Bowen Yang Reflects on SNL Departure in Podcast

Bowen Yang, the comedian and actor known for his seven-year tenure on Saturday Night Live, reflected on his December departure from the long-running NBC sketch comedy series during the latest episode of his podcast, Las Culturistas, which he co-hosts with Matt Rogers.

Yang's final appearance as a cast member aired on December 20, 2023, in an episode hosted by his Wicked co-star Ariana Grande with Cher as the musical guest. He joined the show in 2018 as a staff writer during its 44th season and was promoted to featured player the following year, later becoming a repertory cast member. In the podcast conversation, Yang described his exit as a personal choice made at the right moment amid an unpredictable entertainment industry. "The current entertainment ecosystem is so turbulent that people have completely valid reasons for staying longer, or in a lot of cases, don't have the privilege of staying on as long as they would like to," he said. "I have this very beautiful thing where I get to say that I stayed on exactly as long as I wanted to."

Yang addressed criticisms he faced during his time on the show, particularly claims that his performances lacked range. He acknowledged the...