Bowen Yang folks what a week he is having! From rocking the red carpet at the Oscars to navigating some backstage buzz from Saturday Night Live this "Wicked" star is keeping things interesting and hilarious as always. Let's dive into Bowen's busy schedule and unpack all the must-know moments.
BFFs at the Big Show: Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers Take on Oscars Red Carpet Together
Bowen Yang didn't just roll solo to the 2025 Academy Awards. He brought his bestie and podcast partner in crime Matt Rogers as his official date! These two are seriously friendship goals. They walked the red carpet together on Sunday March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood looking sharp and ready for the big night.
For those not in the loop Bowen and Matt are more than just red carpet buddies. They are the dynamic duo behind the super popular podcast "Las Culturistas" which they started way back in 2016 when they were both students at New York University. Their podcast is a hit and even snagged a GLAAD Media Award last year for Outstanding Podcast. Plus they acted together in the rom-com "Fire Island" which you can stream on Hulu. Talk about a power duo!
Red Carpet Humor: Bowen Yang Jokes About Playing "Favorite Guy" JD Vance on SNL
Bowen wasn't just there to look good at the Oscars he was also working the red carpet. Chatting with "Extra's" Melvin Robert and Terri Seymour Bowen brought his signature humor . He was sporting a cool western-style leather Etro jacket and mentioned he was fresh off hosting SNL just the night before. And who did Bowen get to play on SNL again? His "favorite guy in the world" Vice President JD Vance! Bowen can always find the funny even when playing political figures.
He also teased that he would be part of a fun "Wicked"-related moment during the Oscars ceremony probably something to get fans hyped for the movie adaptation he is starring in. And he promised that musicians like Raye LISA and Doja Cat were set to bring some major unexpected performances to the Oscars stage. Bowen always knows the inside scoop!
Backstage Buzz: Bowen Yang Responds to Claim He Got Shane Gillis Fired from SNL
Now for a bit of backstage drama. Recently a background actor from SNL named Michelle Best stirred things up online. In an Instagram comment Best claimed that Bowen Yang was responsible for Shane Gillis getting fired from SNL way back in 2019. She even called Bowen a "whiny queen" in her comment which is pretty harsh.
Bowen Yang is not one to stay silent. He directly responded to Best's comment setting the record straight. He simply wrote "Didn’t do any of this but I wrote the sketch you were a background actor in." with a smiley face emoji. Mic drop! Bowen basically shut down the rumor with a simple and factual reply highlighting his actual work on the show.
For context Shane Gillis was hired as an SNL cast member in 2019 along with Bowen and Chloe Fineman. However Gillis was fired pretty quickly after past jokes with racist and homophobic slurs resurfaced online. Lorne Michaels himself said that NBC made the final call to fire Gillis. Bowen was the first openly gay Asian cast member on SNL at the time and Gillis's jokes were definitely offensive to many groups. Gillis did return to host SNL in 2024 and even joked about getting fired in his monologue so it seems water under the bridge but the past controversy still gets brought up sometimes.
Bowen Yang: Beyond the Drama a Talented Performer and Comedian
Let's not forget that beyond any backstage chatter Bowen Yang is seriously talented. He is a four-time Emmy nominee for his work on SNL and he is about to be in a huge movie musical "Wicked". He is a groundbreaking performer being the first gay Asian cast member on SNL and he is clearly making his mark in comedy and acting.
Whether he is walking the Oscars red carpet with his BFF delivering jokes on Weekend Update or shutting down rumors online Bowen Yang is definitely someone to watch. He is funny he is quick-witted and he is not afraid to speak his mind. We can't wait to see what he does next both on screen and off.