In a significant development for American television comedy, Bowen Yang has announced his departure from the legendary sketch program Saturday Night Live. The groundbreaking performer, who made history as SNL’s first Chinese-American cast member, revealed his exit via an emotional Instagram post following his final episode hosted by musical superstar Ariana Grande.
Yang, who initially joined the NBC institution as a writer in 2018 before ascending to the performing cast, expressed profound gratitude for his tenure while choosing not to disclose the specific reasons behind his mid-season departure. The 35-year-old comedian reflected on his transformative journey, noting: ‘I learned that human error can be nothing but correct. I learned that comedy is mostly logistics and that it will usually fail until it doesn’t, which is the besssst.’
During his celebrated run, Yang became one of the program’s most recognizable talents, creating unforgettable characters including his viral portrayal of the iceberg that sank the Titanic and his biting parody of disgraced former Congressman George Santos. His contributions earned him five Emmy Award nominations, cementing his status as a vital creative force within the series.
Beyond SNL, Yang has built an impressive multimedia career including roles in films such as ‘The Wedding Banquet,’ ‘Fire Island,’ ‘Bros,’ and the upcoming ‘Wicked’ adaptation where he appeared alongside Grande. He continues to co-host the popular ‘Las Culturistas’ podcast and is slated to voice a character in the anticipated ‘Cat in the Hat’ animated feature scheduled for release next year.
Yang’s departure marks the end of an era for Saturday Night Live, which loses not only one of its most technically gifted performers but also a pioneering figure who expanded the show’s cultural representation. His influence resonates through the comedy landscape as he moves forward with multiple projects that demonstrate his versatile talents across television, film, and digital media.