Bowen Yang's 11 most iconic Saturday Night Live characters

After seven and a half seasons as one of Saturday Night Live's brightest stars, Bowen Yang is hanging up his hat.

With five Primetime Emmy nominations, Yang is not only the most-nominated Asian male performer in Emmy history, but also one of the most memorable SNL cast members of the last 20 years, and an LGBTQ+ trailblazer.

"I loved working at SNL, and most of all I loved the people," Yang wrote on Instagram. "I was there at a time when many things in the world started to seem futile, but working at 30 Rock taught me the value in showing up anyway when people make it worthwhile."

As a tribute to this comedy great, we're looking back at some of our favorite Bowen Yang characters and sketches on Saturday Night Live over the years.

The iceberg that sank the Titanic.

One of Yang's most iconic bits on SNL is when he joined Weekend Update as the Iceberg that sank the Titanic, explaining his side of the story and promoting his new "hyper-pop EDM new disco fantasia" album.

"First of all, you came to where I live, and you hit me!" Yang, as the iceberg says. "And before I turn around, and go like, 'what,' half my ass is gone, which was my best feature, and I'm literally injured, and all anyone cares about is 40 or 50 people died or whatever."

"Well, it was 1,500 people," Weekend Update host Colin Jost replies.

The Iceberg shouts, "Why are you attacking me?!"

Where to watch: Saturday Night Live season 46 episode 17, which aired on April 10, 2021.

A proud gay Oompa-Loompa.

In the buildup to Timothée Chalamet playing "twink Willy Wonka" in the Wonka film, Yang went on Weekend Update as an Oompa Loompa who is outed by Colin on live television.

After beginning to read a prepared statement about an Oompa Loompa strike, he's derailed by dealing with his coming out. He tells Colin his parents live in "Loompa Land, it's not as progressive there. They, like, just got Will & Grace. So yeah, it's gonna be a conversation."

"Sorry, I'm just curious, do I just give off a gay vibe?" The Oompa Loompa asks Colin.

When Colin tells him he has "a lot of product in his hair," the Oompa Loompa responds, "Okay, and you just stepped out of the shower like that with yours? Pot kettle. Okay, wow, I'm being a bitch!"

"But honestly, it does feel nice to be out. And, I don't know, maybe now that I'm out of the closet, you can come too, Colin," he says.

Where to watch: Saturday Night Live season 47 episode 3, which aired on October 16, 2021.

Dobby discusses J.K. Rowling.

Yang has never shied away from calling out bigots and ignorance in his comedy, and in 2025, he took a shot at Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's transphobia when he went on Weekend Update as Dobby the House Elf. A shaking Dobby insisted he wasn't nervous to "publicly weigh in on trans people" and beat himself every time he did something he thought his "master" wouldn't like.

"Why? Dobby doesn't know," Yang says in the sketch, "Perhaps because house elves are somehow always the problem, even though we're only 1 percent of the population. But house elves aren't the victims; Master Rowling is. She gets so much hate mail."

Not even a wardrobe malfunction could stop Yang on this one!

Where to watch: Saturday Night Live season 51 episode 1, which aired on October 4, 2025.

Sara Lee executives meet with social media manager.

In this 2019 sketch, Yang and Cecily Strong play executives at food brand Sara Lee, who call in a social media manager (played by Harry Styles) to talk to him about his inappropriate and chaotic queer tweets from the Sara Lee account.

The social media posts include comments on a "random fashion twink" that include "a few eggplants, water drops, a train, and a ghost emoji" and a cheesecake caption that reads, "A little moody after being used. Why do guys freak out when I ask them to spit in mouth? Need a real king that can handle. It's 8 am and have to go to hell job at sara lee. A little in my head after another threesome."

Where to watch: Saturday Night Live season 45 episode 6, which aired on November 16, 2019.

Moo Deng comments on newfound fame.

In 2024, Yang dressed up as viral baby hippo Moo Deng for a Weekend Update appearance where he called out over-zealous fans of artists like Chappell Roan while getting sprayed in the face with water from a hose and having shellfish thrown at him.

"Honestly, Colin, sometimes I feel like I live my life in a cage, you know? Like an animal, trapped in a zoo, for people to look at," the zoo star quips. (Yang as) Moo Deng also defends Roan, saying as a fellow viral star, he understands what she's going through.

"Let her take as much time as she needs for her mental health. We both deserve patience and grace… so stop harassing her, and stop throwing shellfish at her," Moo Deng says. "This is what society does: it puts young women on pedestals only to knock them down with shellfish."

