Actor and comedian Bowen Yang seems to be distressed with his fans. On the December 4, 2024, episode of the Las Culturistas podcast he co-hosts with Matt Rogers, Yang opened up about his experiences with social media users who relate him to Asian identity by tagging him on certain videos. The full episode of the podcast is available on Spotify.
The podcast has a segment titled ‘I don't think so, honey’ in which both hosts talk about a particular topic. In that segment, Yang shared his frustration with TikTok, describing his experience with the platform as increasingly unpleasant.
He explained that many of his notifications consist of users tagging him in posts featuring Asian individuals while suggesting they resemble him, which he found problematic. Frustrated at this ongoing activity, Bowen Yang said,
“Trust me. I've seen it. You guys can stop tagging me in that. No thank you. It makes me not wanna use the platform.”
The actor said he was annoyed by the recurring jokes and comments on social media linking him to other Asian individuals, including comparisons to fellow Korean-American comedian Joel Kim Booster, whom he starred alongside in Fire Island.
Bowen Yang found these remarks dismissive and disrespectful. Yang also criticized internet users who suggest stereotypical or unrealistic ideas for his sketches on Saturday Night Live (SNL) based on assumptions about his identity, emphasizing how these experiences contribute to his dislike of online platforms.
Yang has co-hosted Las Culturistas since 2016. He joined SNL as a writer in 2018, and in 2019, he became the first Chinese-American cast member on the show.
Bowen Yang starred in Wicked alongside Ariana Grande
Bowen Yang was cast in the movie Wicked, where he acted with actors like Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey. During the Las Culturistas podcast, he expressed gratitude for being part of the movie, acknowledging its widespread admiration.
However, he also commented on the rise of peculiar and frustrating behavior from certain individuals online, reflecting on humanity's tendency toward irrationality and self-perceived shortcomings, himself included. According to a People Magazine exclusive from November 25, 2024, the actor watched the movie's final cut with his SNL castmates. He said,
“I was so adamant about not going [to the screening], because I was like, I think I need to see this for the first time with other friends that aren't professionally involved, and I just need to have a pure experience.”
Bowen Yang recalled his first visit to New York at age 13, when he was drawn to Wicked and spent time outside the Gershwin Theatre, eager to experience its ambiance even though he couldn't afford tickets.
Later that day, he visited 30 Rock and sat in the SNL audience, which left a lasting impression. He noted that having these two significant experiences on the same day made him hope they would one day come together in his career.
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According to Bowen Yang, the idea of introducing Wicked to his SNL colleagues was deeply meaningful. He noted that it left everyone emotionally moved, with Sarah Sherman moving to tears.
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