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Who Is Bowen Yang?
Bowen Yang, born in 1990 in Brisbane, Australia, is a prominent figure in contemporary comedy and television. Growing up in Canada and Colorado, he has made history as the first Chinese-American cast member of Saturday Night Live (SNL) and the first openly gay man to be part of the show for more than one season. Yang has infused SNL with a fresh perspective, often crafting and performing sketches that incorporate queerness in nuanced ways, avoiding the reliance on stereotypes and punchlines. In addition to his work on SNL, he is recognized for his contributions to the podcast Las Culturistas and has made appearances on various television series, including a regular role in Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens.
Early Life and Family
Bowen Yang’s early life was shaped by his family’s migration journey. His parents left China for Australia, where his father pursued a doctorate in mining engineering, a decision that ultimately influenced Yang’s existence—he often remarks, “I wouldn’t have been born if my parents had stayed in China,” referencing the one-child policy in effect at that time. His mother, a gynecologist in China, instilled in him a strong appreciation for education and cultural heritage.
Growing up, Yang was immersed in a bilingual environment, speaking Mandarin at home and attending Chinese Sunday school with his older sister. The family relocated from Australia to Canada, settling outside Montreal, before moving to the Denver suburb of Aurora when Yang was nine years old. It was during his formative years in Aurora that he developed a passion for comedy, becoming an avid fan of Saturday Night Live.
Yang attended Smoky Hill High School, where he actively participated in an improv troupe called Spontaneous Combustion. His talent and potential were recognized early on, as he was voted “Most Likely to Be a Cast Member on Saturday Night Live” by his peers before graduating in 2008.
Conversion Therapy and Aftermath
At the age of 17, Bowen Yang inadvertently revealed his sexual orientation to his parents by leaving a chat window open on a shared family computer. Reflecting on the incident, Yang recounted to The New York Times, “They just sat me down and yelled at me and said, ‘We don’t understand this. Where we come from, this doesn’t happen.’”
Yang described the emotional turmoil within his family during this period, stating, “I had never seen my dad cry before up until that point. And I was coming home from school every day to him sobbing.” In an attempt to change his sexual orientation, Yang’s parents arranged for him to attend conversion therapy sessions in Colorado Springs, located two hours away from their home. He recalled the experience as disheartening, remarking, “It was just crazy. Explain the gay away with pseudoscience.”
Following the completion of the conversion therapy program, Yang enrolled at New York University, where his sister was already a student and could provide oversight. During his college years, he chose to come out to his family once again. Although their initial response was once again lacking in support, Yang opted to remain patient until his parents began to accept—or at least coexist with—his identity. He reflected on his father’s occasional suggestions, stating, “My dad every now and then will toe that line and be like, ‘You could try women!’ And I’m like… Don’t. It’s almost an endearing kind of homophobia, if such a thing exists.”
Today, Yang enjoys a positive relationship with his family, with whom he has shared vacations. His parents take pride in his achievements, particularly his success on Saturday Night Live. He shared in 2021, “They know that that job has been hard-won for me, and that it means a lot, and it means a lot to them too. They think, ‘Wow, he pulled it off.’” Recently, Yang recounted a conversation with his mother, who remarked, “Bowen, you’re very lucky to be doing this,” to which he replied, “I know, mom.”
College and Early Comedy Career
Initially, Yang pursued a pre-med chemistry major at New York University, inspired in part by the popular television drama Grey’s Anatomy. However, he continued to nurture his passion for comedy throughout his academic journey.
Upon graduating, instead of pursuing medical school, Yang transitioned into a career as a graphic designer while simultaneously auditioning for and performing in various comedy shows. This decision marked the beginning of his dedicated pursuit of a career in comedy.
Saturday Night Live
In 2018, Bowen Yang began his tenure as a writer for the 44th season of Saturday Night Live (SNL). That same season, he made his on-screen debut as North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. Yang’s contributions to the show earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series in 2019. Subsequently, he became a featured player in the following season, making history as the first Chinese-American cast member in SNL’s long-standing legacy. His portrayals included notable figures such as politician Andrew Yang and a Chinese trade representative dubbed “Trade Daddy.”
During the 2020-21 season, Yang continued to excel as a featured player, contributing to several memorable sketches, including “Pride Month Song,” which addressed the challenges faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community during June. In March 2021, he used the Weekend Update segment to voice his concerns regarding the rise of violence against Asian Americans.
In July 2021, Yang distinguished himself further by becoming the first featured cast member of SNL to receive an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He submitted an episode for awards consideration in which he humorously portrayed the iceberg that sank the Titanic, promoting an EDM fantasia album.
As the 2021-22 season of Saturday Night Live commenced, Yang was promoted from featured player to repertory cast member. Reflecting on his journey, he noted, “I thought going in that I had to have this very broad, very palatable sensibility that works for everybody, but then the stuff that I’m the most proud of, and probably even got the most success from, was outwardly an expression of queerness or gayness. That’s been a nice surprise.” Rather than focusing solely on his achievements, Yang expressed a desire to pave the way for future talent, stating in an interview with NPR in 2021, “I kind of don’t really care about how my tenure on the show is perceived in any particular way, other than…I want this to facilitate something better for the next person.”
Television and Video
In addition to his work on SNL, Yang portrays Awkwafina’s cousin on the television series Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens. He has made guest appearances on various shows, including High Maintenance, Broad City, and Girls5eva. His early work includes a role in the second season of the web series The Outs in 2016.
Yang gained popularity on social media for sharing lip-sync videos, featuring subjects that ranged from Tyra Banks on America’s Next Top Model to Sandra Oh’s portrayal of Dr. Cristina Yang on Grey’s Anatomy.
Podcasts
In 2016, Yang co-founded the podcast Las Culturistas with his friend Matt Rogers, exploring diverse aspects of pop culture. In 2021, he joined a notable ensemble of queer performers, including Cynthia Nixon, Jane Lynch, Margaret Cho, and Tony Kushner, in the scripted podcast Hot White Heist. In this series, he played a gay man collaborating with a lesbian cult to execute a heist at a top-secret sperm bank.