Olivia Rodrigo hosts Saturday Night Live

When Olivia Rodrigo steps onto the Studio 8H stage Saturday night, she won’t just be carrying the weight of a double-duty performance; she’ll be carrying the pride of a community that has waited far too long for this moment.

The history of Filipino Americans on Saturday Night Live is surprisingly short. We have to look all the way back to 2012 to find the first: Bruno Mars. 

During his stint as host and musical guest, Mars didn't shy away from his identity, proudly mentioning his Filipino and Puerto Rican roots. It was a milestone that felt like a breakthrough, yet the door didn't exactly swing wide open afterward. 

In fact, of the more than 1000 episodes of SNL, not many Asian Americans have had the hosting job at all. Despite the massive contributions of the community to the arts, the roster of AANHPI hosts remains a small, exclusive club. We’ve seen trailblazers like Jackie Chan and Lucy Liu way back in 2000, followed by a long drought until Aziz Ansari in 2017, followed quickly with Kumail Nanjiani, Awkwafina in 2018, Sandra Oh in 2019 and Simu Liu in 2021.

Now, at the start of AANHPI Heritage Month, Rodrigo has the floor. Let's hope that like Bruno, Olivia uses the opportunity to bring her racial rooots to America's attention. 

For SNL's episode this Saturday she is set to perform her lead single "Drop Dead" and has teased a brand-new, unheard song from her upcoming album, You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love.

As for the comedy, fans are looking forward to Rodrigo's recurring role as "Georgina" in a follow-up to her popular "Tiny Ass Bag" sketch. She’s also been seen in promos parodying The Devil Wears Prada, with James Austin Johnson taking on a spot-on Miranda Priestly, suggesting we might see some fashion-forward satire tomorrow night.

For a show that has often been criticized for its lack of diversity, having a Filipina powerhouse lead the penultimate episode of Season 51 isn't just "good timing"—it’s a long-overdue spotlight on the talent that has always been there.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.

Simu Liu, Saweetie on Saturday Night Live

From left, Kyle Mooney, Saweetie, Simu Liu and Cecily Strong.

There will be a definite AAPI flavor to Saturday Night Live tonight. Actor Simu Liu will be hosting the late night comedy skit show. He'll be joined by Filipino American rapper Saweetie as the musical guest.

Shang-Chi star Liu, who’s been vocal about the lack of representation for Asian actors in Hollywood, will represent just the seventh Asian or Asian American to host in the Nov. 20 show. 

Look for Liu and fellow barrier-buster SNL regular Bowen Yang to have something to say about Saturday Night Live’s, better-late-than-never progress towards diversity. 

Saweetie premiered the brand-new song “Icy Chain,” which she plans to perform on the late-night show for the first time Thursday. “Y’all better not miss my Icy Chain performance on SNL this Saturday!” she tweeted Friday.

SNL released a promo of a skit that plays off the real-life (former) relationship between Saweetie and cast member Kyle Mooney.  Talk about awkward.

Olivia Rodrigo wows fans with her performance on 'Saturday Night Live'

Right before our eyes, in Olivia Rodrigo, we are witnessing the birth of a star.

The Filipino American teenager from California was the musical guest star of Saturday Night Live last night and she did not disappoint

The star of Disney's High School Musical: The Musical: The Series wowed fans as she belted out "Drivers License," hitting the high-notes and slaying the emotional, heartbreaking tune.

She ended the SNL's season finale by performing her newest release "good 4 u."

The 18-year old songwriter/singer/actress touched teen heartstrings when she debuted her first hit "Driver's License." In the song's first week, it soared to the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Hot 100, a position it held for a record-setting eight consecutive weeks.

Watch out for her debut album, "Sour." coming out May 21.

After her SNL performance, Rodrigo trended on Twitter with her fans gushing over their favorite. 

NBC president makes 1st comments about firing of Shane Gillis from SNL and Jay Leno’s dog-eating jokes

ASAM NEWS

NBC president Paul Telegdy commented on two controversial incidents Saturday involving racist remarks made about Asians and Asian Americans.
Telegdy praised Saturday Night Live executive producer Lorne Michaels for moving quickly after racist comments surfaced from Shane Gillis shortly after being hired as a regular on the SNL cast.

