Bowen Yang Steals the Spotlight During Ariana Grande’s ‘SNL’ Monologue

Bowen Yang’s last appearance on Saturday Night Live was during Ariana Grande’s opening monologue on Saturday, bringing his time as a cast member to a close.

During a performance, Ariana Grande was joined by a surprise guest, Lea Michele, who also appears in Wicked. Together, they performed a fun, festive rendition of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Michele playfully shared her difficulty finding a gift for her cousin’s boyfriend.

Ariana Grande joked that she impulsively bought a Yeti mug as a generic Christmas gift, admitting she was struggling to find something for this particular person. The audience laughed. Yang then joined her on stage, receiving a huge round of applause. After he announced he was leaving the show, Grande gave him a warm side-hug.

Ariana Grande praised Cynthia Erivo during their performance, telling her how much she enjoyed Erivo’s single line in ‘Wicked.’ Erivo playfully responded, noting that it was indeed her only line in the show, ‘Wicked: For Good.’

The rest of the SNL cast joined the performance wearing Christmas sweaters, playfully suggesting funny gifts like a bath massage coupon or a personalized video message from Matthew Morrison. Ariana Grande and Bowen Yang’s reactions made the whole segment lighthearted and entertaining. You can find a video of it on YouTube.

Bowen Yang is leaving Saturday Night Live after its 50th season, joining several other cast members who have recently departed, including Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, Devon Walker, Michael Longfellow, and Emil Wakim.

Ang joined the show as a writer in 2018, during its 44th season. He quickly moved up, becoming a featured performer in Season 45 and a main cast member in Season 47. Throughout his time on the show, he received five Emmy nominations: four for his supporting acting and one for his writing.

In a recent Instagram post, Yang reminisced about his time at Saturday Night Live, saying he especially enjoyed the people he worked with. He explained that being at SNL during a discouraging period in the world taught him the importance of dedication when surrounded by good company.

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2025-12-21 12:15