Where to watch: Saturday Night Live season 50 episode 1, which aired on September 28, 2024.

Bowen's straight.

When Sydney Sweeney came on SNL as a host, Bowen revealed his greatest secret: He's actually straight and plays a gay character on the show. When Sweeney laments to cast members Heidi Gardner and Ego Nwodim that she has a crush on Bowen, they encourage the actress to go for it. "Bowen pulls!" they tell her.

From there, Yang puts on his best straight-face, telling Sweeney that his type is: "blonde, smart, heavy naturals" and shrugging off Sweeney after they sleep together. "Yeah, I got a lot going on," he tells her. "Plus, I got to keep up appearances with the whole 'gay' thing. It's kind of my meal ticket."

Where to watch: Saturday Night Live season 49 episode 13, which aired on March 2, 2024.

Gay man with a straight male friend.

When NFL player Travis Kelce hosted SNL, Yang produced a commercial for a "Straight Male Friend," a "low-effort, low-stakes relationship" that requires "no emotional commitment, no financial investment," and "no drama."

When Bowen needs a break from his girl friends, he's able to turn to his straight male friend, a friend who won't talk about his personal problems, doesn't care if he gets ignored for months or even years. The only drawback? He "isn't perfect, and may ask blunt questions about your sex life," but don't worry, "he's only asking because he's honestly curious. There's something sweet about that."

Where to watch: Saturday Night Live season 48 episode 14, which aired on March 4, 2023.

The trend forecasters.

In Yang's final SNL episode, his former costar Aidy Bryant returned as the other half of this fabulous duo of trend forecasters on Weekend Update.

In their several appearances, the two highly fashionable, cutting-edge trendsetters call out things that are in (shirt too big for body, hat too small for head) and out (movie posters as decor; "Are you a damn Band-Aid? Because I want to rip you off!" Yang shouts).

The experts also go over trends in fruit, babies, men, and anything else you might need advice on.

Where to watch: Saturday Night Live season 47 episode 12, which aired on January 29, 2022.

A SoulCycle instructor.

In this classic sketch, Yang teamed up with fellow queer cast member Kate McKinnon to play some very intense tryout SoulCycle instructors.

"I live life with no regrets," Yang tells his class. "Abraham Lincoln died. It didn't have to happen. Poor guy, if I would've been there, I would've stopped it. But I wasn't. Will you be? Let's ride!"

"This morning I googled 'racism,' and guess what? It bummed me out," he says the next time he gets on the bike. "And then I googled 'gay racism,' and that was even worse. So you know what I did? I flushed my computer down the toilet because I don't need that negativity in my life. Let's ride!"

Where to watch: Saturday Night Live season 45 episode 3, which aired on November 12, 2019.

George Santos's expelled cold open.

One of Yang's best recurring characters is former politician and convicted criminal George Santos. In one of his most memorable performances, Yang appeared as Santos in the SNL cold open, holding a press conference after being expelled from Congress.

"This entire country has been bullying me because I am a proud gay thief," he says. "What else is new? America hates to see a Latina Queen winning. Since the day I was elected, it's been a witch hunt. But if I'm guilty of anything, it's for loving too much/fraud."

After explaining that he'll be seen as "the modern Princess Diana" and "the modern Marilyn Monroe, he sings a beautiful rendition of Elton John's "Candle in the Wind," retitled "Scandal in the Wind."

Where to watch: Saturday Night Live season 49 episode 7, which aired on December 2, 2023.

First openly bottom guy on 'SNL.'

When Shang-Chi star Simu Liu hosted SNL in 2021, he and Yang made history as the first Asian male host and Asian male cast member to star together in an episode.

In this sketch, the two men are having a first-off, bragging about being the "first Asian Marvel Lead" and "first fully Asian cast member on SNL," adding that they got awards for things like "first gay Asian cast member to mispronounce 'boutique'" and "first Asian man to deadpan on Splash Mountain."

"You know, it's almost embarrassing, I didn't even tell anyone about being one of People's Sexiest Men Alive."

"Weren't you the first openly bottom guy on that list?" Liu asks.

"I'm not open about that. Who told you that?" Yang responds.

"Oh, sorry, I just guessed," Liu fires back, prompting a "Oh nice! Good job!" from Yang.

Where to watch: Saturday Night Live season 47 episode 7, which aired on November 20, 2021.