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Bowen Yang Is SNL's First Gay Asian Cast Member
Bowen Yang Is SNL's First Gay Asian Cast Member
The comedian is breaking new ground on the NBC comedy show.
Bowen Yang has made Saturday Night Live history twice over.
The comedian is the first person of full Asian descent and the fifth LGBTQ person to join the NBC sketch comedy series as a cast member.
Yang first joined SNL as a writer last season. He memorably co-wrote (with Julio Torres) the show's infamous gay porn parody starring Emma Stone.
A cohost of the podcast Las Culturistas alongside Matt Rogers, Yang also has acting credits in High Maintenance (2016), Isn't It Romantic (2019) and The Outs (2012), a pioneering gay web series.
In addition to Yang, Chloe Fineman and Shane Gillis were announced as new cast members for SNL's 45th season, which premieres September 28 with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Billie Eilish.
Other past LGBTQ cast members of SNL include Terry Sweeney, Danitra Vance, Kate McKinnon, and John Milhiser.
Upon the announcement of Yang's casting, LGBTQ Twitter lit up with messages of congratulations.
\u201c@TVLine @bowenyang OMG YES YES YES \ud83d\ude46\ud83c\udffc\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffb\u2764\ufe0f\u201d— TVLine.com (@TVLine.com) 1568307602
\u201cFirst Asian cast member and also one of the VERY few openly gay men on the cast. Putting on my Terry Sweeney Nancy Reagan wig and clapping for @bowenyang!\u201d— Louis Virtel (@Louis Virtel) 1568308704
\u201cI DO think so, honey! So excited @bowenyang is officially joining the cast of @nbcsnl.\u201d— GLAAD (@GLAAD) 1568309660
