Don't forget: Bowen Yang is still eligible for an Emmy Award.
On Monday, the Emmy Awards ceremony for NBC's long-running sketch comedy program, known as "Saturday Night Live," took place at the Wolf Theatre in the Saban Media Center in Los Angeles. Yang was one of the 12 judges, which also included Tommy Brennan, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Ben Marshall, Ashley Padilla, Kam Patterson, Sarah Sherman, Weronika Slowikowska, and Kenan Thompson.
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«Yes, hi everyone, I am eligible to participate in the FYC competition!» Yan reminded the crowd during the conversation, which was moderated by Variety publication in collaboration with NBCUniversal.
Over the show's 51 seasons, several cast members have left mid-year, and Young has now joined the ranks. Each departure was accompanied by its own host and musical guest. Among them: Dana Carvey (hosted by Luke Perry and musician Mick Jagger), Norm Macdonald (hosted by Julianne Moore and the Backstreet Boys), Amy Poehler (hosted by Hugh Laurie and Kanye West), and Cecily Strong (hosted by Austin Butler and Lizzo). The episode featuring Young's departure featured Ariana Grande as host and Cher as musical guest.
«"It was just incredible, because they're two comedians, and I think we can all agree," says Young. "Cher is a real comedian who does sketches. Ariana went all the way through Nickelodeon. I can't believe it turned out so well.".
When Yang received his fourth acting nomination for his role on "SNL" in 2025, he became the most nominated Asian male actor in Emmy history. In 2018, he was hired as a writer for "SNL," and in 2021, he became the first actor to receive an Emmy nomination in the acting category.
He's not the only one who's left his mark on Lorne Michaels' program.
Thompson, who won an Emmy in 2018 for co-writing the "SNL" song "Come Back, Barack," is the show's longest-serving cast member, having been on the show for 23 years, which he calls an "incredible" experience.
«"We have a front-row seat to some of the world's greatest comedic minds at work," he told the crowd. "The show is reinvented every week, and you have no choice but to embrace it. The constant influx of talent, both writers and actors, allows for new ideas, friendships, and collaborations to blossom, and that keeps the show moving forward. I'm a witness to how this machine works. It's not rocket science. They simply hire whoever is best suited and most available.".
One of Hernandez's new characters is Mr. Fronzi, a male teacher based on one of his real-life teachers. "I think it's up to you to decide whether that's a good thing or a bad thing," he said with a laugh. "I tried to make him male and a little different, so she wouldn't feel bad. I told her I was doing it, and she called me: 'Marcello, don't forget the limp.'".
Padilla, a Bay Area native who honed her craft with the Groundlings Main Stage troupe, became a breakout star this season thanks to the viral sketch "Mom Confessions." In it, she played a mother preparing for a holiday dinner with her husband (guest host and "Pillion" star Alexander Skarsgård) and four children (Brennan, Dismukes, Sherman, and Wicklyn). She describes her approach as a true artist: "I basically focus on what's funny to me and what makes me laugh, and the rest is out of my control.".
Sherman, who just wrapped her fifth season on "Saturday Night Live," is known for her "Weekend Update" segments, where she provokes Colin Jost. Her main goal is to "find out where he sleeps" and "do something crazy to him.".
The panelists also played a game of superlatives and clues, which escalated into banter between the actors and those who weren't present. Missing from the event were Michael Che, Jost, Mikey Day, Jeremy Culhane, and Jane Wicklin.
Hernandez lashed out at the absent Day, calling him "an agent of chaos. He's been there a long time, he doesn't care, he'll behave inappropriately, he'll ignore the cards and just say whatever he wants.".
Johnson joked about newcomer Culhane: "I think he's a little off in the head.".
The cast isn't the only one vying for an Emmy Award. The series is also vying for a spot in the Outstanding Entertainment Series category, which was merged earlier this year. According to Emmy rules, one spot is guaranteed for a scripted entertainment program in the category with the fewest entries. The only entries classified as scripted entertainment programs this year are "Saturday Night Live," "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver," "It's Florida, Man," and BYUtv's "Studio C," which is competing again this year.
In every iteration of the Variety and Sketch Shows category, the long-running comedy created by Lorne Michaels has never missed a nomination for Best Program since 2007. The new category seems odd when these programs are ranked side by side.
At the conclusion of the panel, which marked Young's final SNL Emmy FYC event as a cast member, he paid tribute to the ensemble and crew at 30 Rock.
«"I'm in awe and thinking, 'Holy shit, these people are doing this without any safety net!'" Ian said, before becoming emotional. "They're doing something incredibly difficult every week, with such regularity, that they can show you all, and me now, how much they've improved at this. I really hope everyone understands how difficult this is, especially now that [comedy] is so scarce. Thank you all for coming to my TED talk!"«
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