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Bowen Yang is an Australian-born American actor, comedian, writer, and podcaster based in New York City. Yang was hired to join the writing staff of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in September 2018, ahead of its 44th season, and a year later, in September 2019, he was promoted to on-air cast status for Saturday Night Live's 45th season as a featured player alongside Chloe Fineman, becoming its first Chinese-American, first Australian-American, third openly gay male, and fourth-ever cast member of Asian descent. He made history becoming the first SNL featured player to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021. He was promoted to repertory status before the start of 47th season. He co-hosts a comedy pop-culture podcast, Las Culturistas, with Matt Rogers

His first physical appearance was in "Unity Song" from the November 10, 2018 episode, hosted by Ray Donovan star Liev Schreiber; he can be seen standing behind Cecily Strong in the initial crowd shot and cameoed as Kim Jong-un that same season on the March 30, 2019 episode, hosted by Canadian and American actress Sandra Oh, with musical guests Tame Impala.

In September 2019, Yang was promoted to the cast as a featured player for the 45th season, alongside improviser Chloe Fineman and stand-up comedian Shane Gillis. Yang is the show's first ever Chinese-American cast member, and third openly gay male cast member after Terry Sweeney and John Milhiser.

SNL has had "little representation from Asian actors, as cast members or hosts" over several decades. Up until Yang's promotion there had been only three cast members, and six hosts who were of Asian descent. A 2016 study of SNL revealed: 90% of 1975–2016's show hosts (826 total) were white, 6.8% were black, 1.2% were Hispanic, and 1.1% were labelled "other". Similarly, SNL has had comparatively low representation of LGBTQ on-air cast and guest hosts since the series started in 1975. Yang is the third openly gay male, and sixth LGBTQ cast member. News of the Chinese and openly gay Yang's new job was reported internationally, but within hours was overshadowed by revelations that comedian Shane Gillis, who had been hired at the same time, aired homophobic and anti-Asian jokes. Gillis issued an apology, but within days was let go by SNL.

Yang's first episode as a regular cast member was the season's opening episode September 28, 2019, with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Billie Eilish. Notably he was included in the show's cold open playing Kim Jong-un giving advice to Trump on handling the Ukraine controversy including the whistleblower who helped trigger the 2019 impeachment hearings. In other sketches he portrayed Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang in a parody town hall debate and was an extra in a mock movie trailer for Downton Abbey. On October 5, 2019, the second episode, hosted by English actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge Yang made his debut on Weekend Update (WU), as Chinese trade representative Chen "Trade Daddy" Biao in a segment about Donald Trump's trade war that was "brief, funny and took some clever satirical shots". Yang's Biao character returned to WU as the newly appointed health minister for the COVID-19 pandemic which he unconvincingly tries to assure China has in control. Perhaps his "filthiest" sketch, also co-written with friend Julio Torres, was for guest host Harry Styles as an incompetent Sara Lee Corporation social media manager who mixes up his own gay BDSM account on Instagram with the company's "wholesome bread brand". In 2021, Yang was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He is the first featured player to ever be nominated.

In 2021, Yang was applauded for speaking out on the recent surge in violence against Asian-Americans during a Weekend Update segment. He told audiences to "fuel up" (using the Chinese cheer Jiayou) and do more for Asian Americans. He was promoted to repertory status ahead of its 47th season in 2021.

Impressions and Characters[]

  • Chen Biao
  • Ken Jeong
  • Kim Jong-un
  • George Takei
  • One of the Trend Forecasters
  • Andrew Yang
  • Yao Ming
  • Elton John
  • Kim Min-seok (BabyShark creator)
  • Fran Lebowitz
  • Steven Seagal
  • Brian Kilmeade
  • Taboo (Black Eyed Peas)
  • Xi Jinping
  • Mr. Uekusa
  • Psy
  • Eugene Lee Yang (Try Guys)
  • George Santos
  • The Spotted Lanternfly
  • Jafar (from "Aladdin")
  • The Iceberg That Sank the Titanic
  • The Chinese Spy Balloon
  • Krampus

SNL Career[]

  • 2018-19: Writer
  • 2019-2021: Featured Player
  • 2021-present: Repertory Player

Gallery[]

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