He also said an investigation into concerns from Gabrielle Union about a toxic culture on the set of America’s Got Talent will be wrapped up soon and that its possible new procedures will be put in place.

Telegdy made both of his comments at the Television Critics Association tour in Hollywood.

“I think what happened next (after reporters googled Gillis’ name and discovered the video), serves as a learning moment for a lot of people,” Deadline reported he said. “How quickly Lorne (Michaels) acted and subsequently what happened is a testament to how we act as a company.”

PAUL TELEGDY

A You Tube video surfaced of Gillis using racial slurs commonly used against Asians, along with homophobic remarks.

“Chinatown’s f*cking nuts,” Gillis can be heard saying. Less than a minute later he says “Let the f*cking ch*nks live there.”

NBC announced the firing of Gillis four days later.

“We acted fast, Lorne did the right thing, going forward we think we will rightly be accountable,” Telegdy said.

The network president also answered questions about concerns expressed by Union shortly after she was fired as a judge from America’s Got Talent.

Union had asked human resources last November well before her firing to look into a Korean dog joke told by guest judge Jay Leno during an AGT taping. She also complained about receiving excessive notes about her appearance including being told that her hairstyles were “too Black” for the audience.

“I’m very confident that if we learn something… we will put new practices into place if necessary, and we certainly take anyone’s critique of what it means to come to work here incredibly seriously,” Variety reported Telegdy said. He declined to comment on the investigation any further.

In an annual report card issued by the Asian Pacific America Media Coalition, Of the three major networks, NBC scored the lowest in their diversity efforts with a grade of a "C" for the 2018-2019 season., the same grade it received the previous season. ABC did the best with a "B," CBS earned a "B-". Fox received an "F" because it didn't give the infor the APAMC evaluators.

During the critics' tour, Telegdy announced a straight-to-series order for a Nahnatchka Khan comedy titled Young Rock. The show, inspired by the Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson childhood, will star the Samoan American action star. Khan, who also helmed Fresh Off the Boat, co-wrote the pilot with Jeff Chiang.

SNL fires newly hired controversial comedian

Saturday Night Live fired a comedian after Asian Americans  strongly condemned his anti-Asian slurs.

Shane Gillis, the standup comedian who's been the target of a barrage of criticism on social media for his use of racial and homophobic slurs in his routine, was fired from SNL Monday.

"After talking with Shane Gillis, we have decided that he will not be joining SNL," said a spokesman on behalf of SNL producer Lorne Michaels.

The spokesman explained that Gillis' racist remarks were unknown to Michaels, who hired him "on the strength of his talent as comedian and his impressive audition."

"We want SNL to have a variety of voices and points of view within the show ... The language he used is offensive, hurtful and unacceptable. We are sorry that we did not see these clips earlier, and that our vetting process was not up to our standard."

After his dismissal, Gillis responded over Twitter, "It feels ridiculous for comedians to be making serious public statements but here we are." 

Clearly, Gillis' snide farewell shows obvious lack of remorse. He still doesn't understand why what he said was offensive to so many.

Gillis was one of three new comedians added to the SNL cast last Wednesday. Among the new hires was Bowen Yang, the first Chinese American to join SNL

Hours after the SNL announced the new additions, a podcast was uncovered in which Gillis used racist slurs in referring to Chinese and Chinatown. The outcry against Gillis continued throughout the weekend on social media including comments from Presidential candidate Andrew Yang. 

The backlash continued to snowball when other material and interviews popped up on the Internet showing that being offensive to Asians, LGBTQ and women was not only part of Gillis comedic material but part of his thinking.

Studies show that Asian Americans are among the most prolific users of social media -- from producing content on Youtube, finding entertainment and news on streaming networks to just connecting with each other on Twitter, Tic Toc, Instagram and other social media. As the strong response against Gillis, the use of social media as a form of protest is something AAPI is learning to wield.

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Analysis: Saturday Night Live's hiring of comedian using anti-Asian slurs blows up social media

SHANE GILLIS

ANALYSIS

The question is: When does a comedian's jokes about a racial group cross over the line and he or she uses comedy -- or freedom of speech -- as a cover for racism?

