Saturday Night Live (SNL). This is especially true after Ego Nwodim’s memorable Weekend Update character moment, where she exclaimed, “Cuz these men ain’t what? Shit,” which remains my all-time favorite television moment. To elaborate, this moment was nothing short of extraordinary. Secondly, the restrictions we face in our comedy at SNL due to not being able to use these words is quite limiting.

During the Jon Hamm/Lizzo episode, an incident Yang mentioned took place, and it was this event that was protected by a specific FCC rule, preventing SNL from facing fines. I stand in agreement with the Fire Island alum as he advocates for the controversial Nwodim Update moment, which went viral. The spontaneous reaction from the audience served as an entertaining element of interactive humor.

In his outburst, the 34-year-old criticized the remaining popular network comedies, suggesting that late-night shows should maintain their individuality. Drawing parallels with Donald Trump and DOGE’s cancelation of programs, he argued that allowing a bit of profanity on air could be a small but acceptable compromise. Continuing his thoughts, he stated:

Let me put it this way – we’re Abbott, we’re Ghosts – we’re the last of the network comedies left standing. So, could you make an exception for us, SNL? I mean, if we’re getting rid of the FCC due to Trump, might there be a silver lining? A benefit, perhaps, that we can now say words like “shit” and “fuck”?

It seems clear that Yang is making a valid observation. Shows like “Abbott Elementary” and “Ghosts” can maintain their appeal even without frequent strong language, demonstrating they are capable of standing on their own with lighter content. However, the restrictions placed upon “SNL” in terms of swearing seem to be affecting its content negatively as societal norms evolve. I’m not suggesting that they should indulge in excessive profanity, but rather, a moderate approach might serve them better in today’s world.

In the end, the actor from Awkwafina is Nora From Queens expressed that he’s content with capping the series. In his viewpoint, allocating resources to portray current realities would aid viewers in relating more closely to the content. To wrap up, he emphasized that words like “shit” and “fuck” carry a great deal of comedic punch.

In order to elevate the comic realism of our production, I propose we incorporate a moderate use of strong language, such as five instances of “sh*t” and five uses of “fk.” This way, audiences will recognize that what they’re seeing is not an exaggerated sketch reality but a reflection of the genuine world. I strongly believe this could enhance our comedy significantly.

Yang’s statement is funny on the surface, but it’s rooted in a serious idea. His proposal resonates with me, and although I don’t want Saturday Night Live to emulate Succession entirely, I do believe it could benefit from incorporating a touch of realistic language with a hint of adult humor.

It’s unclear if the NBC show will start using less explicit adult language in the future, but you can watch old episodes of Yang and Co. with a Peacock subscription. If you’re looking forward to more FCC-worthy surprises, tune in on its designated night at 11:30 pm EST.

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2025-04-25 15:44