Season 50 of Saturday Night Live (SNL) premiered on Sept. 28 to the highest ratings it has received since 2020, but the comedic sketch show’s return was not without controversy. Cast member Bowen Yang appeared on Weekend Update dressed as famed internet hippo Moo Deng. In recent years, Yang has become a regular on these segments, frequently portraying animals or inanimate objects, like the absurd personification of the Titanic iceberg. His characters are hilariously melodramatic and serve as cutting cultural commentary on modern celebrities, so naturally, Yang’s baby hippo wasn’t all that different. However, about 30 seconds into the impression, it becomes obvious that Moo Deng is operating as a stand-in for rising pop icon Chappell Roan. This comes shortly after Roan announced that she would be stepping away from the All Things Go Music Festival to take some time for her mental health.
The morning after the sketch aired, the internet got up in arms, calling it offensive for supposedly mocking Roan, a woman who is already enduring internet hate for calling out obsessive fans. However, this is just a really strong piece of satire; the sketch perfectly toes the line between poking fun at and bringing to light real issues that seem to be plaguing the new generation of pop stars. Yang himself most certainly understands the importance of prioritizing mental health, as he has faced struggles with depersonalization and, like Roan, took a break from his work to recuperate.
The secret behind Yang’s ability to tap into this unique landscape of the modern celebrity might come from his years of co-hosting the podcast Las Culturistas with friend and comedian Matt Rogers. On the show, Rogers and Yang break down pop and celebrity culture through the lens of what cultures shaped them and who they were made for. Along with a variety of guests, the hosts are often able to pinpoint exactly why something or someone has captured the imagination of the general public. Years of this in-depth analysis prepared Yang to offer a near-perfect satirization of a modern celebrity persona. Casting it through the lens of an inanimate object or an animal simply heightens the eccentricities.
Following the backlash to his sketch, Yang posted an Instagram story clarifying that his intention was always to support Roan and to emphasize that she should not be treated like a zoo animal. Yet the fact that Yang even had to address this “controversy” raises serious questions about the nature of fandom culture and the often dramatic behaviours that accompany it.
On social media, audiences are divided; some are making fun of modern audiences’ inability to enjoy a man in a hippo costume impersonating a pop star, while others have gone as far as invoking identity politics, highlighting that Bowen is a “cishet gay man” (have we forgotten that “gay” and “heterosexual” are antonyms?) and is perpetuating misogyny by mocking and belittling women’s mental health struggles. These claims are so outlandish that they only further fuel Yang’s point about crazy fans.
It’s clear that Yang is trying to illustrate the absurdity of the accusations against Roan rather than shaming her, as he said so explicitly in the skit: “Leave her alone. Let her take as much time as she needs for her mental health.” Just because fans can’t recognize the sketch as satire doesn’t mean it isn’t. It’s interesting how Roan was forced to address obsessive fan behaviour, yet this backlash exemplifies that very issue—fans taking things out of proportion.
By highlighting characteristics that Roan is often accused of or defamed for having—namely, being rude or ungrateful—Yang can make light of just how ridiculous those complaints really are. If die-hard fans want to counter the “parasocial bestie” allegations, they’re going to have to loosen up a bit. With some critical thinking, it’s obvious that Yang’s message is simply to leave Roan alone. And while you’re at it, give the slippery, bouncing baby hippo some space, too.