The controversy over the hiring of so-called comedian Shane Gillis by Saturday Night LIve continues to heat up social media and it doesn't look like its going to cool down soon with Presidential candidate Andrew Yang chiming in the fiery debate dived into the validity of  Asian/Black comparisons, Yang's perpetuation of the model minority stereotype and while making racist jokes against POC is frowned upon, it is still OK to make fun of Asians.

In Gillis' free and seemingly common use of a racial slur -- the c-word -- against Chinese in a podcast, in interviews and in his routine, sparked off the social media criticism against the comedian and  his coveted SNL hire.

Fuel was added to the fire with another Gillis quote from a 2016 interview with Philadelphia's Billy Penn, Gillis talked about the boundaries he pushes with his brand of comedy.

"You throw stuff out there and you get to see them react to things, like yea or nay, what's funny and what's not," Gillis is quoted as saying. "You can be racist to Asians. That's what we're finding out," Gillis told Billy Penn.

"I think racism against Asian Americans is one of the more under-reported or under-estimated components of racism in America," Korean American political pundit Kurt Bardella told CNN, "To those of us in the Asian American community who have been the targets of racism, there is nothing funny about it."

A Thursday night tweet, after it appeared that the critics were not going to fade away, Gilles  offered a half-hearted attempt at an apology that failed to satisfy any of his critics. If anything, it fanned the flames.

Yang, whose parents immigrated from Taiwan, joined in the fray:

Please note. This is not an apology. Gilles is not admitting any accountability. He is not saying using racist slurs was wrong. And resorting to racist insults is not a risk; it's resorting to the lowest base and appealing to and emboldening and cajoling white supremacists' views.

In a followup tweet, Yang clarified that he's not asking that Gilles be fired from SNL but the incident be used as a learning moment.

"I've experienced a lot of Anti-Asian racism throughout my upbringing. And it hurts. It is something that is very real," Yang told CNN's Jake Tappepr. "And I do think Anti-Asian racial epithets are not taken as seriously as slurs against other groups. 

"But at the same time, bigger picture, I believe that our country has become excessively punitive and vindictive about remarks that people find offensive or racist and that we need to try and move beyond that if we can, particularly in a case where the person is, in this case to me, like a comedian whose words should be taken in a slightly different light."

Bardella responded to Yang's step-back in a tweet: "as someone not burdened with all that comes from running for President, my tolerance for such blatant racism is not on par with Yang's. I think he should lose his job as it is clear from his statement that he simply does not fully understand how egregious his brand of 'comedy' is to the Asian American community. "

The second part of Bardella's tweet stirred up a controversy of its own: "If this were a white comedian caught on tape using the n*word, we wouldn't even be entertaining the conversation of whether or not he should keep his job."

Others on social media said we shouldn't equate the c-word with the emotional loaded and historic traumatic n-word.

Tapper asked Yang about the candidate's own jokes referencing Asian stereotypes, Yang said by "poking fun" at such stereotypes it provides an opportunity for Americans to reflect on them.

"I would never claim that my individual experience would speak to the depth and breadth of our community," he told Tapper. "At the same time, I think Americans are very smart. And that they can actually see right through that kind of myth and, if anything, by poking fun at it I'm making Americans reflect a little bit more on them."
Comedian Jimmy O. Yang (Silicon Valley, Crazy Rich Asians), said he usually sides with comedians on the free speech argument, but in this case, he's calling for Gilles firing.

Actor Simu Liu, whose tweets have grown many-fold since he got picked to play Shang-Chi, Marvel's first Asian superhero,  in an upcoming movie, tweeted:

Gilles use of racial slurs, particularly against Asians, apparently is a common part of his act and off-stage. 

A couple of comedy clubs in Philadelphia won't hire him anymore because of offensive act. Dropping Gilles was a decision after “an internal discussion among the staff because he seemed to insist on working material that was racist, misogynistic, xenophobic and homophobic.” 

The Good, Good Comedy Theater tweeted that it had “deliberately chosen not to work” with Gillis because of his “overt racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia — expressed both on and offstage.”


