Over the past couple of years, Saturday Night Live (SNL) cast member Bowen Yang has found subtle ways to express his disapproval of certain guests on the show. Most recently, his target was Nikki Haley, a Republican presidential candidate who made a surprise appearance on SNL. During a mock CNN town-hall sketch where Haley played herself, Yang took to Instagram and shared a backstage note addressed to Haley. It read, 'Welcome to Studio 8H! From, Lorne + everyone at SNL.' Alongside the photo, Yang commented, 'everyone! :)' Some have interpreted this as Yang being sarcastic, while others believe he may be subtly mocking the SNL boss, Lorne Michaels. Interestingly, the comments section of the post was disabled.
This isn't the first time Yang has expressed his reservations about a guest on SNL. During the previous week's episode, comedian Dave Chappelle appeared during the closing credits. As the cast gathered for the curtain call, Yang, who is openly gay, physically distanced himself from Chappelle. This gesture didn't go unnoticed by viewers and the media. Chappelle has faced criticism for his stand-up specials, which have been accused of mocking and criticizing the trans community.
