Bowen Yang’s Journey from Prophesied SNL Fan to Emmy-Nominated Cast Member: A Look into His Pop Culture Obsession and Rise to Stardom

Bowen Yang’s journey to Saturday Night Live (SNL) as a cast member was a fulfillment of his high school prediction when he was voted “Most Likely to be on SNL.” However, he maintains that the superlative was incidental and just a nod to his theatrical inclinations.

“I was always an enthusiastic fan,” Yang admits, recalling how he used to bring VHS tapes of SNL to school during breaks. Despite never setting his sights on SNL, Yang became captivated by Sandra Oh’s character on Grey’s Anatomy in college, leading him to study chemistry and pre-med. It wasn’t until after graduation that he realized his true passion lay in the world of television.

Yang was initially hired as a writer for SNL, which he believes played a crucial role in understanding the show’s nuances. “Sitting next to Lorne Michaels each week and having him give notes on your sketch at dress rehearsal, you really develop an internal sense of how the show works,” he says.

In addition to his work on SNL, Yang has acted in Wicked and co-hosts the popular podcast Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers. The duo also hosted a satirical awards show – the Las Culturistas Culture Awards – on Bravo/Peacock.

Growing up as the child of Chinese immigrants, Yang found solace in pop culture as a way to navigate the American school system. “SNL was my crash course in pop culture every week,” he says. However, watching his old audition tapes for the show now brings back memories of a younger, less experienced self.

Yang’s portrayal of JD Vance on SNL was a challenging yet rewarding experience. “I took it as a serious charge to capture every detail,” he says, describing how he hired a dialect coach and even experimented with contact lenses and facial hair to perfect the character.

The Las Culturistas podcast and awards were created as an excuse for Yang and Matt Rogers to catch up every week. The awards ceremony honors various aspects of human experience, from pop culture to food to fashion. In 2022, they hosted an outdoor show that attracted massive crowds, leading them to aim for a televised event in the future.

Yang once lied about seeing Wicked as a teenager, feeling the need to justify his passion for musical theater. It wasn’t until 2021 that he finally got to see the show on the West End in London. Despite this fabrication, Yang emphasizes that he is not someone who lies frequently and that his family didn’t have access to theater performances growing up.

One item Yang had to hide as a teenager was a hardcover copy of “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” which belonged to his sister. “I remember hiding it under my bed like it was pornography,” he recalls, adding that he recommends today’s youth follow a similar path of discovering art and self-awareness without technology.

Yang shares heartwarming stories about his father’s life in Inner Mongolia, China. His father moved to the city to attend school with only $11 in his pocket, experiencing new foods like fish for the first time at 22. Yang often reflects on how fortunate he is, knowing that none of his success was guaranteed.