Bowen Yang Reflects On Being Named ‘Most Likely To Be On SNL’ In School

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It’s a long-held aspiration for many comedians to appear on Saturday Night Live, and they put in a lot of effort to make this dream a reality. With Season 51 set to air in 2025, we eagerly await who will return and who might leave the show. Interestingly, Bowen Yang has revealed that his future involvement with SNL was foreseen even back in high school, as he was voted as the one most likely to be on SNL.

In a remarkable turn of events, Yang started off as a writer for Season 44 of SNL, and later moved on to become a cast member in the subsequent season. His appointment was groundbreaking because he became the first Asian actor to join the series, and since then, he has undeniably established himself as a prominent figure on the show. Interestingly enough, despite him not anticipating a career at 30 Rock, his high school peers may have predicted his extraordinary success, as he shared in an interview with NPR.

They phrased it as ‘Probably destined for Saturday Night Live,’ and it seems to me quite coincidental. Essentially, they were labeling me as a dramatic child, which was true since I was quite the drama kid. I never aimed for SNL, but I was an overly zealous fan. I’d often bring VHS tapes to school to watch them.

It seems that Yang’s classmates foresaw his success on SNL, either due to his larger-than-life personality or their belief in his potential. This goes to show that things often fall into place, even when they seem unexpected, as Yang wasn’t initially aiming for a career on SNL.

Moreover, it’s worth mentioning that the actor from “Wicked” had a deep affection for the late-night variety sketch show during his school years. This might explain his exceptional talent, and it certainly adds an interesting layer to his background.

I would simply share some clips from the weekend’s Saturday Night Live with my classmates, for example if a substitute teacher was present one day. I might say something like “Here, I have this weekend’s SNL if anyone wants to watch it.” Amazingly, the teachers allowed me to play it a few times, and I can’t believe I managed to get away with it. My obsession with comedy, particularly Saturday Night Live, was quite detailed and intense.

This paraphrase aims to make the original sentence more natural and easy to read by using more common phrasing and simplifying some of the language. The paraphrased version also clarifies that the speaker was showing the SNL clips to their classmates and that they were allowed to do so a few times, which was surprising to them. Additionally, the paraphrase emphasizes the speaker’s intense obsession with comedy and Saturday Night Live.

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Even though Yang never truly envisioned himself as a part of Saturday Night Live, it’s fascinating to learn about his fervent fandom, constantly carrying episodes’ tapes to school. Unknowingly, he was shaping his career in an extraordinary way. This merely serves as proof that if you consistently strive for your dream, no matter how lofty, the impossible can become possible.

Despite its sometimes awkward charm, Saturday Night Live (SNL) has endured for an impressive 50 seasons, inviting top-tier hosts and musicians to grace its stage. This longevity can be attributed to its significance as a platform where comedy greats, such as Yang, have cultivated their talent. SNL is also renowned for producing memorable viral moments – take Yang’s iceberg sketch for example – and it serves as a fertile ground for artists like him to flourish. It appears that his peers recognized the potential of this stage too.

Currently, Yang’s schedule remains just as hectic as before, and he has expanded his horizons beyond Saturday Night Live (SNL). For instance, he took on leading roles in the productions of Wicked and its sequel, Wicked: For Good, following Ariana Grande’s persuasion of Lorne Michaels that Yang was capable of handling both projects.

Indeed, it seems that the prediction for Yang’s success in high school has proven to be much more than a simple forecast. Now, he is undeniably recognized as a talented and impressive comedian and actor.

If current circumstances persist for the next six weeks or so, there’s a strong possibility that Yang will rejoin the cast for Season 51 of Saturday Night Live (SNL). As SNL typically doesn’t resume its 2025 TV lineup until early October, it could be that casting updates will emerge prior to this. For now, all we can do is await official news and enjoy Yang’s past performances on SNL with a Peacock subscription.

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2025-08-19 22:44