“Now, can we please talk about my [Emmy nomination]?” Somewhere, Bowen Yang is likely pleased to be able to say this now, with the hall pass to be as much of a diva as we know he can play. Among the recently announced Emmy nominations, a small crop of historic firsts (including a welcomed nomination for Pose's MJ Rodriguez, the first ever trans woman to be nominated in Emmy history) included the comedian, who was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on Saturday Night Live.
Adding to the history Yang already made two years ago as the first ever Asian cast member on SNL, the announcement served as a multi-pronged barrier-breaking moment: Yang is not only the first ever featured player to score an Emmy nomination (a rather stunning feat considering the comedic greats that all started out as featured players in SNL’s 46-year history), he is also one of the few Chinese-American men to receive an acting nod (including B.D. Wong for Outstanding Guest Actor on Mr. Robot). Beyond just another mark of what can at time feel like the stubborn diversity check-boxing that these institutional awards shows have been belatedly catching up to do these last few years, the nomination does carry a few rather complex symbolic feelings.
