Meet 'Saturday Night Live's' First Gay Asian Castmate: Bowen Yang

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Comedian Bowen Yang is making history on the late-night sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live as the first-ever East Asian actor to join the cast!

Yang is a well known stand-up comedian and internet sensation. Videos of Yang lip-syncing to dramatic TV and film monologues have gone viral over and over again.

Yang joined SNL as a staff writer last season and made his TV debut in a sketch alongside Sandra Oh as North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. Comedians Chloe Fineman and Shane Gillis are also joining the cast following the departure of Leslie Jones.

Yang is only the third openly gay castmate of the iconic series. Terry Sweeney was the first in 1985's eleventh season, followed 27 years later by Kate McKinnon. As far as Asian castmates go, Yang is one of three: Rob Schneider is part Filipino and Nasim Pedrad is Iranian.

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Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!