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For the first episode of \u201cSaturday Night Live\u2019s\u201d 50th season<\/a>, Bowen Yang dressed up as Moo Deng<\/a>, a baby hippo the internet was then obsessed with. Yang\u2019s all-in appearance during the series\u2019 \u201cWeekend Update\u201d segment conflated Moo Deng\u2019s journey with that of reluctant pop star Chappell Roan \u2014 a surprising combination that captivated the audience.<\/p>\n \u201cI was surprised by the way it took off,\u201d Yang says, speaking over Zoom from New York. \u201cWe were juxtaposing these two cultural things, the ways that people were pushing through any sense of boundaries that these two living beings had. It was observational, and I think the response was this force-multiplying thing where people did not think these two lenses could be stuck on top of each other.\u201d<\/p>\n As with many of his popular sketches, Yang found it fascinating to follow the trajectory of the appearance after the episode aired. On one hand, he was thrilled by its levity. But he also describes having \u201ca self-flagellating instinct\u201d to worry it would lose its relevance. \u201cIt has all these different directional tensions to it, and I’m proud of it,\u201d he says. \u201cBut a sketch is such a disposable medium that is both great and that feels like there is no bottom, so you constantly have to keep filling it.\u201d<\/p>\n Since joining \u201cSNL\u201d as a writer in 2018 and then as a cast member in 2019, Yang has delighted viewers with his willingness to play everyone from a famous hippo to George Santos to Charli XCX. He\u2019s sung with Lady Gaga<\/a>, kissed Ariana Grande<\/a> and portrayed the iceberg that sank the Titanic. His eclectic approach has not only earned him four Emmy nods for supporting actor in a comedy series but also solidified him as a fan favorite.<\/p>\n \u201cMy only intention at the show has been to try as many things as possible,\u201d he says. \u201cWith impressions, I’m like, \u2018Let me just try it. Let me try my hand at these little dishes and go from there.\u2019 That was my approach even when I could have really specialized. And I have the show to thank for giving me an opportunity to try out different things.\u201d<\/p>\n There was one impression that Yang was less sure about. In Season 50, \u201cSNL\u201d creator Lorne Michaels asked Yang to play Vice President JD Vance. The comedian says he \u201cvery intentionally\u201d tried to talk Michaels out of it, but he wouldn\u2019t budge. \u201cSo I put my best foot forward,\u201d Yang says. \u201cI hired a dialect coach. I requested a screen test to get the beard right. I tried color contacts. I feel like I\u2019ve developed this reputation where I will do my best even if I don’t think I’m the best person for it.\u201d<\/p>\n