Comedian and actor Bowen Yang has given a candid interview about his decision to leave the legendary sketch show Saturday Night Live and the reductive criticism he faced during his seven-year tenure.
The Decision to Depart Midseason
Yang, 35, made the unusual choice to exit SNL in the middle of its 51st season, signing off with an emotional and highly-rated farewell episode in December 2025. On the latest episode of his podcast, Las Culturistas, which he hosts with best friend Matt Rogers, Yang explained the timing was simply right for him.
"This is honestly what's behind it: It's time," Yang stated. "You would do seven seasons, and then you would scoot." He acknowledged the turbulent state of the entertainment industry, noting that while some cast members stay longer out of necessity or lack of privilege, he was fortunate to leave on his own terms.
"I have this very beautiful thing where I get to say that I stayed on exactly as long as I wanted to," he added, revealing he had considered leaving earlier in the summer but was glad he returned for a few final months.
Confronting Stereotypes and 'Over-Determinations'
Yang, who joined SNL as a writer in 2018 before making history in 2019 as the show's first Chinese-American cast member, became known for a series of viral, absurd characters. These included an Oompa Loompa, disgraced politician George Santos, and the iceberg from the Titanic sketch.
Despite this demonstrated range, Yang said he frequently encountered online critiques accusing him of having "no range." He argued that the short-form nature of sketch comedy inherently relies on archetypes.
"I knew I was never gonna play the dad. I was never gonna play the generic thing in sketches," Yang explained. "These archetypes are also in a relationship with generic things, and there is a genericism in whiteness and in being a canvas to build upon. I came in pre-stretched, pre-dyed."
He directly addressed the pigeonholing he experienced: "People had their over-determinations on what I was, which was: 'Oh, that’s just the gay Asian guy on SNL.' So anytime I would try to work outside of that, it got completely ignored or it still got collapsed to, 'Oh, he’s being gay and Asian as always.'"
A Legacy of Groundbreaking Comedy
During his time on the show, Yang's unique comedic voice earned him five Emmy Award nominations for both writing and performing. His departure marks the end of a significant chapter for the long-running NBC programme, which saw him bring a distinct and celebrated perspective to its iconic stage.
Yang's reflections offer a poignant insight into the challenges faced by performers from underrepresented backgrounds, even on a show celebrated for its progressive comedy, while cementing his status as a trailblazing figure in modern entertainment.