Meanwhile, the calls for SNL to fire the newly hired Gilles continue to grow:

Unfortunately, the Gilles hiring by SNL has overshadowed the comedy show's adding to its cast Bowen Yang, the first Chinese American comedian.

Despite the online furor created by Gilles comments, Saturday Night Live and NBC have remained silent. The cast -- presumably with Gilles -- is underway for the first show of SNL's 45th season on Sept. 28.

Social media has given Asian Americans and other marginalized communities a means to voice their concerns and to share their comments with others. The AAPI community is the fastest growing demographic in the US and its growing economic and political influence should not be ignored. The outrage against a person who uses racist material for laughs is no laughing matter.

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TGIF Feature: SNL adds Chinese American comedian to its cast

SNL

Bowen Yang as Kim Jong Un.

Bowen Yang was hired by Saturday Night Live as a writer in 2018, but in the show's upcoming 45th season, he'll be moving in front of the camera.

Yang is the first Chinese American cast member for SNL He will join comedians Chloe Fineman and Shane Gillis, as SNL's new cast members.

SNL has faced criticism for not having an Asian as a member of its 18-person troupe. The last time there was a cast member of Asian descent was in 2013 when Fred Armisen, who is of Korean descent, left the show. Earlier, Rob Schneider, a Filipino American, was in the cast in the 1990s.

Yang first appeared on SNL in March, when he played Kim Jong Un in a sketch alongside host Sandra Oh.

With Yang's hire, no doubt, will likely include a return of Kim Jong Un and Presidential candidate Andrew Yang (no relation)  will likely become an equal-opportunity target for lampooning.

Besides Yang, comedians Chloe Fineman, Shane Gillis, will join the cast when the show starts its 45th season on Sept. 28.

Yang's new castmate Gillis, however, drew criticism  for previous racist comments meant to be humorous. He used an racist slur in referring to the Chinese and a derogatory terms for LGBTQ people.

Gillis response to the criticism:

"I'm a comedian who pushes boundaries. I sometimes miss. If you go through my 10 years of comedy, most of it bad, you're going to find a lot of bad misses," Gillis wrote. "I'm happy to apologize to anyone who's actually offended by anything I've said. My intention is never to hurt anyone but I am trying to be the best comedian I can be and sometimes that requires risks."

That's not really an apology and it didn't quiet the criticism.

CNN Opinion writer Jeff Yang tweeted that "if you want to know what being a person of color is like, it's literally that for every Bowen Yang-shaped step you take forward, you also take one racist-ass Shane Gillis-shaped step back."

EDITOR'S NOTE: Earlier versions of this post misspelled Fred Armisen's name.

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TGIF Feature: SNL host Jason Momoa Is the ultimate NBC page

JASON MOMOA, best known for his action roles, will be playing against type by hosting Saturday Night Live tomorrow, Dec. 8.

After playing Khal Drogo in HBO's Game of Thrones, the Hawaii-born Momoa won the role of DC superhero Aquaman. Ahead of the U.S. premiere of Aquaman on December 21. NBC put together a fun, kind of stressful promo prior to Momoa's SNL debut.

First posted on the official SNL YouTube page, the promo begins with an NBC Page - an intern that works in different departments at NBC to get experience in the field - telling Momoa to man the phones while he takes care of an emergency. 

Momoa seems thrilled with the task, and immediately gets a call regarding a question to which he doesn't know the answer. Momoa quickly sets off to figure out the caller's question, which includes a series of physical stunts that include punching Beck Bennett, breaking into Lorne Michaels' office, and breakdancing his way through security lasers. The promo ends with Momoa coming to the realization that the show is recorded live, which turns out to have been the caller's question. 
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Jason Momoa to host 'Saturday Night Live,' Dec. 8

Jason Momoa is looking forward to hosting 'Saturday Night Live.'

DECEMBER WILL BE a huge month for Jason Momoa, the Hawaiian American. The biggest role in his career, that of Aquaman, will premiere Dec. 21 and he will host Saturday Night Live on Dec. 8.

Momoa is enjoying a hot period in his career right now. In addition to SNL and playing a super hero, his hit Netflix adventure series, Frontier, debuted recently for its third season. 

