I don't think any of us need to have actually been a part of the cast of Saturday Night Live to realize that it's probably a pretty heady experience if one gets the chance to become a featured player on the late night staple. Not only will you be surrounded by the famous guest hosts and musical acts on a weekly basis, but you'd suddenly find yourself working amongst people you've been watching on the show for years. Bowen Yang is currently only in his second SNL season as a performer (and third as a writer), but he recently recalled a surreal moment of bonding with former cast member Kristen Wiig on set.
Most fans of SNL would likely say that Bowen Yang is doing very well for himself on the sketch comedy series, and has made a name for himself with several funny characters. But, that doesn't mean that the new star is immune to getting a bit starstruck when he's faced with some of his idols from Saturday Night Live's past. For Yang, that's included Kristen Wiig, who returned to host the holiday episode this season, on December 19. As Yang told Entertainment Weekly, the experience was "weird," and noted:
That's the weird part of this job: having even very cursory interpersonal relationships with these people. The fact that Kristen Wiig is telling me that she also had bad weeks is crazy! There's this very strong, shared, core understanding of experience of working there, and she knew that I would relate to that. She didn't have to ask me, 'Are you having a good time?’
It's probably pretty easy for us to understand what Bowen Yang is feeling when he talks about being able to bond with Kristen Wiig over the grueling production schedule that SNL is known for. Many people would likely be awed if they had a chance to talk to the Oscar nominated comedian / actress / writer, but Yang was able to relate to Wiig as someone who'd been through a unique experience he's going through right now.
Plus, Yang said he spent much of his teens as an avid watcher of SNL, meaning that quite of bit of his early experiences with the show probably involved watching Wiig during her tenure on the series, which lasted from 2005 through 2012.
Many of the cast members on SNL wear multiple hats, both on the show and off as they try to expand their careers beyond the doors of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. It's got to be a daunting task at times, especially with the immense pressure of being a relatively new member of the cast, so it had to be great for Bowen Yang to be able to talk to Kristen Wiig about it as someone who's been there, survived and thrived in the environment. As he said, Wiig didn't have to ask if he was having a good time, because she knows exactly what it's like to work there. And, his thoughts on their conversation were similar to what Kenan Thompson said about working with Eddie Murphy on SNL.
Bowen Yang and (at least some of) his SNL cohorts will be back with another new episode on Saturday, May 8, with controversial guest host Elon Musk, and musical guest Miley Cyrus. For more to watch in the coming weeks, check out our 2021 summer TV premiere schedule!
