- Actor Bowen Yang denies responsibility for Shane Gillis’ Saturday Night Live firing, she was fired in 2019 due to resurfaced offensive podcast remarks.
- Bowen Yang responded directly to accusations from background actor Michelle Best.
- Both comedians have advanced their careers with Shane Gillis returning as SNL host.
Bowen Yang, a cast member of Saturday Night Live (SNL), has publicly denied allegations that he played a role in fellow comedian Shane Gillis’ firing from the show in 2019.
The controversy resurfaced after Michelle Best, a background actor on SNL, commented on an Instagram post promoting Gillis’ upcoming hosting appearance.
Best accused Yang of being responsible for Gillis’ dismissal, referring to him as a “whiny queen” and praising Gillis for his humor and resilience. In response, Yang refuted the claim, stating,
“Didn’t do any of this but I wrote the sketch you were a background actor in,”
accompanied by a smiley face emoji.
Shane Gillis was originally hired alongside Bowen Yang and Chloe Fineman for SNL’s 45th season in 2019. However, shortly after his casting was announced, past podcast clips emerged showing Gillis making offensive jokes about Asians and other groups.
The backlash prompted SNL to terminate his contract before he could make his debut. Despite the controversy, Gillis later returned to host the show in 2024 and again in March 2025.
Yang has previously addressed the situation, noting that he was not involved in the decision to fire Gillis. He recalled learning about the controversy through his agent and later receiving an apology from Gillis during a phone call before his dismissal was announced.
Yang emphasized that SNL creator Lorne Michaels assured him he would not be made the “poster child for racial harmony” amid the incident. Reflecting on the ordeal, Yang described feeling like an incidental figure in what became a broader national debate about cancel culture.
The resurfaced allegations against Yang have drawn attention due to their timing, coinciding with Gillis’ second hosting appearance on SNL. While some continue to question the circumstances surrounding Gillis’ firing, both comedians have since moved forward in their careers.
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Last Updated on March 3, 2025 by 247 News Around The World