His role as Khal Drogo on Game of Thrones, HBO's megahit, is what launched his string of good fortune. As the series comes to an end in 2019, his portrayal  as the leader of the Dothraki and the husband of Daenerys Targaryen, the once and future Khaleesi, Mother of Dragons, has put another spotlight on him.

Momoa, at 6'4" and with a physique and a glare that can kill, he is an imposing actor. He is not known for his comedic skills, but as Aquaman, he delivers one-liners like a pro, in contrast to the other deadly serious DC superheroes, ie. Batman and  Superman.

He was practically giddy with glee when he learned he was going to host SNL as part of promoting the Aquaman premiere. His response to ET, says it all (tongue in cheek):

The only thing that would make the SNL occasion even more perfect? He would love turn his SNL sting into a family affair by being joined by his wife, actress Lisa Bonet , and stepdaughter, Zoe Kravitz. That hasn't been confirmed but, as an impish smile comes across his face, he says that's something he's working on.

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Awkwafina pays tribute to Lucy Liu on SNL

By Louis Chan
ASAM NEWS

AWKWAFINA brought her own feel to Saturday Night Live last night (Oct. 6).
Her opening monologue was rather brief, but she did go out of her way to pay tribute to Lucy Liu, the only other Asian American woman to ever host SNL.

The rapper turned actress called Lucy Liu her idol and said she waited outside 30 Rock in 2000 when Liu hosted the program.

As a child, she could not get into the show, but Awkwafina said it was important to her to be nearby.

Liu “totally changed what was possible for an Asian American woman,” said Awkwafina.

“I wasn’t able to make it in back then, but 18 years later, I’m hosting the show,” she said to applause.

Earlier she mentioned she grew up in Queens.

“People assume my dad has an accent, and he does…He has an accent like Donald Trump.”

Later she participated in a rather funny dance off, making her moves to the tunes of theme songs from game shows.

That was followed by her role as a hairstylist for Cleopatra.

Awkwafina, whose real name is Nora Lum, is a rising star to watch.

2018 saw her featured in two high profile films- Crazy Rich Asians and Oceans 8.

Now she can add Saturday Night Live to her credits. As she said in her monologue,“I’m not a Crazy Rich Asian, I’m more like a Rebuilding My Credit Asian”

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TGIF Feature: SNL teasers feature the crazy, rich and Asian Awkwafina

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE released a couple of promotional videos featuring comedian Awkwafina, who will be hosting the long-running NBC program this Saturday.
An Asian American woman hasn’t hosted Saturday Night Live since Lucy Liu in 2000.

Many of her fans are excited for what Awkwafina -- who has her own brand of edgy humor -- will bring to the often-irreverent and satirical show, which has long been criticized for a lack of diversity in its cast.

Rapper Travis Scott will also be featured this Saturday (Oct. 6) on SNL. Check local listings for times.

It's a breakout year for Awkwafina, who otherwise goes by the name of Nora Lum, She has three movies out in 2018: Dude, Ocean's 8 and the surprise hit of the summer, Crazy Rich Asians, a bright romantic comedy featuring an all-Asian cast.

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Awkwafina hosting 'Saturday Night Live' is no laughing matter

Awkwafina, AKA Nora Lum, plays Goh Peik in 'Crazy Rich Asians.'

ASIANS can be crazy. Asians can be rich. Asians can be romantic. Apparently, the one thing Asians can't be -- at least In the eyes of Saturday Night Live -- is funny.

That's why the news that Awkwafina, the comedian/actress scene-stealer of Crazy Rich Asians, will be hosting SNL is so remarkable.

It has been 20 years since an Asian American woman hosted the satiric laden show. Back then, it was Lucy Liu, an actress, whose movie, a reboot of television's Charlies' Angels, had just been released.

Awkwafina, whose real name is Nora Lum, got her first break in 2012 with her viral hit “My Vag” ― a track she made while working at a vegan bodega for $9 an hour.

