Fresh Air Bowen Yang's 'Wicked' White Lie
4 snips
Aug 18, 2025 
Bowen Yang, Emmy-nominated cast member of Saturday Night Live and co-host of Las Culturistas, chats about his exciting pop culture favorites from the aughts. He shares anecdotes from his SNL audition and reflects on his recent trip to China. Bowen dives into his journey navigating cultural adaptation and the effects of his family's immigration history. He humorously discusses the struggles of sharing personal interests with parents and reveals his complex feelings towards the musical 'Wicked.' The conversation blends humor with deep reflections on identity.
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Long Road To SNL
- Bowen auditioned for SNL multiple times with quirky, hyper-specific characters and impressions filmed in a friend's basement.
- He eventually got hired as a writer after years of callbacks and persistence.
Writing Built His Stagecraft
- Writing at SNL taught Bowen the show's nonverbal cues and backstage mechanics that later guided his on-screen choices.
- He credits that writing season with preparing him to perform without being set up for failure.
Regulate Emotions During High Pressure
- Develop emotional regulation to survive SNL's intense, cyclical workload and repeated high-stakes nights.
- Use the show's training to manage many stimuli and handle pressure in other projects.
