Bowen Yang Reveals SNL's Reality Show Vibe and Sydney Sweeney's Self-Awareness

Bowen Yang Reveals SNL's Reality Show Vibe and Sydney Sweeney's Self-Awareness


Bowen Yang has gained valuable insights into the workings of Saturday Night Live during his five seasons on the show. In a recent episode of the podcast Fly on the Wall, hosted by former SNL cast members Dana Carvey and David Spade, Yang discussed a key realization: Lorne Michaels, the show's creator and executive producer, sees SNL as a "reality show."

Yang shared how he often finds himself entangled in the show's "meta-narrative." For instance, he recalled mentioning a certain unnamed host who left several cast members in tears on Watch What Happens Live last month. This trend continued as he revealed details about Sydney Sweeney's hosting debut in March, which drew public scrutiny for focusing excessively on her body for humor.

Yang described Sweeney as someone who was aware of how she was being perceived and was open to jokes about her appearance. “She came in and was like, ‘Please, everyone, make jokes about my boobs,’” he noted. Sweeney herself previously stated her intention to confront the way she is viewed, asserting, “There are so many people out there who are like, ‘Oh, she’s famous because she showed her boobs.’”

In a sketch where they had to kiss, Yang expressed concern for Sweeney's comfort, to which she replied, “Bowen, I’m on Euphoria.” He added that she recognized her allure, noting, “You’re living every gay man’s dream by ‘having sex’ with me.” Yang highlighted Sweeney’s self-awareness about her powerful sexuality.

When pressed by Carvey and Spade, Yang chose not to disclose the identity of the host who allegedly made cast members cry, saying he would share that information privately. He explained that the emotional reactions from the cast could stem from the intense pressure of the SNL environment. “Imagine you stay up until 4 a.m. writing a sketch, and then the host says, ‘I fucking hate this,’” Yang remarked. “Your nerves are frayed, and you’re going to have some weird, bizarre emotional response.” He clarified, however, that he wasn’t claiming to be one of the cast members who cried.