The actress is now riding high after playing Goh Peik Lin in Crazy Rich Asians, the runaway hit based on Kevin Kwan’s bestselling book of the same name. The movie also stars Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding and Constance Wu, and is the first Hollywood film in 25 years to feature a contemporary, almost entirely Asian cast. It follows a Chinese-American economics professor who struggles to make a good impression on her Singaporean boyfriend’s mega-wealthy and judgmental family.

In an interview with HuffPost last year, Awkwafina praised the actors and activists who are boosting Asians’ presence in Hollywood.

“With all the things that are happening, this is a woke time, and whether Hollywood likes it or not, they’re going to have to change things up,” she said.

Besdes Liu, past Asian SNL hosts have all been male, including Jackie Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, Riz Ahmed, Aziz Ansari. and  Bruno Mars.

For its not-so-subtle liberal slant, it is odd that SNL doesn't have a cast member of Asian descent. The lack of an Asian player has provided some embarassing moments.

When Melissa portrayed Elaine Quijano moderating a presidential debate, she said: “Hello. I’m the new Hispanic cast member, and I’ll be playing Asian moderator Elaine Quijano. Becaus ..., baby steps.”


And when SNL writers create a Star Trek skit, which it has done periodically, they have to pull production designer Akira Yoshimura in front of the cameras to play the role of Mr. Sulu. He's played that part four times.

It's 2018 and still no Asian cast member on the popular variety show that has launched the careers of a host of actors. Every time Saturday Night Live holds auditions, there is always the call for the show to be more inclusive.

Apparently, Asians are not funny enough for Saturday Night Live. That's a joke, but I'm not laughing.
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AsAm News contributed to this report.
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Will Kumail Nanjiani's SNL gig break down stereotypes?

SCREEN CAPTURE / NBC

Kumail Nanjiani hosted "Saturday Night Live."

KUMAIL NANJIANI made the most of his stint as guest host on Saturday Night Live, last night (Oct. 14) let's hope it opens the doors for other Asian American performers.

He wasn't afraid to make the primarily white viewership a bit uncomfortable touching on topics other comedians have not gone:

• He's Muslim;
• He's an immigrant;
• He married a white woman;
• The Koran on women drivers;
• Sikhs mistaken as Muslims

SNL has gotten so comfortable in the Trump era; it needs to shake things up, like having an Asian American hosting the venerable satiric show.

Nanjiani is the second Muslim and South Asian to host SNL after Aziz Ansari did the job earlier this year. In its 42-year old history, Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan are the only other two Asian Americans to do the show's  opening monologue and Samoan/American Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson did the job last May.

What?! SNL can't find any AAPI performers? Why hasn't Margaret Cho ever been called? Or, Ken Jeong? Or, Constance Wu? Or, Randall Park? All of the aforementioned entertainers have proven comedic acting resumes.

Is there a clause in the Comedy Central contracts that prevent's SNL from calling on Hasan Minhaj or Ronny Chieng?

Here's thinking out of the box: John Cho. Remember, he got his first big break starring as a stoner in the stereotype buster Harold & Kumar comedy franchise.

Since we' brought up Harold & Kumar, what about Cho's costar and fellow stoner Kal Penn, whose credentials include working in the White House.

Hailee Steinfeld and Vanessa Hudgens, both singers and actors, have proven themselves as more than capable hosts, doing the emcee chores for Billboard's Women in Music last year and the Billboard Music Awards this year respectively. Both have substantial fan bases  in that critical Millennial age bracket and they go beyond the just the Asian American community.

At any rate, let's hope that Nanjiani's and Ansari's successful stints opens some eyes at Saturday Night Live that AAPI performers can be funny, hip and express themselves beyond being "inscrutable."
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The Rock declares his candidacy; picks running mate

DWAYNE JOHNSON, AKA The Rock, declared his candidacy for POTUS on Saturday Night Live.

The Somoan/American actor's name keeps popping up on pundits' list of possible challengers to Donald Trump. 

About all the speculation, he said, "You know, it's very flattering. And let me just say, once and for all — I'm in," he announced Saturday to cheers from the audience. "Starting tonight, I am running for President of the United States."

In the spoof announcement, he even picked his running mate: fellow actor Tom Hanks, one of the most popular and respected members of the Hollywood community. That would be a formidable ticket. Oh, if  only it wasn't a spoof.

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