16 Bowen Yang Comedy Moments That Are An Absolute Delight
Still not over his iconic Kristen Wiig and Dua Lipa sketch.
If you've tuned in to Saturday Night Live over the last few years, you're probably familiar with Bowen Yang, one of comedy's hottest names at the moment.
Bowen joined SNL in Season 44 as a writer and was promoted to a featured player in Season 45. He's actually the show's first cast member of East Asian descent.
Although he hasn't been on SNL for very long, he's definitely made an impression.
With impressions ranging from Kim Jong Un to Fran Lebowitz, he's showing us just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his talents. (Yes, he also portrayed the iconic iceberg that got canceled for sinking the Titanic.)
Even beyond Saturday Night Live, Bowen has been doing a lot of solid comedy work, including his sketches with Comedy Central, his pop culture podcast Las Culturistas, and his recurring role as Awkwafina's cousin on Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens.
In honor of his hilarious body of work, let's revisit some of his most iconic comedy moments!
1. When he posted The Devil Wears Prada and Grey's Anatomy lip syncs on Twitter.
Before joining SNL, Bowen started doing lip syncs of pop culture characters on Twitter. We've got you covered with archival footage of some of his best work!
2. When he passed out Pepcid AC to Asian guests at the Golden Globes so that they wouldn't get Asian flush.
Yup, he straight-up passed out antacids during Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh's opening segment at the 2019 Golden Globes. And fun fact: Bowen also wrote for the Globes that year!
3. When his character Edmund discovers his uncle's private parts on the 'gram on Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens.
Edmund discovers his uncle following him on Instagram and almost immediately yells, "UNCLE PENIS!"
4. When he portrayed Kim Jong Un on SNL and stole the show.
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Making a cameo in the Sandra Oh and Tame Impala episode, Bowen wowed audiences even before he officially joined the cast!
5. When he discussed his rejected BTS-member aesthetic on 2 Dope Queens.
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The rest of the stand-up routine also has some hidden gems, such as, "I am a risk-taker. I use dating apps with my phone's brightness at zero."
6. When he spoke about anti-Asian racism on "Weekend Update."
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In the wake of the devastating Atlanta shooting and attacks on Asian elders, Bowen successfully toes a fine line between humor and commentary. Understandably, he says, “I’m just a comedian. I don’t have all the answers."
He offered some potential ways that allies could help.
Personally, I endorse this infographic.
7. When he was the iceberg that sank the Titanic on "Weekend Update."
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"That was a really long time ago. I've done a lot of reflecting to try and move past it. It's one very small part of me, but there's so much going on beneath the surface that you can't see." I am dying.
8. When he did this sexy military Christmas performance with Kristen Wiig and Dua Lipa.
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Nothing could prepare us for Dua Lipa smacking him on the derriere to dance music.
I mean...
9. When he played Flint the SoulCycle instructor, who tried to motivate his class to cycle harder in a rather unconventional way.
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"Abraham Lincoln died. It didn't have to happen."
10. When he did an impression of Fran Lebowitz from Pretend It's a City on "Weekend Update."
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It's such an iconic impression, and Kyle Mooney guffawing as Martin Scorsese is shockingly accurate.
11. When his character Edmund introduces Nora's Elizabeth Holmes–inspired transformation on Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens.
"Thin-rimmed glasses, side ponytail, post-post-modern Japanese turtleneck, health Goth sweatpants, and nylon sock shoes." Edmund knows that consummate tech professional look, y'all!
12. And also when his character Edmund bawls over his failed app Scrubr following a disastrous Fyre Festival–like launch party.
Is it so wrong that we're laughing? The good news is that things look up for the two cousins in the very next scene after Chinese investors take an interest in their app. Also, you'll only have to wait a few beats to witness Edmund letting out the most epic excited scream.
13. When he played Mark Antony in a Comedy Central sketch about Cleopatra and Caesar.
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Cleopatra and Caesar chat after witnessing a bacchanal, where everybody's just there to "bang and bleed." And Mark Antony is very insistent that they join the bacchanal! (Fun fact: Caesar is played by Bowen's cohost Matt Rogers from Las Culturistas.)
"We're going to have group sex to celebrate the harvest."
14. When he portrayed Chen Biao commenting on TikTok on "Weekend Update."
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Bowen's recurring character Chen Biao, the Chinese trade minister, is one of the finest "Weekend Update" additions. This sketch is one TikTok meme after another, with a few flourishes thrown in, such as "I'm a savage, classy, bougie, loyal supplicant to the Communist Party."
15. When he played French Canadian anchor Jean-Lawrence, or "John-Larry," in the "Bonjour-Hi" bit, with Kate McKinnon as Anne-Marie.
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Like reporter Awa Sene, or Issa Rae, we haven't seen Drake, but we do see the dynamic duo that is Bowen and Kate in this ridiculous sketch.
