Bowen Yang Recalls Shane Gillis’ Apologetic Phone Call Before Being Fired From SNL
Saturday Night Live’s Bowen Yang made history as the first Chinese American and third openly gay cast member. In 2019, he joined the show at the same time as former member Shane Gillis, who had previously made offensive remarks towards Asian people in his podcast. This led to Gillis’s eventual termination.
After the incident, Yang received supportive messages from his agent and SNL boss Lorne Michaels, who reassured him that he didn’t need to be a symbol of racial harmony. Despite the controversy, Yang later shared a hug with Gillis when he returned to host the show in February 2024.
In a recent interview, Yang expressed a desire to move past the incident and focus on their respective careers. He hoped that Gillis’s hosting gig would be a way for them to finally put the controversy behind them.