Bowen Yang Addresses AAPI Hate Crimes on SNL Weekend Update

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— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) March 28, 2021

Bowen Yang is one of the funniest cast members Saturday Night Live has seen in seasons, but on March 27, he took on a more serious tone to address the rising racism and hate crimes against Asian Americans. Yang joined Colin Jost and Michael Che on Weekend Update, jokingly as the show’s “Asian cast member” — admitting he set Jost up with that title. All jokes aside, however, Yang’s segment focused on the resilience of the AAPI community and how people need to “do more” than the bare minimum to support them.

“If someone’s personality is punching Asian grandmas, it’s not a dialogue. I have an Asian grandma — you want to punch her, there ain’t no common ground, mama,” Yang said, referring to 75-year-old San Francisco resident Xiao Zhen Xie. “I see my friends donating, and that’s great, but then I also tell them: do more. You’re ordering from Chinese restaurants? Great. Do more. Let me know when you feed your white kids chicken feet. You cried during Minari? Congrats. I was sobbing into my boner for Steven Yeun. Do more.”

He continued, “And why are you telling me you tipped your manicurist well? Let me know when you get on your knees and scrub her feet while she looks at your phone. Do more.” Yang admitted that as a comedian he “doesn’t have all the answers,” but he knows he’ll find them by looking further than an Instagram post. “I’m not just looking for them online. I’m looking around me. The GoFundMe for Xiao Zhen Xie, the grandmother who fought back against her attacker, raised $900,000, which she immediately gave back to the community. That’s where we are as Asians. Now come meet us there.”

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